During a professional bull riding competition, one of the few people standing between a cowboy and an angry 1200 pound bull is a man known as a rodeo clown, or bullfighter. It is the rodeo clown's job to distract the bull by any means necessary after a rider has been bucked off.
What is the purpose of a rodeo?
Today, it is a sporting event that involves horses and other livestock, designed to test the skill and speed of the cowboys and cowgirls. American-style professional rodeos generally comprise the following events: tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding and barrel racing.
What do you say when you go to a rodeo?
Below are 22 words you should know when you attend a rodeo. Breaking the barrier: Ensures that cowboys don’t get a head start as they chase after the calf or steer. Bronc: An untamed horse that habitually bucks. Bucking: The rodeo word for a bull or bronc “kicking” in rough stock events. Bulldogger:
What is a rodeo contractor?
Stock contractors - The companies that bring livestock to the arena for rodeos – bucking horses and bulls for the roughstock events and steers and calves for the timed events. Timed events - Steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping – events in which the contestant (s) who make the fastest qualified runs win.
What are the different types of rodeos?
The ABCRA now affiliates the sports of campdrafting, roughriding ( saddle bronc and bareback riding, steer and bull riding) and timed rodeo events: barrel races (ladies and junior), rope and tie, steer undecorating (ladies), steer wrestling, junior calf riding, team roping and breakaway roping (ladies).
What is professional rodeo called?
These friendly competitive matches among ranch hands evolved into the modern sport of professional rodeo. Today, PRCA rodeo evokes images of the early West with its contests between untamed horses and cattle and that independent breed --- the American Cowboy.
What is a rodeo cowboy?
The Rodeo Cowboy Of course, cowboys still drive pickups, punch cattle on their ranches and wear jeans and boots. But cowboys today are businessmen and athletes, as likely to have refined their skills at rodeo schools as on ranches. They pursue glory in the dust and rain of rodeo arenas across North America.
What is a rodeo girl called?
The term cowgirl was first used in the context of a wild west show by Oklahoman Lucille Mulhall in 1908 when, at age 10 years, she displayed her roping skills at Madison Square Garden.
What are some rodeo terms?
The PRCA compiled a list of rodeo terminology and words to support you when watching, discussing or reading about rodeo.Average. ... Calf roper. ... Chute. ... Barrelman. ... Barrier. ... Bullfighter. ... Box. ... Bronc Rein.More items...
Who is the best rodeo cowboy ever?
Don Gay currently holds the record for the cowboy with the most Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Bull Riding World Champion titles. During his career, Don Gay won eight bull riding world titles. Gay won his first world championship in 1974 and his last in 1984.
What's a roughie in rodeo?
The 15 competitors sitting on the chutes are called the “roughies.” They are a close-knit group of high school students who compete in rodeos throughout the year. The group participates in the bareback bronc riding, bull riding, and saddle bronc riding.
What is buckle bunny in slang?
buckle bunny (plural buckle bunnies) (slang) A female groupie of rodeo cowboys.
What does rodeo mean in slang?
a drug deal. This ain't my first Rodeo.
Are there female bullriders?
Although women have been riding bulls professionally since at least the 1970s, the bulls on the women's circuit are smaller by orders of magnitude. In 1994, a woman named Polly Reich famously set out to ride the same bulls as men at PRCA rodeos.
What are rodeo groupies called?
Buckle bunnies are groupies; they are dedicated fans who are enthralled by the rodeo subculture and its participants.
What are some cowboy sayings?
Some are really good advice and all are funny cowboy sayings.Don't squat with your spurs on.Don't let your yearnings get ahead of your earnings.Don't dig for water under the outhouse.Don't go in if you don't know the way out.Don't mess with something that ain't bothering you.Never corner something meaner than you.More items...
What is the winner of a rodeo called?
rodeo championThe rodeo champion is traditionally the high-money winner in an event for the given season.
What does rodeo mean in slang?
a drug deal. This ain't my first Rodeo.
What do you do at a rodeo?
Rodeo EventsBareback Riding.Steer Wrestling.Tie-Down Roping.Saddle Bronc Riding.Team Roping.Barrel Racing.Bull Riding.Steer Roping.
Are rodeos cruel?
