San Antonio Academy Welcomes Rodeo Season With Beloved Cowboy Breakfast Tradition

Posted January 30, 2025

San Antonio Academy ushered in rodeo season the way Texans know best—with Cowboy Breakfast, one of the school’s most cherished traditions and a hallmark of its community life.

Dressed in western wear, students, parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, and friends gathered on campus for a morning that felt equal parts celebration and homecoming. Campfires flickered as guests enjoyed a hearty breakfast of tacos, biscuits and gravy, French toast sticks, and cinnamon rolls. Live country music set the tone, while activities across campus included steer roping, corn hole, a mechanical bull, and visits from puppies courtesy of SNIPSA and baby goats from Goat Shenanigans.

Alumni returned in force, greeting former teachers and reconnecting with their younger Academy brother. The event, San Antonio Academy’s own take on the city’s Cowboy Breakfast tradition, is hosted each year by the 8th-grade class and remains one of the favorite traditions of Academy families.

Following the festivities, guests moved into chapel for a special presentation from Dr. Ben Espy, an Academy alumni parent and veterinarian for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Dr. Espy offered a behind-the-scenes look at life as a rodeo veterinarian and shared insights into the competitive world his son, Eli Espy, Class of 2024, now navigates as a bareback rider on Team Cavender.

We extend a Texas-sized THANK-YOU to Cowboy Breakfast co-chairs Ann Cross and Katy Bader and to the Class of 2026 for leading the event with pride and care. Special appreciation was also given to San Antonio Academy’s kitchen staff, whose early-morning efforts delivered a breakfast worthy of the occasion.

For more event photos, visit the Flickr link below.