03/27/2026

COUNTRY THUNDER ARIZONA INTRODUCES BUCKIN’ THUNDER PRO BULL RIDING EXPERIENCE

Country Thunder Arizona is bringing a new kind of adrenaline to the desert this year with the debut of Buckin’ Thunder Pro Bull Riding — an electrifying addition to the festival experience. Set to take over AZ Talio Ranch in Florence from April 9 through 12, this year’s Country Thunder Arizona lineup includes superstar headliners Lainey WilsonZach TopBrooks & Dunn, and Gavin Adcock. Go here to purchase tickets now.

In partnership with RS Rodeo (a Phoenix-based, cowboy-friendly rodeo production company and official partner of the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association), Country Thunder Arizona will host a sanctioned National Senior Pro Bull Riding event, where seasoned cowboys — including current and former world champions — will compete for coveted buckles daily and earn points toward their rodeo standings. What sets Buckin’ Thunder apart is the competitors themselves: every rider is 40 or older, with some athletes continuing to compete into their sixties. Lifelong cowboys with decades of experience, they’ve returned to the arena not just to win — but for their enduring love of the sport.

Buckin’ Thunder will take place on Friday (4/10) and Saturday (4/11) at 1 p.m., and on Sunday (4/12) at 1:30 p.m. Additional details — including participating cowboys, bull fighters, and rodeo clowns — will be announced soon. Free with paid festival admission, the event offers fans an up-close look at one of rodeo’s most thrilling disciplines in an intimate, high-energy setting.

Along with its all-star headliners, the Country Thunder Arizona 2026 lineup includes Waylon WyattIan MunsickLonestarScotty McCreeryJay WebbJackson DeanGeorge BirgeDashaLogan LaymanBilly Dean & Collin RayeLanie GardnerAustin SnellLauren WatkinsAnnie BoskoThe Wilder Blue, and many more. In addition, the Copperhead Stage will spotlight rising artists from The Grand Canyon State, while the Songwriter Showcase will feature rounds with emerging and established songwriters including Johnny ClawsonBenjy DavisBrinley AddingtonJimi BellChase McDaniel and Trent Wayne.

The largest Country music festival brand in North America, Country Thunder launched its Arizona festival in 1996. As the Southwest’s ultimate annual Country music experience, the event also includes rides, carnival games, line-dancing competitions, dance parties, delicious food and beverage options, and a multitude of vendors (from new ink to custom hat trimming), all curated by Country Thunder CEO and President Troy Vollhoffer. Tickets, camping, and premium packages are available now with flexible payment options, making it easier than ever to secure your experience. Go here for more info on ticketing.

 

 

ABOUT COUNTRY THUNDER MUSIC FESTIVALS
Country Thunder Music Festivals thrives as the world’s preeminent Country music festival brand. Led by President and C.E.O. Troy Vollhoffer since 2005, it continues to set the tone for Country music and culture. This global powerhouse encompasses annual multi-day events in six major markets across two countries, earning “Festival of the Year” at the ACM Awards three times and entertaining millions of fans to date. Its stages have welcomed GRAMMY® Award-winning generational superstars, genre-busting trailblazers, and rising talent alike. Beyond boasting a reputation for once-in-a-lifetime collaborations, it has perennially provided a launchpad for breaking acts. Between those powerhouse performances, each location features an immersive concourse consisting of numerous cuisine and beverage options, local vendors, and various attractions. Dubbed “a pillar of country festival culture” by Holler.American Songwriter has hailed it as “a country music lover’s dream,” while The Tennessean summed it up best, “For three decades, the Country Thunder brand has succeeded in offering fans top-tier performances.” The brand’s festivals include Saskatchewan, Arizona, Wisconsin, Alberta, and Florida. As always, Country Thunder Music Festivals embodies the past, present, and future of Country music and so much more.

ABOUT COUNTRY THUNDER ARIZONA
Turning up the volume under the blazing sun of the Sonoran Desert since 2009, Country Thunder Arizona remains the hottest Country music experience in the Southwest. Each year, it kicks up dust and takes over an old-school movie ranch in Florence, AZ for an unforgettable four-day weekend of music and camping in the Grand Canyon State. Its nearly 9,000 campsites annually sell out, while 1 million-plus fans have attended the festival thus far. Amplifying the atmosphere’s energy, the festival features rides, dancing competitions, regional cuisine and beverage options, carnival games, and so much more. In addition to receiving “Festival of the Year” at the ACM Awards, it’s no surprise that AZ Central has applauded it as “a four-day party.” Thus far, its stages have featured Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, and many more. Materializing with all the splendor and style of the most glorious desert mirage, it’s a Country classic through and through.

ABOUT TROY VOLLHOFFER
Between running the world’s preeminent Country music festival brand, hosting a popular podcast, and giving back at every turn as a philanthropist, Country Thunder President and C.E.O. Troy Vollhoffer has quietly distinguished himself as a music industry renaissance man. Raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, he went from working in his father’s local theater to spending more than a decade playing minor and junior professional hockey before using a Pittsburgh Penguins signing bonus to launch Premier Global Production, which supported major tours for Rod Stewart, Def Leppard, Metallica and more. In 2005, he took ownership of the longest-running music festival event in North America, leading it as the Craven Country Jamboree for twelve years before bringing it into the Country Thunder family in 2017. During that time, he expanded the brand by acquiring Country Thunder Arizona and Wisconsin in 2009 and launching Country Thunder Alberta in 2016 and Country Thunder Florida in 2019, which will move to the beach for the first time in 2026—occupying the largest footprint of any Country Thunder festival and overlooking the crystal-clear waters of The Gulf. His leadership has earned multiple ACM “Festival of the Year” honors, prestigious awards from the ACM and CCMA, and recognition on Billboard’s “Touring Power Players” list. A dedicated philanthropist and host of “On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer,” he continues to shape the future of live music with the same passion that launched his career.

ABOUT RS RODEO
RS RODEO is a cowboy-friendly Rodeo Producing company and stock contractor located in Arizona, founded by contestants that love the sport of rodeo. A two-time NSPRA Stock Contractor of the Year, it specializes in Senior Pro and Junior Roughstock rodeos with exceptional family fun rodeo entertainment. From concept to completion, RS RODEO prides itself on being a complete rodeo production partner. RS Rodeo has been the source for top livestock and the best entertainers in the business, with a commitment to showcasing the rodeo lifestyle. Armed with the knowledge gained from a lifetime of rodeo experience, RS Rodeo continues to contribute to the growth of the rodeo industry and Western heritage by raising superior bucking stock and producing exceptional rodeos around the country.

 

KEEP UP WITH COUNTRY THUNDER