08/27/2026
🎓🤠 $40,000 GIVEN BACK TO OUR LOCAL FFA STUDENTS! 🤠🎓
The Johnny Ackel Memorial Rodeo & Festival is incredibly proud to announce that, because of the success of this year’s event, we were able to present $40,000 in scholarship funds to four local FFA programs! 💙
Each school received $10,000 to award as scholarships to deserving senior FFA students:
🌾 Hamshire-Fannett FFA — $10,000
🌾 Anahuac FFA — $10,000
🌾 Barbers Hill FFA — $10,000
🌾 East Chambers FFA — $10,000
This week, we had the privilege of personally delivering those checks, and THIS is what the Johnny Ackel Memorial Rodeo is all about.
To every single sponsor who believed in our event, every volunteer who donated countless hours and worked tirelessly, every rodeo contestant, every little cowboy and cowgirl who participated in Mutton Bustin’, to all the up-and-coming cowboys who entered the Tristan Parker Amateur Bull Riding Competition, every BBQ cook, every person who brought a vehicle to our car show, every vendor, and every person who simply bought a ticket, walked through our gates, enjoyed the festival, watched the rodeo, rode the carnival rides, or stayed to enjoy the entertainment on stage — THANK YOU.
Every single one of you played a part in making these scholarships possible.
And an extra special thank you goes to the incredible FFA students who rolled up their sleeves and helped us clean up each day and after the festival was over. These kids WORKED, and being able to turn around and invest directly back into students like them makes every long day, late night and exhausted morning worth it.
This event has always been about more than a rodeo. More than a festival. More than a weekend of entertainment.
It is about giving back to the young people in our communities and investing in their futures. ❤️
We could not be more grateful for how this year’s Johnny Ackel Memorial Rodeo & Festival turned out. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for supporting us, showing up for us and helping us give $40,000 back to these amazing kids.
We are already excited to see what we can accomplish together next year.
That’s a wrap on 2026… and we can’t wait to see y’all next year! 🤠❤️
