Bareback Riding
Bareback riding, developed in the rodeo arena many years ago, consistently produces some of the wildest action in the sport. A bareback rider begins his ride with his feet placed above the break of the horse's shoulder. If the cowboy's feet are not in the correct position when the horse hits the ground on its first jump out of the chute, the cowboy has failed to "mark out" the horse properly and is disqualified.
Throughout the eight-second ride, the cowboy must grasp the rigging (a handhold made of leather and rawhide) with only one hand. Optimum spurring action begins with the rider in control, his heels at the horse's neck. He then pulls his feet, toes turned outward, to the horse's withers until the cowboy's feet are nearly touching the bareback rigging. A rider is disqualified if he touches his equipment, himself or the animal with his free hand. The rider is judged on his control during the ride and on his spurring technique. The score also is based on the rider's "exposure" to the strength of the horse. In addition, the horse's performance accounts for half the potential score.
Steer Wrestling
Steer wrestling is the quickest event in rodeo. The objective of the endeavor is evident in its name: to wrestle a steer to the ground using only leverage and strength. The steer wrestler, or "bulldogger," begins his run behind along with his "hazer," a second cowboy whose task is to keep the steer from veering away from the steer wrestler. The steer is given a head start, the length of which varies depending on the size of the arena. After the steer has reached the "score line" and the barrier is released, the steer wrestler and hazer chase the steer on their specially trained horses until the bulldogger is in position to dismount onto the racing steer. The steer wrestler slides down the right side of this horse until he can reach the steer's right horn and grasps the left horn in his left hand, then digs his heels deep into the dirt and uses leverage to bring down the steer. All this occurs in 3 to 5 seconds, depending on the size of the arena. In addition to sheer strength, timing and balance are important to the steer wrestler. The hazer also is an important factor in the equation. Without him, the setter could quickly sour a run by veering away from the steer wrestler. Many hazers also supply horses for the steer wrestlers. If the steer wrestler places, the hazer receives a share of the payoff. If not, both go home empty-handed.
Bull Riding
Unlike the other rough stock contestants, bull riders are not required to spur. No wonder. It's usually impressive enough to remain seated for eight seconds on an animal that may weigh more than a ton and is as quick as he is big. Upper body control and strong legs are essential to riding bulls. The rider tries to remain forward, or "over his hand," at all times. Leaning back could cause him to be whipped forward when the bull bucks. Judges watch for good body position and other factors, including use of the free arm and spurring action. Although not required, spurring will add pints to a rider's score. As in all the riding events, half of the score in bull riding is determined by the contestant's performance and the other half is based on the animal's efforts. A bull rider will be disqualified for touching the animal, himself or his equipment with his free hand.
Tie-Down Roping
More than any other event in professional rodeo, tie-down roping has roots dating back to the Old West. When a calf was sick or injured, it had to be caught and immobilized quickly for treatment. Ranch hands prided themselves on how fast they could rope and tie calves, and soon they began informal contests. Being quick and accurate with a lasso aren't the only requirements in calf roping. A successful roper also must be an experienced horseman and a fast sprinter. After giving the calf a predestinated head start, the horse and rider give chase. As the cowboy throws his loop, the horse comes to a stop. After catching the calf, the cowboy dismounts, runs to the calf, throws it to the ground by hand (called "flanking") and ties any three legs together using a "pigging sting" he has carried in his teeth throughout the run. While the contestant is accomplishing all this, the horse must keep the slack out of the rope, but not pull it tight enough to drag the calf. If the calf is not standing when the roper reaches it, the cowboy must allow the calf to stand before making the tie. When the roper has completed this tie, he throws his hands in the air as a signal to the flag judge. He then remounts his horse and rides toward the calf, making the rope slack.
