The American Rodeo

December 16 2025

By Chris Scholz

Rodeo is one of America’s iconic sports: rugged, dramatic, rooted in Western working-horse & cattle-culture. This paper explores the history of the modern American rodeo, breaks down the main events in a professional rodeo and will end with a few highlight videos.  I will attempt to show that rodeo participants are some of the most impressive athletes you may encounter. I hope this paper will educate the group so the next time you are in an elevator with George Strait, you won’t look like a tinhorn when the topic of rodeo comes around. The term rodeo comes from the Spanish word rodeo (“round-up”) and was used historically for cattle penning in the West.  The first rodeo was around 1872 in Cheyenne Wyoming.  It evolved from a time when cowboys would get together during seasonal roundups at the end of cattle-driving trails and vie for the unofficial title of best bucking-horse rider, or roper. As the cowboys’ occupation was curtailed in scope by the railroads and by fences that marked the end of the open range era, the contests became regular formal programs of entertainment. Rodeo was a major part of where I grew up in the Sandhills of Nebraska and still is to this day.  I did amateur bullriding in 1995 in Palmyra Nebraska and made it for the full 8 seconds for 50% of my rides.

Sanctioning includes”

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) which was founded in 1936 and is the governing body that sanctions 600 rodeo events a year across North America and its championship event is called the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) which is analogous to the Super Bowl and held in Las Vegas.

The WPRA (Women’s Professional Rodeo Association) is the oldest women’s sport organization in the US and sanctions women’s events such as barrel racing and breakaway roping.

The IPRA (International Professional Rodeo Association) was founded in 1957 and sanctions events across the world.

The PBR (Professional Bull Riders) focuses exclusively on bull riding events with its own circuit and championship.

The NIRA (National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association) governs college level rodeo competitions for college athletes.

The NHSRA (National High School Rodeo Association) for high school athletes.

A typical pro rodeo features two categories: rough-stock events (involving bucking animals) and timed/rodeo-skill events (involving roping, chasing).

Professional rodeos follow a structured lineup:   Standard order is:

1.     Bareback Riding—

2.    Steer wrestling-

3.    Team Roping or heading and heeling.

4.    Saddle Bronc Riding-

5.    Tie-Down Roping or calf roping.

6.    Barrel Racing

7.    Bull Riding

Bareback riding  :

—-Bareback riding is about as enjoyable as riding a jackhammer, using only one hand. Bareback riding is the most physically demanding event in rodeo, its toll on the body is immense.    The strength of the broncs is exceptional. Bareback riders endure more punishment, suffer more injuries and carry away more long-term damage than all other rodeo cowboys. To stay aboard the horse, a bareback rider uses a rigging made of leather . The rigging, which resembles a suitcase handle on a strap, is placed atop the horse's withers and secured with a cinch. As the bronc and rider burst from the chute, the rider has to "mark out" his horse. - he must have both spurs above the horse's point on his shoulders until the horse's feet hit the ground after its initial move from the chute. If the cowboy fails to do this, he is disqualified. As the bronc bucks, the rider pulls his knees up, dragging his spurs up the horse's shoulders.   A bareback rider is judged on his spurring technique, the degree to which his toes remain turned out while he is spurring and his "exposure," or willingness to lean far back and take whatever might come during his ride.  Scoring is based off a 100pt scale with 50 pts for the horse and 50pt for the rider. The 2025 PRCA champion is Rocker Steiner with earnings of over $500,000.

Steer Wrestling or Bulldoggingin –in 1903, so the story goes, an Oklahoma cowpoke named Bill Pickett was having a tough time persuading an ornery steer to head into a corral -he prodded and battered it, until in furious frustration he leaped from his horse, bit the steer’s lip like a bulldog, twisted its neck and brought it to the ground.   Pickett kept doing it at Wild West shows around the country. Word got around, others tried it, and an American sport—bulldogging, or steer wrestling—was born. When the rodeo finally caught on as a spectator sport in the 1930s, steer wrestling became one of its most spectacular and bone-crushing events. 

But chance, as much as strength and skill, is always a part of bulldogging.  Bulldoggers prefer steers with small, long necks, with good horns, not real long, not real short.” The steer starts from a chute between two horse pens, one for the bulldogger and the other for the “hazer,” the rider who keeps the running steer close to the wrestler. The chute gate rises and the steer churns into the arena; seconds later, a rope attached to its horns trips a string barrier in front of the bulldogger, and the two horsemen race out in pursuit.  Bulldoggers usually weigh between 180 to 300lbs and the steers weigh about 600 lbs. If the bulldogger breaks the barrier before the steer reaches its head start, a 10-second penalty is assessed. The hazer can make or break a steer wrestler's run, so his role is as important as the bulldogger. For that reason, and the fact a hazer sometimes supplies the bulldogger a horse, the hazer usually receives a fourth of the payoff if the steer wrestler places. The 2025 PRCA champion steer wrestler is Tucker Allen with a 3.6 second win and about $400,000 in earnings. 

