Wikipedia defines rodeo as a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America, and Austrailia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States, western Canada, and Northern Mexico. Today it is a sporting event that consists of several different timed and judged events that involve cattle and horses, designed to test the skill and speed of the human cowboy and cowgirl athletes who participate.
The fist event of most big rodeos is the bareback riding. Bareback riders use a rigging which looks like a suit case handle with a leather body that they cinch down on the horse. Once the rigging is tight they wedge one hand in. When the horse leaves the chute the rider must have his spurs that are connected to his boots at the point of the shoulder for at least one jump, this is called a mark out. The hand that is not in the rigging must stay free and not touch the animal or the rider himself. The judges will score the rider if he completes his mark out, stays on for eight seconds and does not touch the animal or himself with his free hand. Judges give half the score to how well the horse bucks and the other half to how well the rider spurs his horse. The higest score a rider can get is 100 points.
Next event is the steer wrestling. A rider has a well trained horse and a partner called a hazer. The participant gets in the box and nods for the steer. The participant must not break the barrier(designed to give the steer a head start)or he will be penalized 10 seconds. As soon as the rider nods his head the time starts and him and his partner work as a team and chase the steer down. When they catch up to it the participant slides off his on to the steer. He tries to stop it and flip it on it's back. As soon as all the steers legs are off the ground the time stops.
Team roping is after the steer wrestling. Two cowboys a header and a heeler line up in the box with the steer in a chute and a barrier around it's neck just like in the steer wrestling. The team nod for the steer and the time starts, the header rope's the steer around the horns, neck, or half head, any other catch is illegal, and the heeler ropes the hind legs. If only one leg is caught it is a five second penalty. Once to slack is pulled out the team faces eachother and the time stops.
After the team roping is the saddle bronc riding.
New 2009 G-G bronc saddle. The G-G gold claimed to be deeper seated, easier to stay in, more comfortable to ride then anything you've ever tried, is the newest addition to the G-G bronc saddle collection. This new saddle complete is only $1725.00, better get one.
Can't forget the Beastmasters Rockies high lift riggin when selecting gear to ride buckin' horses. It's the best riggin on the rodeo circuit today. This is the riggin I use. Other pro's such as Kelly Timberman, his brother Chris, Dennis Schmitd the maker used his own, and many other pro's and amatures on the road from Huston to Cowley are using this well built rig to score big.
2008 NFR World Champion's
Bareback- Justin McDaniel
Steer Wrestling- Luke Branquinho
Team Roping- Matt Sherwood/Randon Adams
Saddle Bronc- Cody Wright
Tie-Down Roping- Stran Smith
Barrel Racing- Lidnsay Sears
Bull Riding- J.W. Harris
