RODEO EVENTS

Rodeo was developed based on an actual lifestyle, with skills professionals use in their everyday ranching responsibilities. Learn more about the competitions that are featured during the rodeo, as well as frequently asked questions.

— TIMED EVENTS —

Contestants compete against the clock. The objective for each of these cowboys and cowgirls is to earn the fastest time in their event. Many of these events come from common tasks necessary to medicate, brand, or tag animals on a ranch.

DOGGIN' A BULL

STEER WRESTLING

There’s always “doggin’” a bull when riding on the back on an ill-tempered one is too much. Most steers used in this event weigh between 650 and 700 pounds and are chased down by a rider on horseback, at about 30 miles per hour! This is an event of speed, skill and raw nerve. Bulldogging was invented by a Black cowboy named Bill Pickett. He got the idea from watching how bulldogs would grab a steer by the nose and hold it. He would ride alongside the running steer, jump off onto its head, take it by the horns and then bite the steer on the nose and throw it to the ground.

With most contestants standing over 6 foot tall and weighing more than 220 pounds, this is described as the "Big Man's Event." Smaller guys equally can be good with great technique. No matter the cowboy's size, a lot of their success depends on the horse and their partner called the hazer. The hazer's job is to foresee mistakes and correct them – often in a split second – as the steer can slam on its "brakes" or veer away from the dogger. He attempts to keep the steer running in a straight line so the steer wrestler has a chance to unmount in good shape. This is the only event in which a cowboy is allowed help in the arena. 

THINGS TO LOOK FOR:  Racing to overtake the steer, the dogger positions his horse alongside the bull, reaches with his right hand and grabs the steer’s right horn. As the horse speeds by the steer, the cowboy gets the horn in the crook of his right elbow. At the same time, his left hand passes down on the other horn while he veers off the horse to the left. Using his weight, momentum and determination, the dogger wrestles the steer to the ground making sure that the steer is lying flat on its side with all four feet and head in the same direction. 

SCORING: It’s all a matter of seconds; the fastest take down wins.

QUICK TIE DOWNS

CALF ROPING

A race against the stop watch, Calf Ropin’ is one of the most popular of rodeo events – an event of perfect coordination between the rider and horse. The skill of both rider and horse as a team can be the difference between winning or losing. It originated from one of the jobs that cowboys would do in the course of daily ranch work. Before all the equipment we use today to doctor and brand cattle, the cowboy would have to rope cattle out in the open, jump off his horse and tie the cattle down.

In this event, the cowboy ropes the calf from his horse at top speed. He dismounts, runs to the calf, puts it on the ground and must tie at least 3 of its legs then raise his hands in the air to stop the clock. He must then get back on his horse and put slack in the rope. The calf must stay tied for 6 seconds in order for the cowboy to receive a time.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR: The calf races into the arena at full speed, the roper follows with his lariat whirling above his head while overtaking the calf at full gallop. After roping, the rider must dismount the horse, go to the calf, put it on the ground, then tie three of the calf’s legs together with a short piece of rope. The roper remounts the horse and slacks the rope.

SCORING: After the tie down, the roper must raise his hands in the air to stop the clock. The tie must hold for 6 seconds. The difference between winning and losing is so slim that the times must deal in fractions of seconds, often with big dollars at stake.

FAST AND FIERCE

LADIES BARREL RACING

When it comes to the importance of rider and horse working as a team, there is nothing like Barrel Racin’. This is one of two events open only to cowgirls. Roperd and steer wrestlers often borrow mounts and win, but take a barrel racer off her horse... and it’s a whole different world. 

Ladies Barrel Racing is the Kentucky Derby of rodeo! The horses these ladies ride are not your average horse. Many of them are either ex-race horses that have won thousands of dollars on the racetrack, or have come from breeding programs that specialize in raising fast horses. Some of these horses cost $5,000 to $100,000 as babies, and at least a 2-year wait is necessary before they are old enough to start riding to determine if they will have the speed to be a top contender.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR:  3 barrels are set up in a triangle. The women enter the arena at top speed and must go around the barrels in a cloverleaf pattern, and then back across the timeline. Good barrel horses require the spirit and speed of a quarter horse and the agility of a polo pony.

SCORING: Like other timed events, the fastest time wins. A 5-second penalty is assessed for each barrel knocked down. The rider is disqualified if the pattern is run incorrectly.

OFF THE BACK

LADIES STEER UNDECORATING

Ladies Steer Undecorating is one of two events for cowgirls. This event consists of two participants: the contender and the hazer. This event looks a lot like the Steer Wrestling event. Instead of throwing the steer to the ground, the object is for the contestant to pull a strip of tape from the steer's back.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR: The ladies start behind a barrier. The hazer is responsible for keeping the steer running on a straight course. The contender chases the steer, which is decorated at the shoulder with a ribbon, and reaches down onto the steer’s shoulder while attempting to remove the ribbon. 

SCORING: Once the contender has successfully removed the ribbon, she raises it high overhead to signal to the judge she is finished. All this happens as fast as the steer can run and requires tight coordination between rider and horse. The contender with the fastest time is declared the winner. Sometimes these ladies record times in just over one second!

— ROUGHSTOCK EVENTS —

 The contestant is scored on both the animal’s performance and their own. Typically, two arena judges are assigned to scoring each of the contestants’ rides. Each judge can award up to 25 points for cowboy technique, and up to 25 points for animal performance of bucking ability.

