From Outlaws to Champions: The Wild Ride of the Rodeo Roundup

The Rodeo Roundup – Southwestern Belle Pinball Rodeo 2025 brought 79 players together in San Antonio for a six-and-a-half-hour pinball brawl on February 1st. With seven rounds and two games per round, players had to bring their A-game (and maybe a backup plan for the dreaded house balls). The battle unfolded at the Westin San Antonio North, and when the dust settled, only one player was left standing at the top of the leaderboard.

Where the Pinball Magic Happened

The Westin San Antonio North provided a comfortable setting for the tournament, with its towering 19 stories offering views of the city—though no one was here for the scenery. Convenient highway access made it easy for out-of-town competitors to roll in, and players appreciated the clean, well-kept venue. While some reviews mention the décor could use an update, the focus here was on the competition, not interior design.

The Longest Duel: A Cactus Canyon Standoff

Every tournament has that one game that refuses to end. This time, it was Cactus Canyon (Remake LE) in Round 4, stretching to an exhausting 114 minutes. If there were an award for endurance in pinball, this game would have taken it.

Rach Duran from Denver, ranked well outside the top 40,000 IFPA players, defied expectations by holding her own against more experienced competition. Her patience and ability to capitalize on the game’s shootout modes secured her first place. Caroline Bassett, a solid top 300 state player, played a more methodical game, focusing on bounty modes and careful shot selection to claim second. Dusty Schmidt and Xan Sprouse, both ranked inside the top 7,000, had strong performances but struggled to keep pace with Cactus Canyon’s unpredictable ball paths.

A Lineup of Legendary Machines

With 32 machines in rotation, players had to adjust to a mix of classic and modern titles, each with its own unique challenges.

Dialed In! (Jersey Jack, 2017) – Disaster Strikes

Pat Lawlor’s modern classic puts players in the middle of a citywide catastrophe, with an interactive camera, Bluetooth connectivity, and some of the smoothest ramps in modern pinball. Players who mastered its phone-related modes and controlled the chaos had a major advantage.

Ghostbusters (Premium) (Stern, 2016) – A Ghastly Pin

With its tight shots, unpredictable outlanes, and demanding multiball modes, this game doesn’t just test skill—it actively punishes mistakes. The premium version’s holographic Ecto Goggles and additional ramps added to the chaos, making it one of the tournament’s biggest challenges.

Spanish Eyes (Williams, 1972) – Old School Toughness

A true test of flipper control, this early ‘70s classic features a center pop bumper that constantly sends the ball back toward the drain. Anyone who didn’t know how to nudge properly was likely out of contention before they knew what hit them.

Stranger Things (Pro) (Stern, 2019) – The Demogorgon Challenge

Brian Eddy’s return to pinball design brought fast orbits, skillful combo play, and one of the most unique bash toys in recent memory—the Demogorgon. Players who could reliably hit the center shot and activate the projector-enhanced modes gained a clear scoring advantage.

Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (Barrels of Fun, 2023) – A New Favorite

One of the newest games on the market, Labyrinth offers deep gameplay with multiple branching paths and intricate artwork inspired by the cult classic film. For players unfamiliar with its mechanics, it was a learning curve, but those who figured out its multiball stacking had some of the highest scores of the event.

Attack from Mars (Bally, 1995) – The Ultimate Flow Game

Considered one of the best-designed games in history, Attack from Mars rewards precise shot-making with fast ramps, orbit combos, and rewarding saucer hits. Players who found their rhythm on this game likely had an easy path through their matches.

The Addams Family (Bally, 1992) – The Tournament Staple

The best-selling pinball machine of all time, Addams Family’s blend of mansion modes, Thing flips, and electric chair jackpots kept players engaged. Those who knew how to stack multiballs and use the greedy chair wisely had a leg up on the competition.

The Final Stand on Led Zeppelin

After seven rounds, the final four players faced off on Led Zeppelin (Premium) by Stern, a game that rewards precision and control. With fast orbit shots and tricky upper playfield action, this was a tough game to master under pressure.

Valencia Kelly from Cleveland proved why she’s a top-700 IFPA player, using her tournament experience to control the game and avoid costly drains. She consistently hit the upper ramps and took advantage of the Icarus Multiball, securing first place in the final match.

Hope Love, an experienced competitor with over 100 tournaments under her belt, put up a strong fight for second place, using smart multiball stacking to keep pace. Samantha Bacon, who has been climbing the IFPA rankings, finished third, while Elyza Brillantes from Denver rounded out the top four, proving she could compete at a high level against Texas’s best.

Texas Pinball’s Best: Top 10 Standings

Tying Up the Rodeo

With a deep field of competitors, a lineup of some of the best pinball machines ever made, and a grueling six-and-a-half-hour battle for the top spot, the Rodeo Roundup delivered high-energy competition from start to finish.

A huge shout-out to Christina Cheeseman for organizing a fantastic event and to The Westin San Antonio North for hosting. Congratulations to Valencia Kelly on her hard-earned victory—outlasting 78 other players is no easy feat.

Stay tuned for more pinball tournament coverage and in-depth looks at the machines and players shaping the competitive scene. The next big showdown is always just a skill shot away!