Most rodeos have the same events, sometimes at different levels of competition. Amateurs to professionals compete at the appropriate levels for prizes, trophies, cash and awesome looking belt buckles.

Life and limb is often on the line as the cowboys and cowgirls head into serious action with buckin’ broncos and fire breathing steers. You have to be tough as old saddle leather to make it this arena, that’s for sure.

Some rodeos specialize and have major competitions in certain areas but they all have some basic requirements – grit, determination and the ability to get back up after the horse (or bull) has thrown you for a loop.

Rodeo Events

Here’s a look at the major events that are part of almost all rodeos:

1. Bull Riding – eight seconds of holding your breath as the rider hangs on for dear life. Hold onto the loop tied around the bull’s middle and go for it. Only two rules here – Don’t use your free hand and hang on for dear life!
2. Saddle Bronc Riding – another eight second trip, this time on the back of an unbroken horse whose main goal in life is to see how high you can go when he bucks you off his back.
3. Bareback Riding –no saddles to help you on this one, if you slide off your in trouble but if you can hang on for, yep, eight seconds or longer you just might take home the prize.
4. Tie Down Roping – what all cowboys do best, right? Ride the horse, throw the calf then rope his legs for branding – sounds easy enough but how fast can you do it?
5. Steer Wrestling – Another fairly simple rodeo act – just grab that steer by the horns and wrestle him to the ground, just ignore how big and mean he looks!
6. Team Roping – a header and a heeler work together on this one to get the job done fast and efficient. This is the one real team event you will find at rodeos.
7. Barrel Racing – Ladies only here – be one with the horse as you whip around three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern and try not to loose your hat on the curves. You have to watch close because those ladies fly around those barrels almost touching the ground while leaning sideways.