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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.
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.
JR. BARREL RACING
The Dodge Rodeo circuit also features Junior Barrel
Racing. The sport is run exactly the same way 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
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.
BAREBACK RIDING
Bareback riding, originating in the rodeo arena, is one
of the most bone-jarring events of the rodeo and is
often the toughest on the cowboy's body with immense
stress placed on the arm and back...but to score high
points the cowboy has to look good while he's punishing
his body! The cowboy holds onto the bucking bronc with
one hand in a rigging that resembles a suitcase handle
on a strap. He has to hold on for eight seconds while
spurring the horse. As with saddle bronc riding, as the
bronc bucks the rider pulls his knees up dragging his
spurs along the bronc's shoulders and as the horse's
front feet come back to the ground, he straightens his
legs so the spurs connect above the horse's shoulders,
ready to do it again for the next jump. As is the case
with saddle bronc, the rider must mark out his horse and
his free hand must not touch his horse, equipment or
body for the eight seconds. Bareback bronc riders tend
to receive more violent and less fluid and controlled
rides than saddle bronc riders, and as a result they
tend to do more long-term damage to their bodies than
most other rodeo cowboys.
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 throws 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.
JUNIOR BULL RIDING
Junior Bull 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 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.
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. The
cowboy aims for controlled fluid movements as he tries
to precisely time his movements with that of the horse.
Ideally, he spurs the horse with his toes pointed
outward, landing them on the bronc's shoulders as its
front feet hit the ground, dragging the spurs along its
shoulders as it bucks again. The rider, then in sync
with the horses bucking action swings his feet back to
the point above the bronc's shoulders for the next jump.
The saddle bronc rider faces a "mark out" rule, meaning
both spurs must be above the bronc's shoulders until its
feet hit the ground on the first jump from the chute.
Failure in this means disqualification. Also, his free
hand cannot make contact with the bronc, his equipment
or his body during his eight second ride.
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. |