Team Roping also called Heading and Heeling is the only team event in professional rodeo. Two ropers, a "header" and a "heeler", work together to catch a steer---compare a modern roping cowboy to a major league pitcher-a typical roper earns  between $40,000 and $250,000 a year and the average of the top 25 MLB pitchers is $25 million a year.

Ask a pitcher to ride and drive a bouncing vehicle at high speeds, throw an object that is analogous to using spaghetti noodles as darts, and ask them to hit a target that is 3” in diameter that is also moving at high speed. Now, ask them to time it just right that they hit both rear legs at the same time.   The rope is stiff, typically nylon, and there are many stories of cowboys getting their fingers caught in the rope and losing a digit.

 The header is the first cowboy out of the box. He may rope the steer around the head and one horn, around the neck or around both horns, which are specially wrapped for the event. As with all timed events, if the header fails to give the animal its allotted head start, a 10-second penalty is added to the total time. After making his catch, the header rides to the left, taking the steer in tow. The heeler moves in and ropes both hind legs. Catching only one hind leg results in a five-second penalty. If the heeler tosses his loop before the header has changed the direction of the steer and has the animal moving forward, it's called a "cross-fire," and it results in disqualification. The clock is stopped when the slack has been taken out of both ropes and the contestants are facing each other with the steer in between. The 2025 NFR Team Roping champions are Andrew Ward  (Header) and Jake Long (Heeler), who took home almost $250,000 each with average times around 4 seconds.

Saddle bronc riding is rodeo’s classic event, tracing its roots back to the Old West, where cowboys would break and train wild horses to work the cattle ranches. In the rodeo industry, contestants refer to saddle bronc riding as the toughest rodeo event to master because the bronc rider must be synchronized with the movement of the bronc. This is a stark contrast compared to the wilder and less controlled rides you would find in bareback bronc riding. In both saddle bronc riding and bareback riding, riders must follow a “mark out” rule during their ride. Marking out is where the rider must have both spurs touching the bronc’s shoulders until the bronc’s feet hit the ground after the initial move out of the chute. If the rider forgets to make his mark or pulls his legs in before the bronc’s feet hit the ground, he will be disqualified. Unlike bareback riding, where the rider has a riggin’ to hold on, the saddle bronc rider only has a thick rope attached to the bronc’s halter to hold on to during his ride. While sitting securely in his saddle, the contestant will have one hand holding the rein and the other up in the air. If at any point the cowboy’s free hand touches the bronc or his own body, he will be disqualified. Like bull riding and bareback riding, both the performance of the rider and the bronc are judged to make the final score out of a possible 100 points. While the saddle bronc rider keeps one hand on the rein and one hand in the air, the judges will look at his control of the bronc, his spurring action, and if he’s able to keep his toes pointed outward. For the bronc, the judges will consider the bronc’s bucking ability and if the ride is smooth and rhythmic. The 2025 PRCA Saddle bronc champion is 22 yr old Statler Wright , brother to Stetson Wright with $400,000 in earnings.

Tie down roping, also called calf roping, is the oldest of the rodeo’s timed events.  It is based off ranch work in which calves are roped for branding, vaccination, castration, tagging or other purposes.   The rope is softer than Team roping, typically a poly blend. —More than any other event in professional rodeo, tie-down roping has roots dating back to the Old West. When a calf was sick or injured, it had to be caught and immobilized quickly for treatment. Ranch hands prided themselves on how fast they could rope and tie calves, and soon they began informal contests. Being quick and accurate with a lasso isn’t the only requirement in calf roping. A successful roper also must be an experienced horseman and a fast sprinter.  The calf has a pigtail string attached to his neck and as he starts running it drops the barrier in front of the roper.   If the roper accidentally crosses the barrier too soon, it is a 10 second penalty. As the cowboy throws his loop, the horse comes to a stop. After catching the calf, the cowboy dismounts, runs to the calf, throws it to the ground by hand (which is called "flanking") and ties any three legs together using a "pigging sting" he has carried in his teeth throughout the run. While the contestant is accomplishing all this, the horse must keep the slack out of the rope, but not pull it tight enough to drag the calf. If the calf is not standing when the roper reaches it, the cowboy must allow the calf to stand before making the tie. When the roper has completed this tie, he throws his hands in the air as a signal to the flag judge. He then remounts his horse and rides toward the calf, making the rope slack. The 2025 PRCA champion calf roper is Riley Webb with a fastest time around 7.7 seconds and earnings around $555,000.

Barrel racing is a timed speed and agility event where the horse and rider gallop at full speed in a cloverleaf pattern of barrels, making agile turns without knocking the barrels over.   Fastest time wins and each barrel that gets knocked over is a 5 second penalty. It is often a cowgirl event.  In the early years, it was a figure eight pattern. Beginning a barrel race, the horse and rider will enter the arena at top speed, through the center entrance (or alley if in a rodeo arena). Once in the arena, the electronic timer beam is crossed by the horse and rider. The timer keeps running until the beam is crossed again at the end of the run.

