Dirt turned into dust for the first time in 15 years, as the Clements Stampede returned better than ever.

"There's bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bow riding, tie down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing," Clements Stampede stock contractor Chuck Morris said. "Then we have an event we're doing here called ranch hand bronc riding. It's kind of where rodeo started."

The rodeo began shortly after the U.S. entered World War II in 1942. Since then, it has turned into a major event drawing in cowboys and cowgirls from across California and the country.

"It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears on this one," Clements Buckaroos President Bryan Gideon shared. "We had a lot of great people in the community and businesses that sponsored and helped us gain the traction that we needed financially to bring this here. I believe that community, our sponsorships and just our hard-working volunteers are where it came from."

The San Joaquin County community of Clements has its own world champion who competed over the weekend. He's considered a hometown hero, and his name is Clayton Biglow.

"I grew up rodeo in this arena," said Biglow, the 2019 bareback riding world champion. "I live right down the road. I got a lot of history in this arena. I've always wanted to get on at the rodeo and it's been a long time since we've had one. It's pretty special for me to be able to compete in the rodeo and have it so close to home."

When the Clements Stampede was cancelled in 2011, its memory carried on. When talks to bring it back started within the community, they jumped right back into the area, led by two women.

"It's less common to have two women lead a rodeo like this," Clements Stampede co-chair Tyla Daries said. "I feel like there's been a few people that have been like, 'Oh, OK, this is different,' but everybody's been supportive. We need good business skills and good community connections, and we happen to have that here."

With the sounds of hooves pounding the dirt and constant cheers from the crowd, the Clements Stampede is here to stay.

"Clements is pretty special to me, born and raised here, and both my grandparents helped build this so to me, it's really special to bring it back," Clements Stampede co-chair Rayanne Currin shared. "My dad was the rodeo chair forever. My mom ran the queen contest forever. So, it's really important to me and my family."

"I think this town's missing the old Clements rodeo, and then, you know, bringing the stampede back to Clements is exciting, and I'm just tickled to death to be a part of it," Morris continued.

On top of all the events, they had food vendors and plenty of merchandise, with many vendors locally based.