What is a Rodeo?

Rodeo is a sport made up of several different events, each with their own style of competition, rules, and rewards. While there are many events that are specific to different regions of the World, seven are recognized as standard events in most professional rodeos.  The seven main events are (in the standard order of competition): Bareback Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Saddle Bronc, Tie-down Roping, Barrel Racing and Bull Riding.

These seven events can be broken down into two categories, the roughstock or judged events (bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding) and the timed events (steer wrestling, barrel racing, tie-down and team roping).

There are optional events that open up competition to additional disciplines: Junior Barrel Racing, Junior Steer Riding, Breakaway Roping, Wild Horse Race and Wild Cow Milking.

Barrel Racing

Riders race their horses into the arena to run a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels and out again. The goal is to have the fastest time without knocking over a barrel. The rider tries to guide her horse as tightly around each barrel as she can to shave milliseconds off her time. A fraction of a second is all it takes to win or lose a barrel race! This sport highlights the speed and agility of the quarter horse. An electric eye connected with an electronic timer and a judge with a stop watch record the time.

The rider is given a running start into the arena and her time begins once she passes the start line. It ends when she crosses it again, after running a long stretch back from the third barrel located at the opposite end of the arena.

Along this final stretch of the race the crowd will cheer enthusiastically while she pushes her horse to give her as much speed as possible to the finish line. The rider's horse may touch and tip a barrel but knocking one over will add five seconds to her time.

Bareback Riding

To score well in this event, the rider must maintain balance, rhythm and control while at the same time spurring vertically above his head and horizontally away from the horse. Broncs are scored for high kicking action and power - how hard they buck. Each judge will mark one side, using a span of 1 to 25 points each for the horse and rider. The horses will be ridden for eight seconds. The rider must mark the horse out and cannot touch the horse with the free hand.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Riding Saddle Bronc riding is called "the classic event of rodeo", originating from the task of breaking wild horses for use on the cattle ranches of the Canadian and American West. As it has evolved for the rodeo arena and also become one of the most complicated events for the rodeo cowboy. It involves strength, timing and technique as the cowboy attempts

to ride the bucking bronc for eight seconds, holding onto only a thick reign attached to the horse's halter. He can only use one hand to work the reign and to help keep him on the saddle as he spurs the horse and tries to time his movements with the bronc's bucking in order to score high points.

Steer Wrestling

Steer wrestling, otherwise known as "bull dogging", is the fastest event in the arena. The bulldogger, from his galloping horse, attempts to grab a running steer (weighing between 400 and 600 pounds) and wrestle it to the ground. Like the roping events, the steer is given a head start and is followed by the wrestler and his hazer.

The hazer's job is to keep the steer from veering away from the wrestler as he prepares to slide down from the right side of his galloping horse to leap onto the steer. The wrestler reaches for the steer's horns and swings his legs from behind him to in front as he comes off his horse, digging his heels into the dirt. He tries to use the momentum of that maneuver and his strength to bring down the steer. The clock is stopped when the steer's head, body and all four legs are on the ground. All this action can take place in less than five seconds! As with roping, penalties apply if the wrestler leaves the box too soon in pursuit of his steer.

Team Roping

Team roping is the only rodeo event with two competitors at once: a "header" and a "heeler". Skill, cooperation and good timing are essential in a successful run. The ropers wait in their boxes on either side of the chute from which the steer is released into the arena.

The steer is given a head start by a barrier that is released when the steer is at a given point in. If the header leaves too soon the barrier is broken resulting in a ten second penalty. Once the steer is in the arena it is quickly followed by the header and heeler.

The header must rope the steer first, either around both horns, around one horn and the head or around the neck. He then turns the steer to the left, exposing its hind legs to the pursuing heeler. The heeler then needs precision timing to rope both heels. When the header and heeler have then taken up the slack in their ropes and have their horses facing each other, the clock is stopped. If only one heel is caught, the team faces a five second penalty

Tie Down Roping

Tie Down Roping's roots can can be found on the ranches of working cowboys and the skills are still in use today for catching and immobilizing calves. The calf is given a head start while the roper waits in "the box" behind a barrier. If the roper leaves the box too soon, breaking the barrier, a ten second penalty is added to the roper's time. The roper pursues the calf at speeds of up to 30 mph and attempts to throw his loop around the calf's neck. The roper's partner, his well trained horse, plays a key role in achieving a fast roping time. Once the calf is roped the horse comes to a stop. As the roper dismounts, sprinting to the calf, the horse will help the roper by taking small backwards steps to take up any slack in the rope. While his horse maintains tension on the rope, the roper then lays the calf on its side and uses a pigging string, which he carried in his teeth, to tie any three legs together.

The roper remounts his horse, moving ahead giving back some slack in his rope and waits six seconds. If the calf breaks free the roper gets no time.

Ladies Break-a-way Roping

Similar to calf roping, the cowgirl starts from the box and her calf is given a head start. The cowgirl pursues and attempts to loop her rope around the head of the calf as quickly as she can. Unlike calf roping, cowgirls have no other chances at making up time. If a calf roper is slow to catch his calf he can still make up some time bringing it to the ground and tying it's legs.

The break-a-way roper's time comes only from the catch. If she misses, there's no time marked. If she catches, the fastest time wins. Her rope is attached to her saddle horn and comes free as she makes her catch. A red flag, attached to the rope, is revealed with the catch and alerts the judge to stop the time.

Bull Riding

Bull riding pits a cowboy against a 2000 pound animal whose bucking is as unpredictable as its personality. The cowboy must hang on for eight seconds with one hand. In this case, it's a flat, braided "bull rope" tied around the bull's belly. His riding hand is wrapped into the rope and he cannot touch himself or the bull with his free hand. Strength, flexibility, coordination and a strong mental attitude are just part of the skills a cowboy needs to successfully ride a bucking spinning bull.

The bull rider receives points as the animal bucks but he is also judged on his ability to stay on the bull. Unlike bronc riding, the uglier the action of the bull, the more points a rider will score for being able to stay on. Each bull is different with its own personality and traits for bucking hard, spinning and changing directions. A cowboy who hangs on in a spin or who can hang on while turning the bull left and right can gain a higher score. It is in this sport where a cowboy is most likely to receive serious injuries. When the ride is over the danger remains as often the bull comes back after the cowboy.

Junior Steer Riding

Junior Steer Riding is almost identical to bull riding except for the age of the competitor and the animal is a steer instead of a bull. The young cowboy or cowgirl is between the ages of eight and 15 and the same skills are needed to successfully earn a high score in the event. There are a few subtle differences with a steer rider requiring a helmet for protection. Most steer riders will go on to be bull riders when they reach the minimum age of 16.

Junior Barrel Racing

The Rodeo circuit also features Junior Barrel Racing. The sport is run exactly the same way as barrel racing and can result in as fast or faster times as the adults get, however Junior Barrel Racing highlights the skills of riders under the age of 15.

Riders race their horses into the arena to run a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels and out again.

The goal is to have the fastest time without knocking over a barrel. The rider tries to guide her horse as tightly around each barrel as she can to shave milliseconds off her time. A fraction of a second is all it takes to win or lose a barrel race! This sport highlights the speed and agility of the quarter horse. An electric eye connected with an electronic timer and a judge with a stop watch record the time. The rider is given a running start into the arena and her time begins once she passes the start line.

It ends when she crosses it again, after running a long stretch back from the third barrel located at the opposite end of the arena.

Along this final stretch of the race the crowd will cheer enthusiastically while she pushes her horse to give her as much speed as possible to the finish line. The rider's horse may touch and tip a barrel but knocking one over will add five seconds to her time.