Aug. 28—, Minn. — For a quarter century, rodeo fans and families have come to this rural
ranch for the renowned
on Labor Day weekend.
Ranchers Troy and Peggy Meech host multiple rodeo events on their Meech Bucking Bulls Ranch. The three-day event is highlighted by
nightly competition. Other activities include rookie bull riding, mini bull riding, bull racing, sheep riding, broncs, team roping, barrel racing, and double barrel riding.
Rodeo events are not the only activity on the schedule as there is cowboy church, family camping, nightly live music, food and refreshments available on the ranch grounds.
The Nimrod Bull Bash, scheduled for Sept. 4, 5 and 6, 2026, is held on the Meech Bucking Bulls Ranch, located two miles east of Nimrod. And the Nimrod Bull Bash is not the only event in town during the Labor Day weekend.
Rodeo fans are also invited to the Nimrod Jubilee Days Parade in beautiful downtown Nimrod. The town's population of 69 grows tremendously during its annual town celebration, Jubilee Days, highlighted by its parade at noon Saturday.
The Meech family started the Nimrod Labor Day Bull Bash in 2002, and every year the show keeps growing, according to a history of the event on the official website.
It states: "Starting off as just wanting to share our favorite sport with our community in our backyard, we never expected our event to grow into thousands of spectators each night."
The Nimrod Bull Bash is the seven-time Event of the Year in the National Federation of Professional Bullriders. Troy Meech is a professional bucking bull contractor with more than 170 bulls on his ranch. He provides bucking bulls for many of the federation's competitions in Minnesota and the upper Midwest.
Started in 2002 with only a bull ride and a couple hundred fans, the Bull Bash has grown every year since. Today, the Bull Bash is a three-day event with multiple arenas, which draws thousands of fans. The main arena can hold several thousand people.
Top cowboys are expected at the Nimrod Bull Bash, including eight Minnesotans among the
As of Thursday, Aug. 27: Dalton Wells of Nimrod was ranked first and Lane Kruse of Granada ranked second. Other top Minnesota riders include: Bryce Hardy of Chokio; Tate Kobbermann of Hancock; Wyatt Engen of Brooten; Elijah Huntjens of Wood Lake; Riley McManigle of Verndale and Wesley Pulak of Pierz.
Wells is the 2025 Nimrod Bull Bash Champion and Kruse is the federation's runner-up rider of the year in 2025. Those two riders plus Chris Durvin of Jacksonville, Illinois; Tucker Mertens of Veblen, South Dakota; and Enos Swartzentruber of Gilman, Missouri, have been battling for the federation's top-ranked spot throughout 2026.
All the riders are competing for a slot in the NFPB's National Finals in Sedalia, Missouri, on Nov. 20-21.
Bull riding involves a rider getting on a bucking bull and staying mounted while the animal tries to buck off the rider. This sport is often called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports."
Team roping is a timed rodeo event featuring two mounted riders — a header and a heeler — who work together to catch and immobilize a steer as fast as possible.
A barrel race is a fast-paced rodeo event during which a horse and rider race against the clock to complete a sharp cloverleaf pattern around three preset barrels.
Sheep riding is a popular rodeo event during which young children ride on the back of a running sheep, attempting to stay on for six seconds.
Here is the Nimrod Bull Bash's 2026 schedule:
Friday, Sept. 4
5:30 p.m. — Mini Bull Riding
7 p.m. — Bull Riding — Sheep Riding — Band: Slamabama
Saturday, Sept. 5
9 a.m. — Breakfast
9:30 a.m. — Team Roping
Noon — Parade in downtown Nimrod
1 p.m. — Broncs
2 p.m. — Rookie Bull Riding — Bull Race
3 p.m. — Barrel Racing — Double Barrels
5:30 p.m. — Mini Bull Riding
6 p.m. — Sheep Riding
7 p.m. — Bull Riding — Sheep Riding — Band: Tripwire
Sunday, Sept. 6
9 a.m. — Breakfast
9:30 a.m. — Team Roping
11 a.m. — Cowboy Church
1 p.m. — Broncs
2 p.m. — Rookie Bull Riding — Bull Race
3 p.m. — Barrel Racing — Double Barrels
5:30 p.m. — Mini Bull Riding
6 p.m. — Sheep Riding
7 p.m. — Bull Riding — Sheep Riding — Band: Javi & The Brambled Hearts
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