The horses, bulls, steer, and calves suffer broken ribs, backs, and legs, torn tails, punctured lungs, internal organ damage, ripped tendons, torn ligaments, snapped necks, and agonizing deaths. The injuries are not confined to the rodeos themselves.
How do you become a rodeo rider?
Steps to becoming a rodeo cowboy or cowgirlDecide what type of competitor you will be and how far you are willing to travel.Find a rodeo association that meets your needs.Go to a rodeo school or clinic taught by experienced rodeo cowboys and cowgirls.Get some insurance.Fill out your forms, pay your dues, and ride.
What is the objective of barrel racing?
In steer wrestling, the objective is for the contestant to turn the steer over on its side the quickest. There are three types of roughstock events in rodeo: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, and bull riding. INFORMATION.
What is the rodeo word for a bull or bronc?
Bucking: The rodeo word for a bull or bronc “kicking” in rough stock events. Bulldogger: Otherwise known as a steer wrestler, this is the cowboy who wrestles the steer to the ground. Bullfighter: After each bull ride, this person distracts the bull so the cowboy can escape the arena safely. Chaps:
How many seconds does it take for a rider to fall off the stock?
This occurs when the rider falls off the stock before eight seconds in roughstock events or misses the steer or calf in timed events.
What is a rodeo pen?
A pen that holds bulls, horses, steers, and calves before each rodeo event.
What is a sheepskin strap?
A sheepskin-lined or padded leather strap that encourages the roughstock to buck.
What do you call a rodeo fan?
Whether you’re new to rodeo, what we would call a “greenhorn, ” or an avid rodeo fan, it never hurts to learn new things or test your rodeo knowledge. Below are 22 words you should know when you attend a rodeo.
What is a spur in stock?
Spurs act as a way to encourage the stock to perform or speed up (in the timed events.)
What is a bronc rein?
Bronc Rein: A rope which is 1 1/2 – 2 inches in diameter and is attached to the halter of a saddle bronc horse, giving the cowboy something to hold for balance.
What is a big man's event?
Is a timed event in which the cowboy leaps from his horse, grabs the steer’s horns, and attempts to bring the animal to the ground.
What is added money in rodeo?
Added Money: Money that the rodeo committee pays to the winning contestant in each event. This practice attracts the best-of-the-best competitors to Poway Rodeo.
What is the cowboy's header?
Header: In team roping, the header is the cowboy that ropes the steer around the horns, head, or neck.
What are some examples of rodeos?
Examples are: Saddle Bronc, Bareback, Bull Riding .. Bull Riding: Bull Riding is the most recognized and popular of all the rodeo events. Also the most dangerous of all rodeo events, it pits the cowboy’s courage and riding skill against the speed and power of a 1500 pound bull.
What is mutton busting?
Mutton Busting: Event held at rodeos similar to bull riding or bronc riding. In the event, a sheep is held still, either in a small chute or by an adult handler while a child is placed on top in a riding position. Once the child is seated atop the sheep, the sheep is released and usually starts to run in an attempt to get the child off.
How long does the saddle bronco stay on the back?
Saddle Bronco: Brings horse and rider together in a classic duel as the cowboy attempts to stay atop the bronc’s back for eight seconds
What is cantle boarding?
Cantle Boarding. When a saddle bronc rider spurs back so far his spurs strike the saddle's cantle. Catch as Catch Can. A calf roper is allowed to catch the stock any way he chooses so long as he turns loose of the rope when throwing the loop, and so long as the rope holds the calf until the roper reaches it.
How long is a saddle bronc rope?
A thick rope, 1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter that is attached to the halter of a saddle bronc horse. The rope can be longer than 6 1/2 feet, and is used to provide balance, and to give the cowboy something to hold on to.
What is the term used when a saddle bronc rider touches any part of the saddle with their free hand?
The term used when a saddle bronc rider touches any part of the saddle with their free hand during the eight-second ride. This is also known as "pulling leather" and causes the rider to be disqualified.
What is a horse that kicks up with the hind legs?
A horse or bull that kicks up with the hind legs, walks on the front legs and then kicks again with the hind legs, before the hind legs touch the ground. Dragger. A roping steer that is "headed" and stops or does not continue to run after being roped, making it very difficult for the heeler to throw a catch. Ducks Off.
What is a bull rope?