8 SECONDS OF RHYTHM

RANCH BRONC RIDING

Ranch Bronc Riding is considered rodeo's classic event.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR: The broncs wear a bronc halter with one rein (called a "bronc rein" or a "hack rein") for the rider to grab hold. Usually, it is required that the rider holds onto the hack rein throughout the entire ride. Typically, riders are allowed to hold onto the saddle horn, cantle, or a night latch (a rope or strap tied through the gullet of the saddle) with their free hand (the one not holding the hack rein).

When he nods his head to let the horse out of the chute, he must have the heels of his boots over the point of the horse’s shoulders as its feet hit the ground on the horse’s first jump. This is called the “mark out” and gives the horse the advantage. 

SCORING: The rider must ride for 8 seconds. There will not be a mark out rule. Riders may use saddle horn but no night latch and may receive more points for riding free handed or for spurring the horse from the shoulder to the handle on his rigging. Horses will be chute drawn in the order they are randomly loaded. Judges score the bronc primarily based on how smooth or rhythmic the buck is. Similar to how bull riding is scored, the cowboy's score is based on being able to ride for a full 8 seconds, only holding on with one hand (not touring the horse or himself with his free hand), and syncing his movements to the rhythm of the animal.

8 SECONDS OF DANGER

BULL RIDING

Voted the most dangerous sport on Earth, this is a contest between men weighing 150 pounds and surprisingly agile bulls that weigh 1,200-2,000 pounds. For excitement and the ultimate danger in rodeo, there is nothing to match Bull Ridin’. This is not a contest of strength; it’s a competition of mind over matter – both for the rider as well as the bull. The bull rider must match moves against the bull in order to stay on top.

Bucking bulls generally are bad tempered. Many of the crossbred Brahmans go a whole season without being ridden the required 8 seconds. As the cowboys learn how to stay on, the bulls learn certain things to buck the cowboys off. After the ride is over the danger isn’t; the cowboy must run for his life from the bull to avoid being trampled or tossed in the air like a rag doll. The cowboy’s safety depends on his own speed and the skills of the rodeo clowns and bullfighters.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR: The bull rider's equipment consists of a leather glove, a flat plaited rope that goes around the bull, a set of bells that add weight to the rope and help it to fall off after the ride, spurs for added grip with the cowboy's heels, a protective vest and sometimes a helmet. Either hand – but only one – may be used to grip the loose rope. Watch how the rider uses his free arm, jerking and thrusting to counter the bull’s spins and lunges. The rider lunges his body forward as if to jump over his riding hand and will move his feet forward to grab a new hold. These are a series of complex movements learned after years of training to enable the rider to stay on as long as possible. 

SCORING: The rider must stay on the bull for 8 seconds and is judged on how well he rides. The rider is disqualified for bucking off before the 8 seconds is up or for touching himself, the animal or equipment with his free hand.

— YOUTH EVENTS —

THE FUTURE IS HERE

JR BARRELS • PEE WEE BARRELS

Once the Ladies Barrel Racing concludes, the Jr and Pee Wee contestants are set up to race a similar pattern. This fast-paced event featuring youth is a crowd-favorite as they cheer on the future of rodeo! Ages 8-13 compete in as Juniors and under 8 are in the Pee Wee division.

Riders also guide their horses in a cloverleaf pattern around 3 barrels. The fastest time wins, with 5-second penalties added for knocking over a barrel. navigate a horse in a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels. Pee Wees may have assistance, while Juniors run independently. 

SMALL-SCALE ACTION

MUTTON BUSTIN’

A popular rodeo event where young children (typically 4 to 7 years old and under 55-60 lbs) ride on the back of a running sheep, holding onto its wool for as long as possible, It’s similar to bull riding… but on a much smaller, cuter scale – often with helmets and vests for safety.

This special event offers a fun, thrilling – and often humorous – introduction to rodeo life for kids, while also serving as a fun crowd-pleaser. 

— TEAM EVENTS —

HIGH-ENERGY FLYING DIRT

PONY EXPRESS (RELAY RACING)

Long before modern communication, the Pony Express symbolized speed, trust and survival, with riders carrying messages across vast land, relying on skill, horses and seamless hand-offs to move forward. The Pony Express rodeo event is rooted in the tradition of Black rodeos in Oklahoma, and has become a signature event.

It is a high-energy, 8-person relay race during which teams compete to pass a baton while riding at top speed around barrels. Two teams of eight riders compete simultaneously in the arena. Each rider completes a lap around a barrel, passing a baton to the next teammate.They demonstrate intense horsemanship and teamwork, often with the final rider dropping the baton into a barrel to win.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR: The start of the relay begins at the first barrel and the finish is at the first barrel. The passing of the baton occurs between the fourth and first barrel only. The pass can’t happen at the fourth nor at the first; it must be between the barrels.

SCORING:  The difference between winning and losing is so slim that the times must deal in fractions of seconds, often with big dollars at stake.

KEEPING IT TOGETHER

TEAM ROPING

Team Roping is one of the events that require two competitors: a header and a heeler. It is the only rodeo event where men and women compete equally together in professionally sanctioned competition, in single-gender or mixed-gender teams.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR: Once the steer leaves the chute and reaches its head start point, both riders come out of the boxes horseback. The header is in charge of roping the horns, and the heeler is in charge of the feet. Upon exiting the box, the header ropes the steer’s head. Once he makes a legal catch, he turns the steer to set it up in good position for the heeler. The heeler then ropes the back two legs of the steer.

SCORING: The rope must be either around both horns, the neck, or the neck and one horn; any other ‘catch’ is illegal. A one-leg catch gives them a 5-second time penalty. After both the header and heeler have done their jobs, they face their horses towards each other to stop the clock.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

There is a lot to understand about the world of rodeo. You may have some questions...