Rodeo - A Way of Life Or an Exciting Sport?

The sport of rodeo actually started as a mostbulldogging steers. Unbelievably, he would jump
important aspect of cattle ranching, especially infrom his horse's back to that of a steer, biting
areas like the US Southwest, of Spanish influence.the steer's upper lip and then throwing it to the
It was, in fact, so important that it was regulatedground by grabbing its horns and twisting. This
legally in the state of California. In the west,somewhat funny and always extremely
before fencing was established and widelydangerous feat landed him exhibition jobs at the
accepted, cattle herds would often becomeCheyenne Frontier Days and a contract with the
mixed. Rodeos were held, at least annually, in101 Ranch in Oklahoma. The 101 Ranch hosted
order to separate the cattle, normally somewheretraveling Wild West shows, of which Pickett's
between the first of April and the last day of July.bulldogging was a must see event. Eventually the
Cattle and calf roping and branding were the firstlarge number of imitators led to contests being
rodeo sports that arose out of a practicalpromoted at every conceivable venue, though
application. When roping and corralling a cow, herbiting the bull's lip was spurned by most
calf would come close, enabling ranch hands tocompetitors and eventually was not a part of
identify which calves were with which alreadysteer wrestling or bulldogging at all.
branded cows so that the calves could beBut Pickett had made his name and he is
branded as well. Selective breeding did not comeattributed, by two different halls of fame, for
into play until fencing became the norm, allowingbeing the sole inventor of bulldogging, the only
ranchers to keep their cattle on their own landrodeo sport to be attributed to one single person.
and thereby control the breeding process byThe remainders of the events have all been the
controlling which bulls would be let loose with whichresult of long traditions of cattle ranching and
cows. Up until this time, bulls were allowed tohorsemanship on working ranches.
roam where they chose, breeding whosoeverRodeo today still involves those on working
cows happened to be handy.ranches, but also attracts those who just want to
In some European countries though, primarily inmaster the skills. Rodeos are big business and a
Spain, the rodeo had already become a sportingchampion rodeo cowboy can bring home purses
event. The Spanish introduced bull riding and steermatching those of some professional golfers and
(a gelded bull) wrestling which was firstfootball or baseball players. For some it's the
accomplished by a rider grabbing a steer's tail,magnetic pull of wanting to see the age old war
twisting it and wrestling it to the ground. On theof man vs. beast, while for others it is just a way
island of Crete, the Minoans practiced bullof life.
wrestling, bull riding and bull jumping. SpanishThe first woman bronc rider, trick rider and racer
royalty first included these events at fiestas andto bulldog a steer was Tillie Baldwin in 1913.
festivals and at fairgrounds and racetracks as aWomen are also a part of the rodeo circuit today,
new form of entertainment and one quite foreignthough known more for more 'feminine' pursuits
to the nobility; therefore most enjoyable andlike barrel racing and trick riding.
exciting.So, take in a rodeo. Get caught up in the dust,
Steer wrestling or bulldogging, different names forthe smell of hay, the overpowering excitement
the same sport, did not actually catch on quicklyand the romance of the sport. You may find an
in the US though, until a black cowboy, Bill Pickett,affinity with some of these modern day cowboys
from Texas demonstrated his method ofthat harkens back to the days of your ancestors.