Kincade Henry stopped the clock at 7.5 seconds to win the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and $20,000.
Henry advanced out of Bracket 2 with an 11.0 to win Round 1 and $2,500 and a 9.0 to place second in Round 2 for $1,900. He placed second in Semifinal B with an 8.5 to earn another $3,000, putting him in a good position heading into the finals.
“It’s awesome,” Henry said. “It’s the rodeo I grew up going to. I grew up about two and a half hours from Fort Worth. My brother and sister both showed animals there and I showed ag mechanics there in high school. It’s one of the places I grew up watching over there in the Will Rogers. To be able to get the win there, it’s awesome.”
Bracket Luck to Short Round Execution
Henry admitted the bracket rounds were not his sharpest, but they were enough to move on.
“I didn’t rope very good,” Henry said. “I don’t think 11 flat and nine flat probably got back in any other bracket. So definitely a little lucky to make it through.”
In the semifinals, Henry knew exactly what he needed to secure a spot in the short round.
“I had to be 12 flat to get back when I roped,” Henry said. “So I didn’t really just go at her with all I had. I just kind of tied her down.”
The finals turned fast. An early string of short eights raised the bar and a 7.7 late in the round forced the issue for those behind it.
“Once Marty went 7.7 and I knew there were some short eights behind it, then all the pressure’s off and you just go at him with all you got,” Henry said. “It’s a lot easier to just cut loose in that situation.”
Henry cut loose. Mario helped, answering with a 7.5.
Historic Night for a Win
The win came on a night that carried added significance as legendary announcer Bob Tallman announced his final Fort Worth performance.
“Getting to win it on Bob’s last night announcing there, that’s something I think looking back in 20 or 30 years, whenever your career’s done, that’s something to be able to say, ‘I won it on Bob’s last night,’” Henry said.
Henry grew up listening to Tallman’s voice on videos from the Thomas & Mack, long before he ever bought his ProRodeo card.
“The videos I grew up on were Bob and Boyd announcing Cody and Fred and then all the way up to some of the guys we still get to rope against,” Henry said. “That’s why it’s so cool getting to rope behind his voice. Anytime you get to go to Fort Worth or Houston or San Angelo and hear Bob announce your name and hype you up, it’s really cool.”
Managing Mario and the Long Game
Fort Worth also reinforced Henry’s long-term plan with Duals Crescent Boon “Mario.” The veteran gelding is used strategically through the winter and left at home to rest when possible.
“There’s no guarantee to know how many more runs I have on him,” Henry said. “So every time I ride him, I’m just grateful for it. I think that helps me whenever I’m roping on him. I’m already grateful no matter what the result is.”
Henry plans to skip Jackson on Mario, take him to San Antonio and then finish the winter stretch at Houston, Austin and San Angelo before giving him a break. Behind Mario, he has OCD On Cows, “Captain,” the sorrel he rode most of last summer and plans to lean on through the spring.
“He’s my number one if I’m not on Mario,” Henry said. “I’ve really been working on him and he’s been awesome. I’m excited to ride him at Jackson and Tucson.”
The Fort Worth title continues a strong start to 2026. Henry made it a goal to enter January with money already earned rather than playing catch-up.
“I’ve never gone into Odessa with $10,000 in the standings,” Henry said. “The last couple years you head to Odessa with $0 and there’s people that already have 10 or 12 thousand. I had to figure out how to do that.”
Now sitting No. 1 in the world standings, Henry doesn’t plan to slow down.
“It seems like when you’re hot, you’re hot,” Henry said. “It almost gets me more excited to get home in between these rodeos, get in the practice pen and figure out what to work on.”