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All - Around Cowboy |  Saddle Bronk  |  Team Roping |  Bull Dogging |  Bareback Riding |  Calf Roping |  Barrel Racing |  Wild Cow Milking |  Judging | 
All - Around Cowboy
To qualify for All-Around Cowboy, the entrant must have earned points In one timed event and one rough-stock event. Timed events include team roping, calf roping and wild cow milking. Rough stock events include bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull dogging.The point system Is as follows: First place, six points: second place, five points; third place, four points,; fourth place, three points; fifth place, two points: and sixth place, one point.Regardless of the number of contestants in each event. only one score from team roping will be used.		 [NPRA]

Saddle Bronc Riding
Although saddle bronc riding is not featured at all rodeos, it is the most popular event.The event is a symbol of the sport originating from the early day contests. There are fewer entries in bronc riding than the other events because it is the hardest event to master, requiring delicate timing, balance and rhythm. The spurring kick has to be perfectly synchronized with the motions of the horse.The rider is required to use a standard association saddle and one rope rein. He must spur the horse over the break of the shoulder when the horse's front feet hit the ground the first jump out of the chute. The rider has to keep one hand free throughout the eight-second ride and keep both fret in the sirrups. The length of the rein a rider takes will vary with almost every horse. Getting the rein right is often the key to a good ride.

Bull Riding
When one of these bulls explodes out of the gate, things happen fast. It's hard to believe that these animals. weighing nearly a ton, can have the speed and maneuverability that they possess. Bulls are the hardest of all bucking stock to ride, and some of them have never been successfully ridden. Seemingly, bulls ave the ability to put together combinations that can confuse even the best of bull riders. The bull rope Is plaited with a hand hold braided In. The rider will pull his rope tight around the bull's middle, then take a wrap around his hand with the tail of the rope so it won't slip. Bull riding rules don't require the rider to spur, but points may be gained by doing so. In marking a rider, the Judge starts with a 15, marking over 15 for spurring or a good ride. A score under 15 is for losing control or for a sorry ride. Judges have to be conservative with points on common rides. so there will be enough points left for the best ones.

Team Roping
This event Is not featured at all rodeos, but team roping has universal appeal for those people who want action a-horse-back. There Is no age barrier In this event. In the early days it was customary for the cowboys to doctor or brand range cattle by stretching them out. One cowboy would drop his loop over the head or horns, while his partner moved in and looped the heels. The header turns the animal back to the left in a smooth arc, then the heeler swerves In from the right side and whips his loop under the steer’s right flank, setting a trip for both back legs. In one version of team roping a five-second penalty is added to the team’s time for catching only one hind foot..

Bull Dogging
Bull dogging Is probably the most exciting event in the rodeo arena. When a man drops from a galloping horse onto the steer, stops the steer, and throws him to the ground, spectators have seen skill overcome heavily weighted odds. The secret Is: As the cowboy catches up to the steer he reaches with his right hand, grabs the right horn and as his horse speeds by the steer, the cowboy gets the horn in the crook of his right elbow. At the same time his left hand pushes down on the other horn while his horse veers to the left. The cowboy’s heels drop ahead and at a 45-degree angle to the path the steer Is taking.The cowboy digs In his heels, twists the steer’s head and pulls it toward the center of a left-hand turn. As the steer stops, his rear having swung around, the cowboy grabs the animal’s nose with his left hand, and with this sensitive hold, throws the steer on its side. In addition to the bull dogger. a second man - the hazer - is in the act. He appears to be merely galloping alongside the steer and to the onlooker all he seems to do is retrieve the wrestler’s horse after the jump is made.Actually, he watches for mishaps, which happen If the steer slams on its brakes or veers away from the dogger. The hazer has to foresee these possibilities and correct them - often in a split second.

