Bull Riding

In rodeo's most popular and dangerous event, a cowboy is required to remain aboard a 2,000 pound bucking, spinning, jerking bull for eight seconds to receive a score.

Grasping a bull rope around the bull's chest, a rider maintains body balance "over his hands" by sitting up, arching his back and using his free hand to counteract the action of the bull. Spurring is not required of a bull rider but can add points to a rider's score.

Leaning back can result in the rider being whipped forward when the bull bucks, throwing him forward toward the bull's head, an undesirable and dangerous place to be.
Bullfighters play an important role in the bull-riding. They risk their lives daily to save a cowboy life.

Saddle Bronc

Developed from the early chore of breaking wild horses, ranch hands would often gather and compete to see who could ride wild horses with the most style.

The rider must begin the ride with his feet over the bronc's shoulders or risk a "no score." During the ride the cowboy must synchronize his spurring action with the animal's bucking efforts. model spurring action begins with the rider's feet above the point of the bronc's shoulders, sweeping to the back of the saddle as the horse bucks and is repeated during the ride. The rider also uses a buckrein for balance.

The rider is disqualified if he touches the animal, himself or his saddle with his free hand, if either foot slips out of a stirrup or if he drops the buck rein during the eight second ride.

Bareback Bronc

Required to ride for eight seconds, the rider grasps a suitcase handle-like rigging made of leather and rawhide. Optimum spurring action beings with the rider laying back on the horse, his heels above the horse's shoulder on the first jump out of the chute. If not in the correct position, the rider is disqualified with a penalty flag thrown by one of the judges. A rider is also disqualified if his free hand touches the animal or the rigging.

He pulls his feet, toes turned outward, across the horse's shoulders. The rider is judged on his control during the ride, his spurring technique and the bucking action of the horse.

Rookie Saddle Bronc

In this exciting and dangerous event, the rookie riders are not yet PRCA cardholders, and the horses are much younger than those used in the Saddle Bronc event.

As in the Saddle Bronc event, the rider must begin the ride with this feet over the bronc's shoulders or risk a "no score." During the ride the cowboy must synchronize his spurring action with the animals' bucking efforts. Model spurring action begins with the rider's feet on the bronc's point of shoulder, sweeping to the back of the saddle as the horse bucks and is repeated during the ride. The rider also uses a buckrein for balance.

Steer Wrestling

Steer wrestling or bulldogging is a big man's event. The steer wrestler starts behind a barrier and being his chase only after the steer has been given a 30-foot head start. If the steer wrestler leaves too early, he is assessed a 10-second penalty. The steer wrestler is assisted by a hazer, another horseback cowboy who keeps the steer in line for the wrestler.

When the steer wrestler's horse approaches the steer, the wrestler eases down the side of the horse, reaching for the steer's horns.
After he has the horns in his grasp, he digs his heels into the dirt to slow the steer's momentum.

As the steer slows, the cowboy turns the animal's head to produce the leverage needed to throw the steer. The animal's four feet must be laying in the same direction for a qualified run.

This event can be viewed free during timed event slack. Learn more.

Steer Roping

Another event taken from the life on the range of the working cowboy, steer roping has developed from the chore of securely tying a full-grown cow or steer needing medical attention.

Like tie-down roping, the steer is given a 30-foot head start before being chased by horse and rider. The steer must be legally caught around the horns, which are protected with horn wraps.

After making the catch, the steer roper tosses the slack rope over the steer's right hip, riding to the left, bringing the steer to the ground. when the steer is lying on its side and the rope is taut, the rider dismounts, running to tie three of the steer's legs.

The contestant is disqualified if the steer regains his feet after the fall. The steer must remain tied for six seconds after the tie is complete.

This event can be viewed free during timed event slack. Learn more.

Tie-Down Roping

An event born from the chores of the working cowboy, the winning contestant like in all timed rodeo events, is the cowboy with the fastest time. Success in tie-down roping depends largely on the teamwork between a cowboy and his horse. A feisty calf that runs fast or kicks hard can foil a roper's finest effort.

At Cheyenne, the calf is given a 30-foort head start before horse and rider can legally give chase which is signaled by a judge on the ground. Watch the cowboy as he ropes the calf, throwing the loop, catching the calf in a "catch-as-catch-can" manner.

After catching and flanking the calf, the cowboy ties any three of the animal's four legs together using a "pigging string." If the calf is not standing when the contestant reaches it, the cowboy must get the animal to its feet, then flank it. The cowboy receives a "no time" if the calf kicks free of the tie within six seconds. Starting before the judge's signal or leaving the box early results in the cowboy receiving a 10-second penalty.

This event can be viewed free during timed event slack. Learn more.

Barrel Racing

Members of the Women's Professional Rodeo Association compete in this swift moving event. The barrel racing basics are simple: a woman, a horse, three barrels and a stop watch.

A good barrel horse must not only be fast but very agile to avoid tipping over a barrel which is a five-second penalty. Horses that excel at this event are a precious commodity and command sale prices in excess of $50,000. The women in this event have perfected the pattern so precisely where winning and losing can come down to a hundredth of a second.

This event can be viewed free during timed event slack. Learn more.

Team Roping

The only true team event in the sport of rodeo. Comprised of a header and a heeler. The steer is given a 30-foot head start. If the header leaves the box before then the team is assessed a 10 second penalty. The header's job is to rope the animal around the horns or head and change the animals direction so that the heeler can attempt to rope both hind feet. If the heeler ropes only one hind foot a 5-second penalty will be assessed. This event takes precise timing and great team work.

The team roping best typifies how sick or injured animals are treated on the open range today. It is a very safe and effective method for keeping herds of cattle healthy.

This event can be viewed free during timed event slack. Learn more.

Wild Horse Race

When the starting gun fires, the cowboy chaos ensues. A half-dozen teams of three each attempt to saddle and ride their unbroken horse around the track. A hell-bent-for-leather event that's always a crowd favorite!

Outlaw is probably the kindest term you'll hear used for the horses that Stock Contract Harry Vold brings to Cheyenne, fresh off the Rattlesnake Hills of Colorado (the name is somehow appropriate).

"Why" is a question that comes to mind as one views this craziness for the first or the 50th time.