THE ORIGINS OF RODEO

            Dodge City, Kansas is known as the Cowboy Capital of the world.  For several years it was the largest cattle market in the world and the wildest town on the American frontier.  By the mid years of the 1800's most cattle trails led to Dodge, with cowboys bringing in thousands of heads of cattle to be marketed.  Although Dodge City is the Cowboy Capital of the world, was it truly the place where the first rodeo event occurred?

"Where and when" the first rodeo event was held has been the subject of many arguments throughout history.  The sport of rodeo came into being during the 1800's; those early days of the growth of the cattle industry. Tough, skilled herdsmen were needed to work the cattle on the newly forming vast ranches and to herd them along the long, harsh cattle trails. The beginnings of rodeo were fashioned around informal competitions between working cowboys to challenge the skills they used daily in ranch work.  

There were no bonified arenas in those early days.  Unoccupied pastures might serve as grounds for a match of skills between hands from different ranches or between each other, or the main street of a nearby town might be roped off for the big event.  The spectators for these events grew in numbers and were eventually required to pay to see these rough and burly matches between man and beast.  Later, ranch work demonstrations were included at the stock shows put on by the breeder's associations. Horse shows and competitions became a regular and growing event at the annual cattle shows.

Money contests began to be featured, which drew more and more highly skilled horsemen.  The cowboys organized into an association of their own where the sport was gradually transformed into a highly skilled and competitive sport with defined rules and regulations and has led into the world class multi-million dollar championship sporting events of modern day.

The Old West produced cowboys who were rugged, weather-beaten, untamed and free-spirited skilled warriors of the Great Plains and have remained a legendary, romantic, endearing part of the American West. We remember them through the pages of history books and our television heroes like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the Lone Ranger.  We remember them through cowboy poetry, and the lyrics of western music. The answer to the question of when and where the first rodeo event occurred may never be agreed upon but one thing is for sure:          COWBOYS are forever.

Cowboy Up!

COWBOY UP!

LEARN HOW TO WATCH A RODEO

Your first plan of action is to get to the rodeo early so you can pick the best seat in the house; having a good view of the action coming at you from both ends of the arena is important.  Seasoned spectators realize that positioning yourself "close to the action" on the first row of bleachers or seats is not always a wise idea.  As the horses, steers, and bulls make their way up and down the arena, side-swiping the fences, your hair and clothing may become adorned with sticky brown or slimy green deposits that you probably won't appreciate. 

So, where is the best seat in the house?  It probably lies center section of the first set of bleachers.  The previous paragraph defines the negatives of the lower seats and the higher seats provide good viewing but are somewhat inconvenient for trips to the concession stand, etc.  Be sure to notice if there are any light post or fence supports that will block your view from either direction.  Arm yourself with your hot dog, popcorn, nachos and soda before the action starts and refill only at intermission, for you cannot afford to miss a minute of the dare devil competition between these cowboys and cowgirls as they compete their talents against that of a wild unpredictable animal and the seconds on a timer's stop watch.  There are strict rules that must be followed in each event and to appreciate and understand what is going on, as a spectator, you must also know these rules; therefore, I have included a listing of each event and given you a description of it.   So, "Cowboy Up" and learn all about Rodeo!

Bareback Bronc Riding:    The bareback rider holds onto the handle of a belt that fits around the horse's midsection just behind the animal's shoulders; this belt and handle is known as a "rigging."  The cowboy's raises one arm above his head and positions his heels over the horse's shoulders.   During the ride, no part of the horse's body may be touched by the rider's free hand .  The cowboy's heels must be in the correct position on the first jump out of the chute; this is referred to as "marking the animal out."   Each time the animal kicks, the cowboy should spur the horse; which makes the animal kick harder and faster.  Higher scores are gained by frequent spurring because it makes the ride more difficult.