Modern barrel racing horses not only need to be fast, but also strong, agile, and intelligent. Strength and agility are needed to maneuver the course in as little distance as possible. A horse that can "hug the barrels" as well as maneuver the course quickly and accurately follow commands, will be a horse with consistently fast times.

The 2025 NFR Barrel Racing World Champion is Kassie Mowry  who secured back-to-back world titles with a 13.42 second run.  Her 2025 earnings were $400,000.

Bull Riding  is considered the highlight of the rodeo due to the strength of the bull and the danger the rider encounters.    The average weight of a bull rider is 160 lbs and a typical PBR bull averages 1700 to almost 2000 lbs.

In pro bull riding , a valid ride requires the rider to remain on the bull with one hand on the rigging and one hand free from the bull for 8 seconds.   Judges use a 100 point scale with typically 50 points for the rider based on control, balance, style and spring, and 50 points for the bull based on bucking power, twist, speed, unpredictability and difficulty.

Per PRCA rules, during rough stock events, a flank strap is to be applied just above their hind legs.  In bull riding, the flank strap is a rope, while in saddle bronc and bareback riding, the flank strap is a 4-inch wide belt, covered in sheepskin or neoprene. The flank strap is used to encourage the animal to use its hind legs more in a bucking motion. This motion is safer for both the rider and animal – it’s better for the bucking bull or bronc to use its hind legs rather rearing up and potentially hurting the rider and itself.

Most rodeo bulls are bred specifically for their bucking ability. – it is in their genes. They're further trained to know when to buck and when to be somewhat still in the chute.

For many bull riders, the application of rosin to the bull rope and glove has become an art. The chalk-like substance more commonly known for helping a pitcher grip a baseball turns sticky and gummy with a consistency closer to pine tar when it is mixed with the glycerin from a bar of soap.

The bull rope is a handmade, tightly braided length of rope that goes around the chest of the bull over the back to where the riders sit.

 The rope has a slot at one end for the rider to grip, and a bell at the other and serves as the cowboy's anchor when mounted on the bull.  The hand can get hung up in this bull rope in some circumstances.

Spurs cannot be sharp enough to cut the bull. (If the riders do cut the animal, they are fined.)

Helmets, vests, chaps are all there to protect the rider.   In 2013, the PBR mandated vests and helmets but PRCA allows them to be optional. Rodeo clowns are there to protect the rider and are now called Bullfighters.

The 2025 PRCA bullriding champion is Stetson Wright, who also claimed the PRCA title of “All Around Cowboy with earnings of $817,000.    He narrowly lost the Saddle Bronc competition to his younger brother, which would have enabled him to hit the $1 million mark.

If all this information has persuaded you to find a rodeo to attend, here are some choices:

Calgary Stampede in July in Calgary Alberta is considered the top rodeo in the world with events sanctioned with the PRCA and CPRA jointly, featuring the main rodeo events during the day with  stagecoach races and indigenous horse relays in the evening.   Purses can be up to $1 million dollars.  

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo started in 1959, and is held annually in Las Vegas for ten days in December.  It showcases the PRCA’s top 15 money winners in the season for each event.  It is televised on  The Cowboy Channel.  In 2024, it was estimated that prize money for contestants and stock contractors was $264 million dollars.   Stock contractors are those who bring the bucking bulls, horses and steers to the events and they are typically paid 30% of the contestant payouts.   

A special note—the NFR uses 2000 tons of a specific blend of sand and clay, sometimes known as money dirt that is reused every year and stored at UNLV campus when not in use.

Locally, for 40 years, the Wapello Pro Rodeo in mid July is the only rodeo in the nation that is fully operated by a high school organization.   In 2009, the Wapello Pro Rodeo earned PRCA sanctioning status and is a fundraiser for the Wapello FFA providing money for scholarships, student development, and convention registrations.

The New Windsor Fair and Rodeo is an IPRA sanctioned rodeo that is scheduled for August 20^th in 2026 and is about 1 hour from Muscatine.

Famous cowboys –Rocker Steiner,   Wright brothers, JB Mauney (also known as the $7 million dollar bull rider),  Riley Webb- calf roper,  and country singer Chris Ledoux, a world champion bareback rider back in the 1970’s.

Lane Frost was the 1987 PRCA World Champion bull rider.  He was killed in 1989 in Cheyenne Wyoming--he qualified, fell down, and the bull speared his horn in his back, never pierced the skin but broke ribs that severed his aorta.  This tragedy spurred many changes including protective vests and trimming the tip of the bull’s horn to the same size as a 50 cent piece.   Today, his second cousin, Josh Frost, is making a name for himself in bullriding.

I would like to thank my friend, Gary Gerst, for advice on writing this paper and supplying the bull rigging.