The Oakdale Saddle Club was started by a group of local horsemen and incorporated in July 1945. After completing basic work on grounds they had purchased, the club began holding local horse activities. Rodeos had emerged in the late 1800s from local cowboy competitions, often held at roundup time, and Oakdale, in the fertile valley below the Sierra foothills, seemed a natural place for the sport. In 1954, the club took over its own RCA rodeo, which has been held every year since on the second full weekend in April, rain or shine. In 1957, the Oakdale Rodeo was billed as the world's largest one-day outdoor rodeo, and in 1960 Oakdale earned the title "cowboy capital of the world" because of its large number of successful professional rodeo contestants. The rodeo is unusual because it is one of the very few in the U.S. of its size to be produced entirely by club members rather than professionals, helping keep a colorful western tradition alive.