Saddle Bronc Riding:  Saddle bronc riding was the actual origins of rodeo competition.  It's known as rodeo's classic event and has been deemed by many to be the toughest event.  The brutal jolting and physical stress put upon the cowboy's body by competing in this event, as well as bareback riding has weeded out all but the best of the best that will compete in this category of rodeo.  In this event, the rider holds onto a thickly braided buck rein, which is attached to the halter on the horse's head.  A specialized saddle made just for this event is used.  On the first jump out of the chute, the rider must "mark the animal out" by keeping his heels positioned at the horse's neck, which makes the ride tougher on the cowboy; failure to "mark" the animal out of the chute disqualifies the rider.  As is the case in the bare back event, the saddle bronc rider must also raise one arm above his head and not touch the horse with this free hand.

Steer Wrestling:  Bull dogging was the original name for this event and in modern days it is sometimes called "the big man's event," for it requires brawn and strength to throw six-hundred pounds of steak on hooves to the ground and hold it there.  The cowboy, on horseback, is require to break out of a roping box, behind a running steer, bring his horse up along the side of the steer and jump onto the animal, catching it behind the horns.  He then digs his heels into the dirt, putting brakes on the forward motion of the animal; wrestles with the animal to get a positioning hold on the horns and

neck so that he can throw the animal on the ground.  All four legs of the steer must be off the ground and facing the same direction.  The bull dogger is assisted by another rider on horseback that breaks out of another roping box at the same time.  This rider is known as a "hazer" and it is his job to ride along side the steer to keep it running straight so that the bull dogger can line his horse up with the steer and ready himself for the jump onto the steer's back.  As the bull dogger leaves the saddle for the jump, the hazer pulls away.

Calf Roping:  This was a necessary skill required by authentic working cowboys.  Their work on ranches demanded that they be quick and agile when using a rope.  In rodeo calf roping events, the cowboy, on horse back, breaks from the roping box behind a calf that has been released from a chute beside the box.  The cowboy's ropes the running calf; dismounts from his horse and runs down the length of the rope to the calf.  A well trained horse will hold the rope taut as the cowboy nears the calf, picks the calf up and throws him to the ground, where the cowboy ties three of the calf's legs together with a thin rope called a "pigging string" (this is the rope you see the cowboy holding in his mouth while he is in the roping box).  Don't let your mind wander to what all has accumulated on that six foot of rope that cowboy is biting down on; more than likely, he sends it to the "cleaners" after each use!  If you believe that, I've got some swamp land in Arizona I'd like to sell you.  Any way, the calf must be given a head start; therefore, if the cowboy leaves the roping box too soon and breaks the" barrier" (a small rope hooked across the front of the box, usually identified by a white or red flag attached to it), he is penalized by an addition of 10-seconds being added to his time.  In "timed events" a tenth of a second can mean the difference between winning and losing.  In the big professional finals where big bucks are at stake, a cowboy's or cowgirl's time is crucial.

Barrel Racing:  Have you ever noticed the cowboys and cowgirls in the background warming up their horses before their event comes up?  Have you noticed the ones that are prancing from side to side and seemed to be filled with electricity?  You are probably looking at a barrel horse.  These beautiful muscular horses never cease to amaze me with their agility, speed, and grace of movement as they speed around their turns, sometimes appearing to have their bodies parallel with the ground. This event is a race against time from one end of the arena to the other around an obstacle course consisting of three strategically positioned barrels.  The horse and rider are required to execute sharp turns around barrels as fast as they can run.  The rider must follow a clover-leaf pattern around each barrel and back to the starting line.  Tipping a barrel is permitted, but if a barrel is turned over, a 5-second penalty is added to the rider's time for each barrel knocked to the ground.  The rider's time is started as the first judge they pass drops his flag, or as they pass across the beam from the timing equipment   The judge drops another flag as they pass back by him to the starting line.  Timing equipment, as well as individuals with stop watches evaluate the time for the runs.

