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Red Bull Rancher Strong 2026 crowns new champions in Texas
Champions were crowned at the 2026 Red Bull Rancher Strong as 73 athletes battled a nine-obstacle ranch course blending CrossFit power, Ninja agility and Texas grit.
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The dust has settled at the 2026 Red Bull Rancher Strong held at the Tejas Rodeo outside San Antonio, and a new set of champions has been crowned. This grueling event, which blends the high-intensity worlds of functional fitness training and “American Ninja Warrior” with the functional grit of everyday ranch work, saw athletes push their limits across a custom-designed course.
By the numbers
- 73 athletes competed
- 9 ranch-inspired obstacles
- 2 divisions: Pro and Open
- Location: Tejas Rodeo, outside San Antonio
- Prize: Custom gold-finished belt buckle
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2026 champions crowned at Tejas Rodeo
Thomas Van Tonder and other pro-winners at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Karlo Ramos / Red Bull Content Pool
This year’s event broke up athletes into two divisions. In the men’s Pro division, Thomas van Tonder successfully defended his title, followed by Ninja Warrior Daniel Gil in second and Nate Burkhalter in third. The Women’s Pro division saw another returning champion, Arielle Loewen of the functional fitness world, take the top spot, with Kris Rugloski and “American Ninja Warrior” Maggi Thorne rounding out the podium.
The Open divisions, designed to give everyday athletes and ranch hands a level playing field, crowned Cameron Tew as the men’s winner, with fitness personality Jalen Noble and Baxter Hummel taking second and third. For the Women’s Open, functional fitness athlete Trista Smith secured first place, followed by Rylie Petcosky and Daytona Coleman. Each winner was awarded a custom-made, gold-finished "Red Bull Rancher Strong" belt buckle, a symbol of their hard work and resilience.
Division
1st
2nd
3rd
Men's Pro
Daniel Gil
Nate Burkhalter
Women’s Pro
Arielle Loewen
Kris Rugloski
Maggi Thorne
Men’s Open
Cameron Tew
Jalen Noble
Baxter Hummel
Women’s Open
Trista Smith
Rylie Petcosky
Daytona Coleman
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Course breakdown: Where grit met its match
Escape the Barn, the first obstacle at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Karlo Ramos / Red Bull Content Pool
Rope the Bull, the eighth obstacle at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Robert Snow / Red Bull Content Pool
Course creator and "Cowboy Ninja" Lance Pekus designed the nine-obstacle layout to "tell the story" of ranch life. The course was intended to showcase the functional toughness of a working ranch, and two specific obstacles - Load the Feed and Rope the Bull - became the primary areas in which decisions were made about who would advance to the next level.
"The course shows the true grit and strength of the farm," said Pekus, a cattle rancher himself. "Combining ranch life with the fitness community has been a passion of mine."
The course favored those with explosive power, a demand that played directly into the hands of the games veteran Loewen. Crediting her functional fitness background for her ability to maintain a relentless pace, Loewen noted how rewarding it was to "still be at the top" among such a tough field of athletes.
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The field evolves in year two
In its second year, the competition saw a significant "leveling up" as participants moved past the "winging it" phase of the inaugural event. Red Bull athlete and functional fitness training legend Noah Ohlsen noted that the 2026 field was far more "dialed in," with many athletes preparing months in advance - and one athlete telling him he added 20 pounds of muscle specifically for the challenge.
This year’s competition also saw a more diverse roster of contenders than ever before. The field included third-generation farmers such as Michael Stephens and Jimmy Jones III, as well as professional firefighters such as Donell Henry. The competition also drew more HYROX and "hybrid" athletes like 43-year-old Latifah Braswell, a mother and Olympic weightlifter who thrives on blending strength and endurance. Returning athletes such as Aydon Holley and Cooper Mason came back specifically seeking "redemption" after falling just short of the podium in 2025.
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Pro-Am kickoff sets the tone
Arielle Loewen jumping off the Hay Bale Hustle, the sixth obstacle
© Karlo Ramos / Red Bull Content Pool
Jalen Noble pushing through at the Tractor Tire Tussle, the third obstacle
© Robert Snow / Red Bull Content Pool
The energy ignited on February 27 with a high-stakes Pro-Am session, where teams of fitness Open and Pro athletes, including Noble, Loewen, and Ohlsen, tackled mini-challenges like hay stacking. The event was guest-hosted by Nike Global Trainer and Dallas native, Betina Gozo Shimonek, and Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, a Texas icon known as much for his pre-game cowboy attire as his play on the field. Overshown, who operates his own Agent 0 Ranch in East Texas, noted that the raw labor of ranch life is vital to his professional conditioning.
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Athlete mindset: Confidence under pressure
Drawing on over a decade of experience in obstacle course racing, van Tonder traveled from South Africa to defend his title, noting that the event’s cowboy theme resonated with his own upbringing on a farm. He emphasized that the sprint-style course demands a "full-tilt commitment," as the high-speed format leaves zero margin for error.
"It takes so much to prepare, travel, and then get through every round to reach a final without messing up," van Tonder said immediately following the race. "I’m overwhelmed with excitement and just grateful."
Other athletes highlighted the unique psychological pressure of the course. Daniel Gil, a 10-time “American Ninja Warrior” finalist, noted that while he is used to cameras and audiences, “this feels more like a sport, more like an athletic competition, which I prefer as an athlete.”
While the pros had many in the stands cheering for them, the crowd was often loudest for the "real deal" ranchers and hometown athletes. A highlight of the audience was the spirited support for Open competitor Kelsie Kean, a professional horse trainer, who advanced past her heat. Her friends, cheering her on, described her as a "real rancher."
"She doesn't do functional fitness. She doesn't train. She doesn't work out. She hauls hay and feeds horses every day,” said her friends in the crowd, adding she was even hosting an "after-party" at her horse trailer when the competition was over.
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