A US sport, consisting mainly of competitive riding and a range of skills which derive from cowboy ranching practices. The events include bronco riding with and without saddle, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, and team roping. In bronco riding, for example, the cowboy must stay on a wild bucking horse for a set time holding with only one hand, points being awarded for style to the horse and rider.
Rodeo events include the rough stock events bull riding, bareback bronc riding and saddle bronc riding.
The oldest and largest sanctioning body of professional rodeo is the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) which sanctions around 700 rodeos annually. There are also high school rodeos,
amateur rodeos, youth rodeos, and rodeos for women. The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association is responsible for the College National Rodeo Finals held each June in Casper, WY. Many youth
rodeo associations exist to allow young cowboys and cowgirls to comete at young ages, such as the American Junior Rodeo Association. In 2003, it is estimated that attandance at the 10 days of
the National Finals Rodeo will top more than 170,000 with another 12 million people watching the rodeo on television.
Native Americans are active in rodeo and have their own associations, see Indian rodeo.
Criticism of rodeos
Animal rights activists are vocal critics of rodeos, due to reported injuries and distress to the animals involved. The rodeo associations have made some changes to reduce the chances of
injury, such as requiring older, heavier calves for calf roping, larger steers for steer wrestling and many rodeos no longer have steer roping.
Notable rodeos worldwide
Brazil
São Paulo
Festa do Peão de Boiadeiro in Barretos, São Paulo
Canada
2006 Ontario Extreme Tour Rodeo
Alberta
Calgary Stampede and Exhibition in Calgary Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton Raymond Stampede in Raymond being Canada's first and oldest rodeo, started in 1902.
British Columbia
Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair in the town of Cloverdale, in Surrey
Quebec
Festival Western de Saint-Tite in Saint-Tite
United States
Arizona
Fiesta de los Vaqueros, a week long event in Tucson Worlds Oldest Rodeo in Prescott
California
California Rodeo in Salinas
Colorado
National Western Stock Show in Denver
Florida
Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee
Idaho
Snake River Stampede Rodeo in Nampa, Idaho
Mississippi
Columbia Stampede, Columbia, Mississippi, rodeo's first night rodeo held outdoors under electric lights in 1935
Louisiana
Angola Prison Rodeo at the Louisiana State Penitentiary
Missouri
American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri
Montana
NILE Rodeo in Billings Last chance Stampede, Helena Livingston Roundup. Livingston Chase Hawks Memorial Rough Stock Rodeo in Billings
New Jersey
Cowtown Rodeo in Woodstown, New Jersey
Nevada
National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas
Oklahoma
International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee Oklahoma Outlaw Prison Rodeo the largest "Behind The Walls" rodeo in the world and only PRCA-sactioned prison rodeo in McAlister "Ride for the
Brand" Ranch Rodeo fundraiser ranch rodeo for Oklahoma State University Rodeo team, one of the oldest NIRA sanctioned rodeo clubs in Oklahoma, held in Stillwater the first Saturday every October.
Woodward Elks Rodeo in Woodward, Oklahoma
Oregon
Pendleton Round-Up in Pendleton, Oregon 97 year-old rodeo clown from Pendleton (audio slideshow)
Texas
Women's Finals Rodeo in Fort Worth Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in Houston Mesquite Championship Rodeo in Mesquite San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo 2006 in Stamford
Utah
Days of '47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City
Wyoming
Frontier Days in Cheyenne
Rodeo Associations
Australian Professional Rodeo Association All Indian Rodeo Cowboys Association Cowboy's Professional Rodeo Association Cowboys Turtle Association International Gay Rodeo Association
International Professional Rodeo Association National High School Rodeo Association National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys Association (NZRCA) Oklahoma State
University Rodeo Association Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Professional Bull Riders Rodeo Association of America Women's Professional Rodeo Association Working Ranch Cowboys Association
Links to external animal welfare sites
Animal Interest Alliance : Rodeo Horses are Bred to Buck? Rodeo Animal Injury Survey - the largest animal survey conducted by veterinarians Animal Welfare Factsheet Is Rodeo Bronc
Riding Cruel? RodeoAbuse.com: undercover investigation of rodeo abuse in Ohio PRCA Animal Welfare Rules: Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Shark Online Buck The Rodeo
User Comments Add a comment…