Introduction to Rodeo Continued

The Roughstock Events

These are the wild, adrenaline filled events of rodeo. The dangerous nature of these events makes them extremely exciting to watch. Competitors compete in rodeo performances against the other cowboys or cowgirls entered in each specific event. Horses and bulls are normally bucked-out only once per day and each time that a competitor rides is called a go-round. Some rodeos have multiple performances (over several days) and riders get a chance ride more than once.

In this instance prizes are given out for each go-round (known as day-money) and also for the over-all prize (or the average).

Scoring

Scoring for the roughstock events is the same for all three of the events, although different criteria exist for judging the animals in each event. All cowboys competing in the roughstock events must use only one hand to ride and touching yourself or the animal with the free hand results in a disqualification and a no score.

To receive a score, a cowboy must make a qualified 8 second ride. Once the buzzer sounds and there are no disqualification, the ride receives a score given by 2 to 4 official judges, depending on the rodeo. Scores are given to both the competitor and the animal. Each judge scores 1-25 points for the cowboy and 1-25 points for the animal, with a maximum score being 100 points or a perfect ride (in the case of 4 judges they score the same but divide by 2).

The Timed Events

As the name implies, the timed events use stopwatches to track the times for each event, and the lowest time wins.

All the timed events, except barrel racing use a barrier, which is strung across the roping chutes. This makes the event more challenging as the barrier prevents the competitor from getting too much of a head start on the livestock. Breaking the barrier results in a time penalty in each event.

The Draw

Before the rodeo, every contestant competing randomly draws the animal they are going to be competing against. This is usually done by the rodeo secretary or other event personnel. Barrel Racers draw to see who will go 1st, 2nd, etc. This represents the luck of the draw aspect of rodeo.

Conclusion

Regardless of the event, you can count on exciting action and competition. Rodeo has something for everybody. Check out the individual events and learn about the event specific rules and details.

Continue on the Rodeo 101 Trail