College Rodeo Classic Events

Bareback Riding
Bareback riding is that wild, spurring event which exhibits that old saying, "There never was a hoss that couldn’t be rode, and there never was a cowboy that couldn’t be throwed." From the moment the gate swings open and the horse and rider explode from the chute, both must perform exceptionally well if the cowboy is to win. A suitcase-like handle is attached to the top of a leather "riggin" cinched around the horse’s middle. The contestant grips this handle with one hand, keeps his other hand free and high in the air. Ideally, bareback riders want to try to spur the horse on each jump, reaching as far forward as they can with their feet, then jerking their spur upward toward the rigging. The longer the spurring stroke along the horse’s neck, the higher the ride is scored.
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Steer Wrestling
Steer Wrestling, also called "bulldoggin’" , is an event which requires not only speed and agility, but also physical size and strength. When a man drops from a thundering horse onto a running steer, stops the steer and throws him to the ground; spectators have seen athletic skill overcome heavily weighted odds. In keeping with the sharing and helping character of rodeo, the steer wrestler is allowed a partner called a "hazer to aid him in lining up the charging steer. This assistance helps to assure perfect placement of the steer and horse before the cowboy dismounts. The time stops after the contestant has thrown and turned the steer’s head and all four feet out in the same direction.
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Goat Tying
Goat tying is the only girls’ event which requires fast footwork and agile dexterity on the ground, as well as basic horsemanship skills. At one end of the arena is a goat tied to a rope and the cowgirl’s time begins when she crosses the starting line at the other end of the arena, on a full run. She charges down the arena, stops at the goat, dismounts running, catches the squirming goat, throws him down, and ties any three legs. In this event, a leather or rope string is used for tying. The time stops when she signals the end of her tie, by throwing her hands in the air. The goat must stay tied for 5 seconds in order for the contestant to receive a qualifying run.
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Calf Roping
The grace and beauty of true horsemanship along with athletic skills of both horse and rider is evidenced in this popular event. Calf Roping is a race against time with seconds counted in decimal points. To win, horse and rider must work together with precision teamwork. The contest begins when the calf is released from a chute with rider and horse chasing behind. A good horse will carry it’s rider in perfect accord with every move of the calf and when the loop is thrown will stop on a dime, allowing the roper to dismount, run down the rope, throw the calf, and tie any three legs with "piggin’ string." To rope "in the money" all must be done in a matter of seconds, and the roper’s tie must hold after he has signaled "all done" with hands in the air.
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Saddle Bronc Riding
Considered by most the classic rodeo event, Saddle Bronc riding is no beginner’s event. There’s a reason—the instinctive reactions required to keep in the stirrups, sense what a horse will do next, and the ability to synchronize with a bronc’s movements—make this event one with no substitute for years of experience. Since there is nothing solid to hold onto, a cowboy can only stay in the saddle through timing and balance. The proven rider deliberately matches his spurring strides with the bucking bronc’s rhythm beneath him, making the whole ride appear smooth.
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Break-Away Roping
As a sign of our changing times and equal opportunities, the Women’s Break-Away Roping is a modification and adaptation of the Men’s Tie-Down Calf Roping. To win in this event, not only must the cowgirl become a talented expert at roping calves, but she must be mounted on a very well trained horse. The horse must leave the box with a great burst of speed to catch the calf a short distance outside the gate. The loop is dabbed around the escaping calf’s head and the rope, which is tied to the saddlehorn, breaks away from the saddle when the slack is pulled tight. A handkerchief is tied to the end of the rope, to signal the moment the time should stop. This event is complicated by the dashing and darting action of the calves, so contestants are able to carry two ropes, in case they miss with their first throws. Similar to the men’s timed events, the girls, too, must start from behind a pulled barrier.
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Team Roping
An event that owes its very existence to the everyday chores of the working cowboy, is the Team Roping. On an open range, it is often necessary to catch an animal, in order to doctor or brand it, and that is where the first team roping took place. In rodeo competition today, the header starts the time when he lunges out of the chute in pursuit of the runaway steer. His job is to rope the steer’s horn, and turn the steer away from his partner. With tremendous skill and accurate timing, the heeler then ropes the steer’s hind legs and takes his dally. When both header and heeler face their horses toward the steer, time stops. If only one hind leg is caught, the team receives a five second penalty, which makes this event even more difficult. Because of the excellent team work involved, and the fact that both sexes can enter—this contest is a favorite of many.
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Barrel Racing
The oldest and most competitive girl’s event in college rodeo is the Cloverleaf Barrel Race. The horses ridden in this event are highly trained and extremely athletic, matching their speed and turns to the cues given by their riders. The clock is set into motion when the girl and horse cross the starting line, and stopped as they cross the same line after completing their run. The colorful rider and her mount must make two turns one direction and one the other, around the three barrels. These barrels are set in a triangular pattern, a prescribed distance apart. Winners are many times determined by differences of less than a tenth of a second, so the 5 second penalty for an overturned barrel can be devastating. This event is certainly one of sheer elegance and precision excellence.
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Bull Riding
The most popular rodeo riding event, and the most dangerous, is the Bull Riding. A loose rope straps a man’s hand to a ton of explosive power. Because the cowboy never knows what the animal beneath him is going to do next, he must draw upon his sharpest physical and mental abilities when trying to conquer this twisting tornado. To keep his position and balance, a bull rider is constantly grabbing for new holds with his feet and continually pulling up on the rope. The more powerful a bull bucks and the faster he spins, the more points the ride is worth. A bull rider is unquestionably a breed apart—with the courage and determination to be the victor in this contest between man and beast.
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