In my opinion Rodeo is the most underated sport in all the world. Bull Riding is the most popular event, and rightfully so. But the other events are also very exciting, not to mention very difficult to become good at it.
For those that dont know, the average rodeo has 7 events.
Usually they start off with a "Grand Entry", where all the competing cowboys, and cowgirls ride their horses around the arena in a circle holding flags of their state. Then they start off with some Team Roping,or Calf Roping.
Up next most times is Steer Doggin, followed by one of my personal favorites, Barrel Racing!
After an intermission, where the announcer always reminds fans to go to the consession stand, the really good stuff begins.
The roughstock events: Saddle Bronc Riding is the first event in rodeo, which makes sense, because bronc busters had to tame the wild horses before any event involving horse riding could happen. Of corse, it wasnt long before the best bronc busters started trying it with no saddle, halter, or reigns. Thus was born Bareback Riding
Bolth of the buckin horse events have a couple rules that could go unoticed to a person who hasnt watched much. Its not just staying on the back of the horse for 8 seconds. The rider must "mark out" the horse. Which means that they must hold their feet above the horses shoulder blades upon the opening of the chute, and keep them up there until the horse makes his move. This makes it WAY more difficult to stay on. Failure to "mark out the horse" results in a no score.
Then there is "spuring". Spurring for the saddle bronc rider is when the feet come back to the flank of the horse, and then shoot back to the mark out position. For the bareback rider, its when the feet rake up the horses shoulder blades, and then shoot back to the mark out position. While spurring is not required, failure to do it results in a poor score. There has never been a negro finalist in either event.
Which brings us to te grand finale, so to speak. Bull Riding, the toughest sport on earth! All events are under the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association(PRCA), and so is Bull Riding. At year end the PRCA holds the National Finals Rodeo(NFR) in Las Veges. The NFR is the top 15 contestants of each event, competing for 10 days in a row. While the first 6 events are the cream of the crop, Bull Riding is considerd sort of the minor leauges in the PRCA/NFR. This is because in the mid 90s, the top Bull Riders got toghther, and formed the PBR(Pro Bull Riders). The PBR instantly became more popular than PRCA/NFR Bullriding. The PBR has the rankest, meanest, most athletic bulls on earth.
Now thats not to say the PRCA is a joke, or easy to excell in. NFR highlights from 2008. The negro you see in that video is the only one who ever did any good at bullriding, and he could not hang in the PBR.
The PBR is where you see the best of the best, bolth bulls and riders.
For those that dont know, the average rodeo has 7 events.
Usually they start off with a "Grand Entry", where all the competing cowboys, and cowgirls ride their horses around the arena in a circle holding flags of their state. Then they start off with some Team Roping,or Calf Roping.
Up next most times is Steer Doggin, followed by one of my personal favorites, Barrel Racing!
After an intermission, where the announcer always reminds fans to go to the consession stand, the really good stuff begins.
The roughstock events: Saddle Bronc Riding is the first event in rodeo, which makes sense, because bronc busters had to tame the wild horses before any event involving horse riding could happen. Of corse, it wasnt long before the best bronc busters started trying it with no saddle, halter, or reigns. Thus was born Bareback Riding
Bolth of the buckin horse events have a couple rules that could go unoticed to a person who hasnt watched much. Its not just staying on the back of the horse for 8 seconds. The rider must "mark out" the horse. Which means that they must hold their feet above the horses shoulder blades upon the opening of the chute, and keep them up there until the horse makes his move. This makes it WAY more difficult to stay on. Failure to "mark out the horse" results in a no score.
Then there is "spuring". Spurring for the saddle bronc rider is when the feet come back to the flank of the horse, and then shoot back to the mark out position. For the bareback rider, its when the feet rake up the horses shoulder blades, and then shoot back to the mark out position. While spurring is not required, failure to do it results in a poor score. There has never been a negro finalist in either event.
Which brings us to te grand finale, so to speak. Bull Riding, the toughest sport on earth! All events are under the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association(PRCA), and so is Bull Riding. At year end the PRCA holds the National Finals Rodeo(NFR) in Las Veges. The NFR is the top 15 contestants of each event, competing for 10 days in a row. While the first 6 events are the cream of the crop, Bull Riding is considerd sort of the minor leauges in the PRCA/NFR. This is because in the mid 90s, the top Bull Riders got toghther, and formed the PBR(Pro Bull Riders). The PBR instantly became more popular than PRCA/NFR Bullriding. The PBR has the rankest, meanest, most athletic bulls on earth.
Now thats not to say the PRCA is a joke, or easy to excell in. NFR highlights from 2008. The negro you see in that video is the only one who ever did any good at bullriding, and he could not hang in the PBR.
The PBR is where you see the best of the best, bolth bulls and riders.
