The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo has a long history as one of the biggest and best indoor events of the ProRodeo season.

Competition began Tuesday with two nights of Bulls Night Out, while the rodeo began in earnest with slack Wednesday and Thursday mornings – the first of 30 performances took place Thursday evening, and it featured some young guns and longstanding stalwarts in the game.

The competition is already proving to be quite tough. In tie down roping, for example, each of the top eight times so far in the first round are in less than nine seconds, led by Tim Pharr’s 8.1. 

Steer wrestlers Casey Martin and Jake Rinehart have 3.6-second runs, leading a pack outstanding times among the leaders – Brad McGilchrist and Trevor Knowles have 4.2s to round out the top eight.

If those kinds of times are signs of what’s going to happen in Fort Worth this year, fans will be treated to outstanding competition through the stock show rodeo’s championship round Feb. 5.