SAN DIEGO – Petco Park transformed into a rodeo arena with the San Diego Rodeo back in town. The three-day event includes competitors, animals and rodeo clowns.

“We were here last year, I really enjoyed it, we go to a lot of rodeos every year and we like a very well staged performance,” Jesse Larios said.

The rodeo experience brought Jesse Larios to San Diego. Larios traveled more than 200 miles from Bakersfield to San Diego to attend Friday’s event.

“I’ll tell you this: If you don’t understand rodeo, this is one of the best places because they also bring the best announcers and go through everyone there, but I like that San Diego has never forgotten its roots,” Larios said.

CBS 8 spoke with Bradlee Miller of Huntsville, Texas, who attended the rodeo.

“You know, the money, the opportunity to get the money here and you know, it helps a lot, there aren’t many rodeos where you can win more than $20,000 in a weekend and luckily I had it tonight a good start,” said Miller.

The San Diego Rodeo and its partners plan to donate to charities that help animals affected or displaced by the Los Angeles wildfires. Throughout the weekend, people will have the opportunity to donate via text message.

They said $50,000 from Saturday’s after-party concert with Ryan Bingham would go to that cause.