Bull Rope. A flat woven rope, no larger than 9/16th of an inch in diameter with a bell attached to it. The rope is wrapped around the bull's body, just behind the front legs, and then around the cowboy's hand, to help secure the cowboy to the bull. Cantle Boarding.
What is the term for an animal that pivots on the front feet and scoots the back end around?
Scooter. An animal that pivots on the front feet and scoots the back end around, instead of pivoting on the front feet and kicking the hind feet. Seeing daylight. The term used when a cowboy comes loose from a bucking animal far enough for the spectators to see daylight between the cowboy and the animal.
What is an Arena Director?
Arena Director. The person whose responsibility it is to see that the rodeo goes smoothly and according to the rules of the PRCA. Arm Jerker. A horse or bull that is really stout and bucks with the power to cause a great amount of pull on the contestant's arm. Average.
What is a bronc rein?
Bronc Rein - A saddle bronc rider holds onto a bronc rein at a specific position that he determines based on the size and bucking habits of the horse he’s about to ride. Bronc riders often give each other advice about the length of rein a specific horse will perform best with. Bulldogger - Steer Wrestler.
What is a roughstock draw?
Draw - Each roughstock competitor who enters a PRCA rodeo is assigned a specific bucking horse or bull in a random draw conducted at PRCA headquarters three days before the rodeo; each timed-event contestant is assigned a calf or steer in a random draw on site, shortly before each performance of a rodeo begins.
What is box wrestling?
Box - In a timed event, a horse and a rider back into this area before they make a roping or steer wrestling run.
Why do rodeo judges drop flags?
Flags - Because rodeo’s timed events are measured in tenths of seconds, judges in the arena drop flags to signal the timers to stop the clocks.
How long is a PRCA life member?
Gold Card member, life member - A 10-year, dues-paying member of the PRCA who has reached his 50th birthday, or a 20-year dues-paying member of any age.
What is a go round in a rodeo?
Each is called a go-round, and all cowboys entered in that rodeo compete in each go-round unless there is a semi-final, final or progressive round. Pickup men - Two mounted cowboys that help riders dismount, release a bucking horse’s soft flank strap, and escort bucking horses and bulls to the exit gate after a ride.
Why do cowboys turn out of rodeos?
Turn out - A cowboy may turn out of a rodeo if, for example, he has a scheduling conflict; this is different from “doctor-releasing” due to injury.
What is the point award system?
Point award system - A method by which champion cowboys are selected in each event each year. Each cowboy is awarded one point for every dollar won at RCA-approved rodeos during the year. At the end of the year, the cowboy who has accumulated the most points in each event is awarded the championship.
What is the difference between a heeler and a hobbling?
Hobbled - A method of tying the hind feet of a roped steer just below the hocks with a short piece of rope. Honda - The eye in one end of a rope through which the other end is passed to form a loop.
What is the strap on a Brahman bull called?
Flank - A strap with a self-holding buckle passed around the flank of the bronc or Brahman bull and pulled tight as the animal leaves the chute. In an effort to get rid of the flank strap, the stock bucks higher and harder. Go-round - The part of a rodeo in which each contestant competes on one head of stock.
What is the term for a rodeo where a rope is thrown at an animal but has missed?
Fishing - A common expression used in rodeo when the roper has thrown the rope at an animal but has missed, and then by accident, or by flipping the rope, turns it into a legal catch. Flagman - One flagman stands on foot at the barrier and signals the start of time in a roping or steer wrestling event.
How many loops does a header have?
The header has two loops; if he misses with both, the team retires with no time. Heeler - A member of a two-man roping team who ropes second and tries to catch one or both hind feet of a steer after his partner has already roped the head. The heeler has two loops; if he misses with both, the team receives no time.
What is a crupper?
Crupper - Riding tricks performed from the hips of a trick-riding horse; there are numerous variations. Dally steer roping - The roper dallies the rope around the saddle horn and brings the steer to a stop, rope tight, steer facing the horse. Day money - The amount of prize money paid to the winners of each go-round.
How many D rings are on a cinch?
There are two "D" rings on each cinch - one on each end. Earring down - A method of subduing a wild horse by twisting its ears. Entry fee - Money paid by contestants to the rodeo secretary before they can enter an event or rodeo.
What was Larry Mahan's contribution to the cowboy?
