Amid great joy and rejoicing, the Cowboys’ annual training camp season kicked off at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard. It was this past Saturday morning, July 26, when the gates to the playing fields opened, welcoming thousands of fans for the opening ceremony of the 2025 Dallas Cowboys training camp.
Five-time Super Bowl winner and Cowboys legend Charles Haley was the first to speak during the ceremony, praising this year’s team. Although the team held practices at the River Ridge playing fields, open to the public, for most of the previous week, Saturday’s ceremony officially kicked off the Cowboys’ 2025 training camp, the nineteenth held in Oxnard since 2001.
Oxnard Mayor Luis McArthur officially welcomed the Cowboys, saying, “I am incredibly excited to have the Dallas Cowboys here in our great and beautiful city of Oxnard. The Dallas Cowboys could go anywhere in the world to train, but they chose to return to our great city of Oxnard, and for us, that means the world.”
Mr. Jerry Jones, an 82-year-old billionaire and owner of the Dallas Cowboys, took the stage to address his team’s fans. He said that this year they are going to win a championship and that they are very happy to return to Oxnard, as they have been doing for 19 years. His boys are very excited to return year after year. He also presented Mayor McArthur with a check for $25,000 for the City’s support. “Thank you again to the mayor, his council, and it’s leaders for extending our presence in Oxnard coaching the Cowboys for another five years,” said Jones.
The Oxnard City Council unanimously approved a new five-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys earlier this July to maintain the team’s training camp at River Ridge Fields until 2030.
Five Oxnard city officials officially joined Mayor Luis McArthur at the ceremony, including Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Teran, Councilmembers Michaela Perez, Gabriela Rodriguez, and Burt Purello, and Assistant City Manager Eric Sonstegard, during the 2025 practice opening ceremony.
During their stay in Oxnard, the Cowboys will be making community appearances at various locations in the city and surrounding communities.
Training camp will continue in Oxnard until August 14.