Bareback
Bareback riding developed as a professional rodeo sporting event around the early 1900s. However, this event did not become popular until the 1950s, when chutes became side-opening and the riders adopted the riggin’, which is a suitcase-style handhold that is customized to each rider. A bronc is an unbroken horse picked for its resistance to training and its tendency to buck, or
throw, the rider. Bareback riding is one of the most physically demanding sports in and out of the rodeo industry, due to the fact that the rider has nothing more than a riggin’ and his arm during his outing. Before leaving the chute, the rider will make sure their
feet are marked out before giving the nod for the chute to be opened. Marking out is where the rider must have both spurs touching the bronc’s shoulders until the bronc’s feet hit the ground after the initial move out of the chute. If the rider forgets
to mark out or pull their legs in before the bronc’s feet hit the ground, it will lead to his qualification. Much like bull riding and saddle bronc riding, both the performance of the rider and the bronc are judged to make the final score out of 100 possible points. Judges will look at the rider's spurring technique and the degree to which the
toes remain turned out while spurring. For the Bronc, the judges will take into
consideration the Bronc’s bucking style.
Ranch Bronc
Ranch bronc riding is similar to saddle bronc riding but differs in a few key ways. Ranch bronc riders use regular saddles with saddle horns when they ride bucking horses, unlike saddle bronc riders, who ride “association” saddles with no horns. In the Ranch Bronc event cowboys are allowed to use two hands, in some cases a cowboy will use a night latch or a lariat secured to the saddle. Scoring is based on how in control the cowboy is as well as how much style he displays during his ride. Rides are scored much like traditional Saddle Bronc with a score from 1 to 100 with 50 points on the rider and 50 points on the animal.
Steer Wrestling
Different from other events in rodeo, this event does not trace back to traditional ranch work. Steer Wrestling, also called bulldogging, came from a Wild West show where a cowboy named William “Bill” Picket, became famous for chasing down loose full-sized steers and then wrestling them to the ground. Today, steer wrestling is the only event that allows a helper, known as a hazer. The hazer’s job is to keep the steer in a straight line. The two cowboys leave the roping box, with the competitor riding along one side of the steer and the hazer along the other. The steer has a head start, which is maintained by a rope around the steer that is tied to a barrier in front of the two rider’s horses. If this barrier is broken, there is a 10-second penalty. The competitor then slides down off of his horse, grabbing the steer by the horns and wrestling the steer to the ground. The time stops when the steer is flat on its side and all four legs, as well as the head, are pointed in the same direction.
Breakaway Roping
Breakaway roping is a variation of calf roping where a calf is roped, but not thrown and tied. It is a rodeo event that features a calf and one mounted rider. The calves are moved one at a time through narrow runs leading to a chute with spring-loaded doors.
Saddle Bronc
Saddle bronc riding is originally derived from the daily demands of the hardworking cowboy. From as early as the 1800s, brave cowboys stepped up to the challenge of breaking wild horses in the open for use on the ranch. This event is built around balance and agility. When saddle bronc riding was first brought to a rodeo, the qualifying time was a whole 30 seconds; that time was then brought down to 10 seconds, and eventually to eight seconds, which is used today. In this event, a modified western saddle is used that is custom to each rider. Competitors must keep both feet in the stirrups and have their spurs touching the point of the shoulder when the horse’s feet touch the ground on the first jump, also known as the mark out. The scoring system for this event is the same as other roughstock events, making the total possible points 100; with 50 of those points coming from the animal athlete and the other 50 points coming from the rider. Disqualifications can occur when the mark out is failed to do, or the free hand touches the animal.
A perfect score in this event is 100 points, but when it all comes together, the ideal score is
over 80 points.
Tie Down Roping
Tie-down roping has true roots in ranch work. The event started in the original days on the ranch when cowboys would have to doctor an animal. They would ride through field and rope the animal and then tie the legs in order to provide medical treatment. The success in this event is largely based on the teamwork between the rider and the horse. It did not take long before the urge of the competition came to cowboys to see who could do it the fastest. Modern tie-down roping is still much the same as it always has been. The competitor leaves the roping box, allows the calf to have a head start (that is determined by the length of the arena), chases down the calf,
and ropes it with a 25-foot rope that is secured to the saddle horn. After catching the calf, the athlete dismounts the horse and sprints to tie the calf with a smaller rope that is called a “piggin string” – a short, looped rope that is clenched between the riders’ teeth during the run. Three legs must be tied together in order to not get any penalties. If the roper breaks the barrier before the calf reaches its head start, a 10-second penalty is given. The horses in this event are trained to come to a stop as soon as the cowboy throws his loop and catches the calf. If the calf is not standing when the cowboy reaches it, he must allow the calf to get back on its feet before flanking it. While the contestant is flanking and tying the calf, the horse must pull back hard enough to eliminate any slack in the rope but must not drag the calf. When the contestant is finished, he
throws his hands in the air. If the calf does not remain tied for the full six seconds, the contestant receives a no time.
Team Roping
Team roping, the only true team event in rodeo, requires close cooperation and timing between to ropers, known as the header and the heeler, and their horses. The event originated on ranches when large steers needed to be treated or branded and the task proved to be too difficult for one man. Similar to tie-down roping and steer wrestling, team roping starts from the boxes
on each side of the chute. The steer gets a head start, which is determined by the length of the arena. One end of the breakaway barrier is attached to the steer and stretched across the open end of the headers’ box. The header ropes first and must complete one of three legal catches on the steer: around both horns, around one horn and the head, or around the neck. Any other
catch made is deemed illegal and results in a disqualification for the team. After the header makes the catch, the steer is turned to the left, giving the heeler a shot to scoop both legs. If the heeler catches only one foot, the team gets a five-second penalty. The clock is stopped when there is no slack in the ropes and the horses are facing each other.
Barrel Racing
Barrel racing was invented in 1928 for women only – the first sport on horseback for women. Barrel racing began to be incorporated into rodeos thanks to a large part to Annie Oakley and her role in Wild Bill Wild West Show. The course consists of barrels placed in a triangle in the middle of an arena. The rider races into the arena with the timer starting when the team (the horse and the rider), crosses the start line and ends after completing the clover leaf pattern and crossing the finish line. The team that puts up the best time with tight turns, explosiveness, communication, and no over-turned barrels wins. If a barrel is hit, the rider gets a five-second
penalty.
Bull Riding
Bull riding ranks as one of rodeo’s most popular events. It is dangerous and predictably exciting; demanding intense physical prowess, supreme mental toughness, and courage. Like bareback and saddle bronc riding, the bull rider must use only one hand to stay aboard during the eight-second ride. If he touches the bull or himself with his free hand, he receives a no score. However,
unlike other rough stock events, bull riders are not required to mark out their animals. Riders are commonly judged solely on their ability to stay aboard the twisting, bucking mass of muscle. When in the chute, the rider grasps a flat braided rope, which is wrapped around the bull’s chest just behind the front legs and over its withers. One end of the bull rope called the tail, is threaded through a loop on the other end and tightened around the bull. The rider then wraps the tail around his hand, sometimes weaving
it through his fingers to further secure his grip. Then he nods his head, the chute gate swings open, and he and the bull explode into the arena. Each bull has its unique bucking habits. A bull may dart to the left, then to the right, then rear back. Some might spin or continuously circle in one spot. Others add jumps or kicks to their spins, while others might jump and kick in a straight
line or move side to side while buck. Nonetheless, they are all exciting to watch.