In addition to his bull riding prowess, Mahan also helped shape the rodeo cowboy image when he established the western wear line , the Larry Mahan Collection.
What did LeDoux do?
LeDoux began composing songs about the rodeo life. He developed a devoted following through selling records out of the back of his pickup truck. LeDoux's background as a rodeo champion paired with great songs and stage presence made him a natural country music star.
How many seconds did Hedeman spend on Bodacious?
Hedeman is known as being one of only seven riders to have spent eight seconds on the notoriously difficult bull Bodacious. Once, while riding Bodacious during the Professional Bull Riders competition in Las Vegas, Hedeman shattered nearly every bone in his face when he smashed his head against the bull's skull.
What happened to Frost in 8 seconds?
After riding a bull named K. Walsh (also known as "Takin' Care of Business") for a full eight seconds, Frost was pummeled by the bull, breaking at least two of his ribs. Frost suffered from a punctured artery and died shortly after.
When did Ledoux become a cowboy?
As a boy, LeDoux competed in junior rodeos across Texas. He became a professional rodeo cowboy in 1970, and six years later, he won the world bareback riding championship at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. LeDoux began composing songs about the rodeo life.
Who is Larry Mahan?
Larry Mahan. Larry Mahan started on the rodeo circuit at the age of 14. After winning World All-Around Rodeo Champion for five consecutive years from 1966 to 1970 , he became the subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary The Great American Cowboy.
Who is the only woman inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame?
Lucas is the only woman to be inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame, Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame. 6. Ty Murray. Wikipedia Commons. Ty Murray lives up to the nickname, "King of the Cowboys.". The Phoenix, Arizona native, is a nine-time World Champion rodeo cowboy.
What is the meaning of "forked" in horse shoes?
FORKED: (pronounced fork-ed - like the name Ed) Adjective applied to a Cowboy that can really ride a bronc well. PEELER: A horse breaker.
What does "gunsl" mean?
GUNSEL: A person with limited knowledge of livestock and cowboy ways. Usually used as a derogatory term.
What is a DROVER?
DROVER: Term commonly used in the 1870s and 80s for a working cowboy engaged in trailing longhorns to market or a new range. VAQUERO: Spanish term for a man who takes care of cattle. Mexican cowboy. From the Spanish word "vaca" --meaning cow.
What is a cow puncher?
Answer to the general manager. COWMAN: A ranch owner that makes a living raising cattle. COW-PUNCHER: Also called Buckaroo, Cow Poke, Waddie, Cowboy, and in Spanish a "Vaquero". Terms for cowboy vary with the region. The term cow puncher or "puncher" is more commonly used in the southwest.
What do buckaroos wear?
Often wear flat hats, chinks, and ride A-fork saddles with post horns and bucking rolls. Traditionally their gear displays lots of silver and is fancier than some other areas of the country. Buckaroo gear and style of handling horses is becoming quite popular in other parts of the country and the world.
Why was the cook paid more than the other hands?
The cook was paid more than the other hands because the success of the camp and the drive depended greatly on him.
What is a cowboy?
COWBOY: A person, in the western United States, who tends cattle and performs many of their duties on horseback.
What is a bareback bronc?
Bronc riding, either bareback bronc or saddle bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding a bucking horse (some times called a bronc or bronco) that attempts to throw or buck off the rider. Originally based on the necessary horse breaking skills of a working cowboy, ...
How long does it take for a horse to buck in a bucking chute?
When the rider is ready, the gate of the bucking chute is opened and the horse bursts out and begins to buck. The rider attempts to stay on the horse for eight seconds without touching the horse with their free hand. On the first jump out of the chute, the rider must "mark the horse out". This means they must have the heels ...
How much does a bucking horse cost?
Bucking horses and bulls are costly to replace: a proven bucking horse can be sold for $8000 to $10,000, making "rough stock" an investment worth caring for and keeping in good health for many years.
How many rules are there for rodeos?
