Grand Entry
Grand Entry is the opening of each performance that occurs every night for three weeks. At the very beginning of the Rodeo, the gate opens and there becomes a giant trail of horses riding around the arena. The people on the horses consist of a mixture of Rodeo officials, dignitaries, sponsors, volunteers, and other special guests.
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National Anthem Salute
Directly following the Grand Entry, the audience stands up for the amazing performance of the "Star Spangled Banner", sung by a talented vocalist. As the song is being sung, a lady standing on the back of a white horse comes out of the gates carrying the American flag, showing the American pride and spirit in the Rodeo. As the song comes to a finish, fireworks blast out in the air and everyone gives a roaring applause. The end of this salute signals the beginning of the real Rodeo events.
Tie-Down Roping
This is one of the events that was inspired by actual cattle ranching practices. It relates to how cowboys would get a hold of cattle when they were needed for medical treatment or branding. The way this event works is a calf is released before the cowboy, and when it gets a good enough head start, the the cowboy races after it on his horse. As the cowboy draws nearer, he slings his rope around the calf's neck, dismounts off his horse, and runs to the calf to tie up three of its legs. Once this happens, and the cowboy throws his hands in the air, the timer is stopped, and the cowboy is finished.
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Bareback Riding
To compete in this event, you must have the strength and technique to get through an eight-second ride. The cowboy must raise one hand in the air and hold on to the rigging, a leather hand-hold tie. Once the gate opens, the rider has to keep his feet above the horse's shoulder before it completes its first jump (as shown in the picture on the left). Points can be deducted if the rider doesn't do this, or if he touches the horse, himself, or the rigging with his free hand during the eight seconds. The score is based on both the horse's jumps and the rider's technique and ability to hold on.
Team Roping
In this event, two cowboys work together to tie up a runaway steer. The steer gets a little head start, and the cowboys, who are on horses, get ready to rope. When the cowboys are released, one cowboy, called the header, has to get his rope around both horns, one horn and the head, or the neck. Next, the other cowboy, the heeler, has to lasso both of the steer's back legs without tying the front legs. The timer stops when the horses turn towards each other and there's no slack on the ropes holding the steer.
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Saddle Bronc Riding
This is another event that came from historical times when cowboys would try to tame wild horses for their cattle ranches. The same rules apply to this event as in bareback riding. The cowboy must stay on for eight seconds without using his free hand for anything and he must not let his feet fall below the horse's shoulder on the first jump. The horse's bucking action is counted in the score as well as the technique of the cowboy.
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Steer Wrestling
This is an event meant for the bigger cowboys where the cowboy mainly uses his strength to tackle a runaway steer which is about twice his size. This event was inspired by the practice of using bulldogs to help catch cattle that had run off. The steer is released while the cowboy gets ready on horseback. Once the cowboy is released, he chases after the steer. When he catches up with him, he slides off his horse and wraps one arm around the steer's neck and the other hand holds its horn (as shown in the picture on the right). The cowboy then has to flip the steer on its side so that all four legs are facing the same direction, and that's when the timer stops.
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Barrel Racing
This is the only rodeo event that is only for women where the horse must race around barrels while the time is ticking. There are three barrels in a triangle that are placed on the arena floor that the horse must maneuver around before leaving the arena. Riding at full speed, the horse must run around every barrel, as close as possible to prevent seconds from being added on. If the horse touches or knocks down a barrel, multiple seconds will be added to the final time.
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Bull Riding
This event originated from when cowboys would try to impress each other by attempting to ride a wild beast. The cowboy holds on to the bull rope, a braided rope with a place for his hand, with one hand while his other hand is in the air. In order for the score to be counted, the cowboy must hold on for eight seconds, but that's not the only thing that makes up the score. The bucking of the bull counts for an entire half of the score. The reason for this is bulls are much more unpredictable than horses, so the the cowboy is unaware of how the bull will move until the gates open and the bull is released.
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Chuck Wagon Races
Unlike the other events, this doesn't involve riding on the back of a horse or bull. There is a team of horses attached to a chuck wagon and the wagons race around the entire arena, three at a time. Each wagon makes three laps around the arena, allowing each wagon to get a chance to get in the inside lane with a smaller distance than the outer lanes.
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Calf Scramble
In this event, fifteen calves are released and thirty teenagers from FFA or 4-H chase after them. Each student that catches a calf gets a $1500 certificate to purchase a heifer or steer to show at the Rodeo the next year to get money for college scholarships. The purpose of this event is to support the youth of Texas and encourage agricultural enterprise.