The annual Ham Rodeo took place Saturday, March 21, at Mansfield Park, organized by the Bandera Wranglers. Returning champion Kortni Langlinais of Boerne secured her title as heavyweight champion in 6.72 seconds with her partner, Grace Freeman of College Station.
The competition featured three divisions — lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight — as well as wild cards. Two-person teams were tasked with capturing a hog, placing it in a sack and crossing a line in the fastest time.
“I’ve been doing this since I could walk,” Langlinais said. “I competed in things like touch the pig, and catch the pig, and now I compete in the heavy-weight division.”
Langlinais, a Boerne local since 2008, is originally from Bandera, where she has received thirty buckles in the wrangling hog competitions. When asked what her winning technique was, Langlinais provided an honest answer.
“I don’t even know,” she said. “Sometimes it’s a game of luck.”
It’s a game you can count on Langlinais to continue to compete in.
“I plan on competing again at next year’s ham rodeo,” she said. “It’s my favorite day of the year.”
Although the event has received criticism from animal rights organizations such as PETA, organizers said the hogs were cared for with food and water.
Sponsors for the event included Hyal Silver and Bandera County judge candidate Dennis Fitzgerald.
“As a county resident and community member, we greatly appreciated and enjoyed the 2026 Ham Rodeo,” Fitzgerald said. “I am happy to have been a sponsor this year and will continue to do so in the future. This is great for the community and for the kids — good, wholesome entertainment and an opportunity to see their critters somewhere other than on a plate.”
Photographer Barry Wickham also expressed his support for the annual event.
“The event was a great success,” Wickham said. “Seeing all the folks come out from around town, and those who make the extra mile to compete in this event annually — even a few new and curious folks from the city came out to try their hand at a hog run — that is what makes it all worthwhile.”
Winners for the event were as follows: Lightweight champions Braxton Landers and Cash Keller of Bandera with a time of 9.09 seconds; middleweight champions Kenji Huynh of Ingram and Kaylani Ritter of Center Point with a time of 13.97 seconds; and heavyweight champions Langlinais and Freeman with a time of 6.72 seconds.
For more information on next year’s event, email bandera.wranglers@ gmail.com.
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