The PRCA has 60 rules that specifically regulate the proper care and treatment of rodeo animals; these guidelines must be followed by all rodeo participants in sanctioned rodeos. In 1994, a survey of 28 sanctioned rodeos was conducted by on-site independent veterinarians. Reviewing 33,991 animal runs, the injury rate was documented at 16 animals or 0.047 percent, less than five hundredths of one percent or one in 2000 animals. A study of rodeo animals in Australia found a similar injury rate. Basic injuries occurred at a rate of 0.072 percent, or one in 1,405, with injuries requiring veterinary attention at 0.036 percent, or one injury in every 2810 times the animal was used, and transport, yarding and competition were all included in the study. A later PRCA survey of 60,971 animal performances at 198 rodeo performances and 73 sections of "slack" indicated 27 animals were injured, again approximately five-hundredths of 1 percent – 0.0004. However, accusations of cruelty in the USA persist. The PRCA acknowledges that they only sanction about 30 percent of all rodeos, while another 50 percent are sanctioned by other organizations and 20 percent are completely unsanctioned. Several animal rights organizations keep records of accidents and incidents of possible animal abuse. They cite various specific incidents of injury to support their statements, and also point to examples of long-term breakdown, as well as reporting on injuries and deaths suffered by animals in non-rodeo events staged on the periphery of professional rodeo such as chuckwagon races and "suicide runs". While in terms of actual statistics on animal injury rate, there appear to be no more recent independent studies on animal injury in rodeo than the 1994 study, groups such as PETA gather anecdotal reports such as one from a 2010 rodeo in Colorado alleging eleven animal injuries, of which two were fatal.
What is saddle bronc?
In saddle bronc, the rider uses a specialized saddle with free-swinging stirrups and no horn. The saddle bronc rider grips a simple rein braided from cotton or polyester and attached to a leather halter worn by the horse.
How many rodeos are sanctioned by the PRCA?
The PRCA acknowledges that they only sanction about 30 percent of all rodeos, while another 50 percent are sanctioned by other organizations and 20 percent are completely unsanctioned. Several animal rights organizations keep records of accidents and incidents of possible animal abuse.
When did bronc riding start?
Bareback bronc riding began to develop as a professional rodeo sporting event around 1900. The riding equipment used during that era varied.
Overview
Competitive events
Professional rodeos in the United States and Canada usually incorporate both timed events and "rough stock" events, most commonly calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc and bareback bronc riding, bull riding, and barrel racing. Additional events may be included at the collegiate and high school level, including breakaway roping and goat tying. Some events are based on tradition…
Etymology
The American English word "rodeo" is taken directly from Spanish rodeo ([roˈðe.o]), which roughly translates into English as "round up."
The Spanish word is derived from the verb rodear, meaning "to surround" or "go around," used to refer to "a pen for cattle at a fair or market," derived from the Latin rota or rotare, meaning to rotate or go around.
History
Many rodeo events were based on the tasks required by cattle ranching. The working cowboy developed skills to fit the needs of the terrain and climate of the American west, and there were many regional variations. The skills required to manage cattle and horses date back to the Spanish traditions of the vaquero.
Early rodeo-like affairs of the 1820s and 1830s were informal events in the we…
Governing associations in the United States
Formal associations and detailed rules came late to rodeo. Until the mid-1930s, every rodeo was independent and selected its own events from among nearly one hundred different contests. Until World War I, there was little difference between rodeo and charreada. Athletes from the US, Mexico and Canada competed freely in all three countries. Subsequently, charreada was formalized as an amateur team sport and the international competitions ceased. It remains pop…
Canada
The first rodeo in Canada was held in 1902 in Raymond, Alberta, when Raymond Knight funded and promoted a rodeo contest for bronc riders and steer ropers called the Raymond Stampede. Knight also coined the rodeo term "stampede" and built rodeo's first known shotgun-style bucking chute. In 1903, Knight built Canada's first rodeo arena and grandstand and became the first rodeo produc…
Minority participation in the United States and Canada
Native American and Hispanic cowboys compete in modern rodeos in small numbers. African Americans constitute a smaller minority of rodeo contestants, though many early rodeo champions, such as Nat Love, were African American. Bill Pickett and bronc rider Bill Stahl were both elected to the Cowboy Hall of Fame. During the 1940s and 1950s, African Americans created the Southwes…
Latin America
The charreada is the national sport of Mexico. It is a display and contest of roping and riding with origins tracing to the cattle ranching life and culture of colonial Mexico. Over time, it became an event that included games, parades, foods, and contests involving humans, cattle, and horses. Following the Mexican Revolution of 1910, many rural Mexicans were displaced and took up residenc…