#151 – Festival Western de St-Tite: Champions Crowned & A Record-Breaking Week

Sep 18, 2025

Doug Simcox and Sam Swearingen wrap up an unforgettable 10 days at the 57th Festival Western de St-Tite. The crowds were record-breaking, the hospitality unmatched, and the rodeo action second to none.

In this closing episode, you’ll hear from newly crowned champions: Raymond Hostetler, who split first place in the saddle bronc riding finals after a gritty reride, and Austin Stewart, who captured the steer wrestling win and punched his ticket to the American Eastern Regional Qualifier in Lexington, KY. Stewart’s story of “Peach,” a former barrel horse turned bulldogging Ferrari, shows just how much horsepower it takes to make it to the top.

Doug and Sam also reflect on the growth of St-Tite from a ballfield in 1967 with 5,000 fans to nearly a million visitors today. From behind-the-scenes conversations with announcers and festival leaders to the roar of the short round, this is rodeo at its best.

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