Team Roping:  Team roping is the only rodeo event that involves "two" contestants working together.  I bet you are thinking, "what about the steer wrestling event - there were "two" participants in that one too?"  Yes, there were "two" participants, but only "one" of them was a "contestant,"  the other participant was "a helper."  This roping team consist of a cowboy known as a "header" and a cowboy known as a "heeler."

Once again, the steer is positioned in a chute pen which is located between two roping boxes.  The cowboys, on horse back, break out of the boxes behind the running steer.  The header ropes the horns, then wraps his rope around his saddle horn (this rope wrap is referred to as a "dally"); the header rides to a position in front of the steer and turns him so that the heeler can rope the steer's heels.  The heeler's rope must be thrown with accuracy so that he ropes both the steer's hind legs.  When both cowboys have made their catch, they turn to face each other and the steer; stopping their horses and pulling

their ropes taut against the steer from each direction, as this happens, a judge, on horseback, that has been watching the action rides up and drops his flag for time to stop. Their time began as they broke from the roping box.

Bull Riding:  This event is a spectator favorite.  That is why is has developed its own following as a show of its own.  People crowd the arenas all over the country just to see Bull Rides.  Some think you've got to be just a little bit crazy to mount a wild bull; others think it is the epitome of courage that makes a cowboy get on one of these mammoths.  I combine the two and simply called this cowboy a "dare devil."  What ever you call him, he is definitely a crowd pleaser.   The bull is flanked in front of his hind legs by a leather strap being cinched tightly around him. The bull rider places a flat braided rope around the bull, just behind the shoulders, where it is looped and threaded through itself.  The rider then wraps it securely around his hand which is encased by a heavy leather riding glove.  This rope wrap is the only grip that will hold the rider in place, so it has to be tight.  Unfortunately, it is this same tight grip that puts the bull rider in danger when his hand is not released when he is thrown or tries to dismount.  Riders are required to stay on their bull for 8-seconds to receive a score, but their "riding style" is also judged.  The bull rider should sit close to his bull rope and angle his body to allow for spurring and kicking of the feet.  One of the rider's hands must be suspended above the bull at all times, for if the free hand touches the bull's body at any time during the 8-seconds, the rider will be disqualified.

Pick Up Men:  No, this is not a rodeo event, but these are some very talented athletes that too often go unnoticed and unappreciated for their efforts and talents.  Cowboys depend on their pick up men for their safety.  The pick up man helps bare back, saddle bronc riders dismount their horses while running full speed.  They act as a shield between a bull rider and a charging bull.  They rope horses and bulls who will not leave the arena and drag them back to their pens or herd them into the pen if they are lucky enough to have the animal cooperate.  The pick up man needs a courageous horse whose is strong in body and spirit.  These horses must possess enough strength to pull 2000

pounds of stubborn bull or a fighting horse down the length of an arena, and be courageous enough to stand his ground in front of a charging bull who tries to use him for a battering ram. In my view, a pick up man is more like the true cowboy of the old west, because he has to be a skilled rider, quick and accurate roper, and a forceful and knowledgeable herdsmen; and he must be one in spirit with his horse because they must work together.  The contestants must possess only one or two of these attributes, but the pick up man must possess them all; therefore he bears mentioning.

Now, you know "all about" the rodeo events and contestant rules, but they are just a part of what makes a rodeo a success.  Just like any staged event, there are some very talented people behind the scenes and on the scene that make the whole thing happen.  These people are the stock contractors, judges, timers, stock supervisor, announcers, clowns, barrel men, specialty acts, and, at the top of the list is the rodeo secretary, who is the person who has to be everything to all people and doesn't get enough praise for her talents.

Well, this information should qualify you to be a "champion rodeo spectator" of the greatest, wildest show on dirt. As you read through the pages of  Silver Moon, you will be better equipped to understand the heated competition going on "in the arena", and, there is some some hot action going on "outside the arena".  If your interest is peaked, you're invited to cantor on over to Amazon.com and pick up a copy of Silver Moon. It is a great feed for read ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Happy Trails!

Jetta