Wetumpka Sports Complex
May 3 - 4, 2024
Bull Riding
Tie-down roping was inspired by the traditional method cowboys use to gather cattle for medical treatment or branding when chutes and working pens were not readily available. This timed event requires the horse and its rider to be in sync, working together to catch and tie-down the runaway calf, who is allowed a head start.
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When the calf reaches a certain distance from the chute, it trips a lever releasing the barrier on the roping box. When the barrier is released, the roper and his horse take off in hot pursuit. In a matter of seconds, the cowboy swings the rope over his head, launching it forward around the calf’s neck. The horse then slides to a halt, allowing the roper to dismount and run toward the calf. Reaching the calf, the roper quickly flips it over and begins to tie any three of the calf’s legs. Once the calf is tied, the roper throws his hands in the air, stopping the clock.
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A 10-second penalty is added if the horse and his rider break the barrier. In order for the roper’s time to be recorded, the calf must stay tied for an official three seconds, from the roper’s first step away from the tied calf. If the calf comes untied during this time, the team will receive a no-time.
Barrel Racing
Known as rodeo’s classic event, saddle bronc riding is judged similarly to bareback bronc riding but there are additional possibilities to being disqualified; that is, losing a stirrup or dropping the thickly braided rein that is attached to the horse’s halter. The cowboy sits on the horse differently due to the saddle and rein, and the spurring motion covers a different area of the horse. Saddle broncs are usually several hundred pounds heavier than bareback horses and generally buck in a slower manner.
Steer Wrestling
This event was originally called "bull dogging" and requires the cowboy to lean from the running horse onto the back of a 600 pound steer, catch it behind the horns, stop the steer’s forward momentum and wrestle it to the ground with all four of its legs and head pointing the same direction. The bulldogger is assisted by the hazer, who rides along the steer’s right to keep the animal running straight.
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Bareback Riding
Perhaps the most physically demanding rodeo event, bareback riding tests the cowboy’s strength and ability to hang on without any assistance from equipment. Thus, the rider must rely only on his technique and training, in order to make it to the eight-second whistle.
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A successful ride begins with the appropriate mount in the chute. The rider, lying flat on the horse’s back, must keep his front legs above the horse’s shoulders before its front hooves hit the arena dirt on the first jump. This is called “marking out.” Points will be deducted from the ride if the cowboy fails to successfully mark his horse out of the chute.
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When the chute gate opens, the rider must also keep one hand on the rigging — a leather strap placed behind the horse’s front legs — with the other hand in the air. If the rider’s free hand touches himself, the rigging, or the horse, at any point during the ride, he will be disqualified.
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Both the horse and the rider are judged in this event. For the duration of the ride, the cowboy should continually spur in rhythm with the horse’s bucking action. This helps the rider maintain stability and proper form. If the horse fails to buck or performs poorly, the rider may be offered a re-ride on a different horse, drawn at random
Team Roping
Known as rodeo’s classic event, saddle bronc riding is judged similarly to bareback bronc riding but there are additional possibilities to being disqualified; that is, losing a stirrup or dropping the thickly braided rein that is attached to the horse’s halter. The cowboy sits on the horse differently due to the saddle and rein, and the spurring motion covers a different area of the horse. Saddle broncs are usually several hundred pounds heavier than bareback horses and generally buck in a slower manner.
Break - Away
Breakaway roping is one form of rodeo sport. The competition features a mounted rider and a calf. The calves are initially moved to a chamber which leads to a chute equipped with spring-loaded doors.
The horse and the rider stay in another box which is adjacent to the chute which is commonly referred as the barrier. A rope is attached to the calf’s neck. It is released once when the barrier is opened allowing the calf to head toward the arena. The aim of the roper (rider) is to throw the lasso around the calf’s neck.
Saddle Bronc
Known as rodeo’s classic event, saddle bronc riding is judged similarly to bareback bronc riding but there are additional possibilities to being disqualified; that is, losing a stirrup or dropping the thickly braided rein that is attached to the horse’s halter. The cowboy sits on the horse differently due to the saddle and rein, and the spurring motion covers a different area of the horse. Saddle broncs are usually several hundred pounds heavier than bareback horses and generally buck in a slower manner.
Tie - Down Roping
Calf roping is an authentic ranch skill that originated from working cowboys. Once the calf has been roped, the cowboy dismounts and runs down the length of the rope to the calf. When the calf is on the ground, the cowboy ties three legs together with a six-foot pigging string. Calves are given a head start, and if the cowboy’s horse leaves the box too soon, a barrier breaks and a 10-second penalty is added to the roper’s time. In all of the timed events, a fraction of a second makes the difference between winning and losing.