The Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo is ending its 100-year Old Spanish Days tradition.

“After a century of tradition, horsemanship, and community celebration, the Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo has concluded its historic run at Earl Warren Showgrounds following three sold-out centennial PRCA performances in 2024,” organizers wrote on the event website and Facebook this week.

“Unfortunately, due to increasing operational and production challenges, we are unable to sustain this historical Santa Barbara event for the future,” they wrote.

The horse show and rodeo was a multi-day event at Earl Warren Showgrounds each year during Old Spanish Days Fiesta.

“While it is difficult to say goodbye, we take immense pride in the impact and memories created over the decades,” the organization wrote in an email to supporters. “The Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo has left a lasting mark on Santa Barbara’s history, celebrating the skill, spirit, and tradition of the vaquero way of life.”

“We are incredibly proud to say that we ended on a high note, with three sold-out PRCA performances, a testament to the enduring love and support this event has received from the community.”

In a Facebook post Tuesday, organizers assured people, “unfortunately, this is not an April Fools joke.”

The rodeo and horse show have historically been substantial draws for the five-day Old Spanish Days community festival.

The historical parade in downtown Santa Barbara is one of the largest equestrian parades in the country, and the rodeo and horse show have contributed to the event’s nostalgia and throwback to the ranchero era.

“It has been a longstanding tradition in this community to hold a rodeo representing the historic nature of how things were in the ranch period 100 years ago,” said Robin Cederlof, an advocate and supporter of the rodeo and horse show. “It is really sad to see those kinds of things drifting away.”

Cederlof said she has been a “horse fanatic,” from the time she was a child, and would hang out that the rodeo at Earl Warren from dawn to dusk back them. She has been a volunteer and supporter for many years.

She called the situation “sad.”

“I hate to see the rodeo close down,” Cederlof said. “It’s a tradition. It’s part of our early culture.  It’s a big part of Fiesta. What will Old Spanish Days do without all those rodeo folk who also help with the parade because they happen to be in town?”

The organization’s messages to supporters announcing the end, sent in early March, were signed by Davia McNamara, 2024 Fiesta Rodeo Co-Chair & Sponsorship Liaison.

 “It is because of your trust and belief in our mission that we were able to uphold the values of Western heritage and bring together world-class competitors, local families, and passionate spectators year after year,” the letter states. “Your contributions helped create unforgettable moments in the arena, forging memories that will last a lifetime.”

In a joint statement, Ben Sprague, general manager of Earl Warren Showgrounds, and Fritz Olenberger, this year’s El Presidente, said:

“Both Earl Warren Showgrounds and Old Spanish Days Fiesta are saddened to share that the Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo will not be producing a rodeo this year. The event, under this entity, is no longer viable for a variety of reasons.”

The statement said it may not be their last rodeo.

“While this marks the end of an incredible chapter, we are actively working together to explore ways to ensure that a rodeo event remains part of the Fiesta celebrations at Earl Warren Showgrounds—potentially as soon as 2025,” according to the statement.

“We are grateful to the leadership of the Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo for their years of dedication and contributions to this long-standing tradition. The legacy of rodeo at Earl Warren is something we deeply value, and we remain committed to preserving and continuing this important part of Fiesta.”

Old Spanish Days Fiesta is set to take place from July 30 to Aug. 3, 2025.