The ultimate test of a true cowboy and arguably the most physically demanding event of the rodeo – bareback riding.  The only thing between the rider and the horse is a small leather rig and handle, similar to a suitcase handle. The rider holds on with only one arm and prepares for his ride.  Once he nods his head the gate opens. The rider will have to roll his spurs in rhythm back and forth with the horse’s bucking movements.  The rider attempts to stay on as long as possible, but that’s not the only thing they’re judged on!  Length of ride, spur technique, the degree to which their toes are turned out during spurring and, of course, style.

An exciting event, but watch carefully, sometimes the round can last for only four seconds!  Team roping consists of two professional riders and their horses working together to rope a steer as fast as possible.  The steer gets a head start, then the riders burst out of the box in pursuit.  The first rider must rope the steer around the neck, head and/or horns.  Then the second rider will rope the steer’s back legs.  The horses end the round by facing each other in the arena, steer roped on both ends.  The riders practice for hours to perfect their timing and technique to be completely synchronized. 

Tie-down roping comes from our ranching traditions when cowboys need to rope a calf in order to brand it and provide medical treatment. The calf is given a head start before the roper leaves the box.  The cowboy will then attempt to rope the calf around the neck.  Once the calf is roped, the cowboy dismounts their horse and sprints towards the calf to tie it down.  They will need to tie three of their four legs securely in order to stop the clock.  The training and work of the horses within this event are exceptional!

Breakaway roping is one of the hottest events sanctioned by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is proud to share the venue with some of the best cowgirls in rodeo for this event. The PRCA and the WPRA have been working together for the last year to promote breakaway roping and grow the sport. Ladies breakaway roping is a timed event testing quick skills in catching a calf. The rope is tied to the saddle horn using a thin piece of string that 'breaks away' when the calf is caught, and the time stops.

Steer wrestling didn’t come from daily ranch activities, as a lot of the other events in the rodeo.  However, it does have wild west roots.  It’s written that an entertainer was attempting to stop a steer that was running away, and ended up wrestling it to the ground.  Thus, steer wrestling began!  In today’s event, the steer is released with a hazer ensuring that it will run in a straight line.  Then the wrestler, or bulldogger, attempts to catch up with the steer on horseback.  As the wrestler approaches the steer they will lean off of their horse and grab onto the steer’s neck and horns.  They attempt to pull the steer down by its nose to throw it off balance.  Once three of the four legs are off the ground, the time stops!  The pros can wrestle longhorns to the ground in 3-10 seconds!

The classic event of the rodeo that everyone comes to see.  Saddle bronc riding showcases the strength and agility of each rider for a fantastic display of athleticism.  As the horse jumps out of the gate, the rider will move his feet from the horse’s neck toward the back of the saddle, completely coordinated with the bronc’s actions.  While the bareback rider only has a small leather rig to hold onto, the saddle bronc rider holds on with one hand to the rope attached to his horse’s halter and attempts to stay in the saddle for 8 seconds.  The score is determined by the horse’s bucking action and the rider’s control and spurring.  They are sure to receive a better score for a – somewhat – smooth 8-second ride.  

Historically a women’s event, cowgirl barrel racing has been a part of the rodeo since the early 1940’s.  The relationship between the horse and their rider needs to be in complete harmony.  In order to win, the horse can’t just be fast – they also need agility and intelligence.  The rider enters the arena where three barrels sit in a cloverleaf pattern.  They will attempt to run through the pattern as fast as possible, making it around each barrel and back across the electric eye.  If you knock over a barrel, that’s a 5 second penalty.  If you miss a barrel, you’ll get an incomplete time and be disqualified from the running!

In what’s hoped to be an eight-second ride, the rider holds a flat braided rope in his glove hand while placing his free hand up in the air. Once the rider nods, the gate opens and the bull is unleashed. Each bull has a different style of bucking – some spin, others circle and some throw in jumps, kicks or drift sideways mid-air. As the cowboy waves his free hand to counter the bulls gyration and maintain his balance, he also has to avoid touching the bull or else he will earn a no-score. The cowboys control and the bulls bucking perfomance each account for half the total score.