Rodeo Events
Attracting contestants from Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, were known for being a ‘make it or break it event’ for those wanting to earn points to take part in the CCA finals.
Ladies' Breakaway
Bare-Back
This event was designed as a rodeo attraction as it is well known that no range cowboy would ever attempt to break a horse with only a “suitcase handle” for a hand hold.
- This riding handle is the top part of a leather “riggin” which is placed around the horse’s middle just behind his shoulders. Riders hold onto this handle with a single hand, encased in a specially-designed leather glove.
- The rider cannot touch himself, the equipment or the horse with his free hand. Points are awarded for the bucking pattern and power of the horse, as well as the rider’s strength, control and spurring action.
- The horse and rider can each accumulate up to 50 points over the eight-second ride.
Tie-Down Roping
Tie Down Roping evolved directly from work on the range and ranch when calved had to be roped for branding. In a rodeo competition, the roper is joined by a highly conditioned horse in a team effort of split-second timing.
- Calves get a head start into the arena and must trip a barrier string before the horse and cowboy can begin the chase. If the cowboy breaks the barrier by leaving the roping box too soon, he is assessed a 10-second penalty
- The roper must catch the calf with a 25 foot lariat, dismount, run down the rope that is being kept taut by the horse, drop the calf to the ground, tie three of the calf’s legs with a six-foot piggin’ string and throw up his hands to signal the end of his run.
- The calf must stay tied for five second after the roper has remounted his horse and loosened the rope. If the calf gets up prior to the five-second time limit, the roper is disqualified.
Ladies’ Breakaway Roping
Breakaway roping is a variation of calf roping where a calf is roped, but not thrown and tied. It is a rodeo event that features a calf and one mounted rider.
The calves are moved one at a time through narrow runs leading to a chute with spring-loaded doors. The horse and rider wait in a box next to the chute that has a spring-loaded rope, known as the barrier, stretched in front. A light rope is fastened from the chute to the calf’s neck, releasing once the calf is well away from the chute and releasing the barrier, which is used to ensure that the calf gets a head start. Once the barrier has released, the horse runs out of the box while the roper attempts to throw a lasso around the neck of the calf.
Saddle Bronc
The saddle bronc event is the oldest event in rodeo. The modern day saddle bronc competition resulted from the need to “break” or tame wild horses to be used as saddle horses on the range.
- The competitor used an approved saddle with stirrups and a six-foot braided rein, which he holds with one hand only
- Riders are disqualified if they touch themselves, the horse or equipment with their free hand
- A rhythm established with the horse’s bucking pattern requires close coordination between lifting the rein and spurring with dull rounded spurs
- Two riding judges combine scores to mark each horse up to 50 points for bucking ability and each cowboy up to points for riding skill and style
Steer Wrestling
Steer wrestling, often called “bull-dogging”, is one of the few rodeo events which allows a contestant to use a helper, known as a “hazer”.
- A horned steer leaves the chute and trips a barrier line, which signals the cowboy and hazer to race to each side of the steer. A broken barrier adds 10 seconds to the time.
- With the hazer paralleling the steer to keep it running straight, the steer wrestler leans off his horse at top speed and reaches for a firm grip on the steer’s horns.
- Once on the ground, the wrestler must plant his feet, bring the steer to a stop and wrestle it to the ground.
- The time stops when the steer is on it’s side with all four feet pointed in the same direction.
Ladies’ Barrels
The name of this event is derived from the brightly coloured barrels around which the cowgirls race their horses in a cloverleaf pattern.
- Barrel racers are allowed a running start into the arena.
- Electronic timers record elapsed time between leaving the starting line and crossing the finish line.
- At full speed, the barrel racers rein their horses in, spin around the first barrel and sprint to the second one.
- Repeating the spin around the second barrel, they spur their horse back to speed and angle toward the last barrel at the end of the arena.
- Once the third turn is complete, horse and rider begin the full speed charge to the finish line.
- Tipping over a barrel with cost the rider a 5-second penalty.
- Watch for these highly conditioned, spirited horses with their brightly clothed riders in the most prominent of ladies’ rodeo events.
Junior Girls’ Barrels
Junior girls’ barrel racers compete under the same rules and regulations as the ladies’ barrel racers. The girls must be 15 years old or younger to compete in this junior event. However, they may also compete in the ladies’ barrel racing if they so wish.
Don’t be fooled by the size or age of these junior contestants, as they often stop the watch at equal to or better times than the ladies in the senior event.
Team Roping
In this event, two cowboys work together, much as they did on the range, where it took two men to rope and hold a large steer for doctoring.
The roping steer is given a head start by means of a barrier.
The “header” must avoid breaking the barrier as he begins his attempt to rope the steer’s horns and turn the steer away from his partner, the “heeler”. The heeler must rope both the steer’s hind legs. Team ropers use long loose ropes and must dally (wrap around the saddle horn) their ropes after they catch.
The time stops after both horses are facing the steer with ropes secured on both ends.
There is a 10-second penalty for breaking the barrier, and a 5-second penalty if the heeler catches only one leg.
Bull Riding
Bull riding is one of the most dangerous events in the rodeo, often the one with the most entries, and without question, the favorite event of the spectators.
Bulls are considered harder to ride than bucking horses because of their violance and unpredictability. They have the tendency to leap and abruptly spin left or right with no let-up in bucking power. Some bulls also look for the cowboy after the ride, intent on inflicting a dangerous hook.
Bull rider are only allowed to hold on with one hand and will be disqualified for touching themselves or the bull with their free hand. Riders insert their gloved hand into a hand hold, while a chute helper pulls he loose bull rope tight.
The bull is judged for bucking ability and the cowboy for how well he maintains control during the ride.