BareBack Riding
This Is a wild event full of thrills and spills. It’s about the same sensation for the rider as grabbing a suitcase by the handle and jumping out a window. The only requirements are lots of nerve, taking a deep seat, getting a good grip, and throwing all caution to the winds. This is probably the most competitive event In the rodeo. Many times the contestants will make one sensational ride after the other. If a cowboy wins much In this event, lt shows he made an all-out effort every time. The wildest man usually wins, and the riders know that to get a very high score they have to do something special.When scaring, credit is given to a rider who opens up on the horse coming out of the chute, not feeling him out for a few jumps. The judge will watch the rider for the length of his lick, how well he gaps, and how he turns his toes out. If the spectator watches the rider when the horse lunges forward, he will see the cowboy has his spurs against the horse absorbing the power of his forward movement. Then, jerking his knees, the rider rolls his spurs up the horse’s neck toward the withers. This Is his lick: the higher he goes on the neck the better.This Is usually the first and fastest event out of the chutes. It takes a go-for-broke attitude to compete in this one, but If the rider can stay hooked for eight seconds, he may be In the money.

Calf Roping
This event requires precise teamwork between horse and rider. Nothing Is more important to a roper than a horse which Is consistent. The cowboy can plan his run if he knows what his horse will do. A lot of the work a good calf horse does is pretty obvious. He’s got to stop hard and keep a steady tension on the rope. All this Is essential to a good score. The calf Is released and when it reaches a given point in the arena, a barrier is dropped to permit the cowboy and horse to start their pursuit. The rider ropes the calf the horse skids to a stop and brings the rope taut. The cowboy leaves his horse, throws the calf, and ties three of its feet together. Time Is counted from the moment the barrier drops until the cowboy lifts his hands Into the air to signal that the calf is tied. Usually there is an additional wait of five seconds by the Judge to be sure he calf doesn’t break loose, If it doesn’t, the time is official. A 10-second penalty is added if the roper breaks the barrier.

Barrel Racing
One of the most thrilling events of most rodeos is the barrel race. The event requires a horse with speed. action, and a skilled rider. This is a timed event and the idea Is to see who can circle the three barrels and ride back to the finish line the fastest. The race starts at a dead run. When the nose of the horse crosses the starting line a flag is dropped, the time begins and the race Is on. The rider circles the first barrel to the right, then rides around barrel two to the left and around the last barrel to the left and then heads home as fast as her horse will run. The clock stops when the horse’s nose crosses the finish line, If the horse and rider go around a barrel the wrong way, or knock one over, a penalty Is added to their time.

Wild Cow Milking
Wild cow milking is a timed event for two cowboys. One cowboy has to ride into the box and one stands in the arena. The cow has a head start and when she crosses the line, the roper comes out of the box. If he breaks a barrier a 10-second penalty is added. The cowboy must rope the cow around the neck and must keep a tight rope until the mugger has a hold of her by the head.The roper lets go of the rope and gets off his horse. He runs to the cow and tries to get a few drops of milk Into a clear battle. The milker runs toward the Judge, while the mugger removes the rope from the cow. The milker cannot step Into the Judge’s circle unil the rope is clear from the cow. Time is determined from the time the roper leaves the box until theJudge drops the flag..

Judging
The trained eye of the judge will see many things that the spectators miss. He can tell when a rider Is spurring and when he is just swinging his heels. During the riding events. spectators will see both judges posted In front of the chutes. one on each side, as the horses and bulls are turned out. In the timed events fans will see one judge mounted in the arena, the other posted near the chute when the calves and steers and released. Announcing the score has been added at most rodeos for the spectator’s benefit: 100 Is the perfect score. Each judge marks the rider from 1 to 25 for how well he spurs and the anlmal from 1 to 25 for how well it bucks.The 25 points are broken down Into five groups. Judges mark a sorry animal or ride less than 5. Average will be marked 10 to 15.A top-rank animal or near-perfect ride will be given over 20. The judge rules the arena In all contest events and he would have to be rated the expert’s expert. The men who are the most experienced, discerning and honest are usually the ones who put on the striped vest. Sideline judging is easy and lots of fun, but when a judge puts on the vest It becomes an awesome responsibility. A judge may have the best of preparations ,the rule book. knowledge and advice, but when the gates swing open, he is on his own. He has only eight or ten seconds to take it all in, as they won’t run by him again. So the best asset a judge can have Is a vast amount of practical experience..

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