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Bull Riding
Unlike bareback riders, bull riders are not required to spur. No wonder. It's usually impressive enough just to remain seated for eight seconds aboard an animal that may weigh more than a ton! The cowboys and cowgirls who ride bulls are highly conditioned athletes, with a deep sense of commitment to the sport. Make no mistake - bull riding is very dangerous and the potential for serious injury is ever present. The PRCA and PWRA attempt to protect their bull riders by enforcing stringent rules on the types of bulls that can be used in competition - no hooking bulls and all horned bulls must have their horns tipped.
Like a bareback contestant, a bull rider will mount the bull in a chute and nod for the animal to be released.
Bull riders use a "bull rope" a braided rope approximately eight feet long, with a bell attached to the bottom, that is fitted around the bull's mid-section. The rider inserts his hand into the rope and the rope is then pulled tight. When the ride is completed, the contestant pulls on the free end of the rope, thus releasing his hand and he jumps away from the bull.
Judges watch for good body position and other factors, including spurring action. Although not required, spurring will add points to a rider's score. As in bareback riding, half of the score in bull riding is determined by the contestant's performance and the other half is based on the animal's efforts.
Barrel Racing
The
Women's Professional Rodeo Association was organized to develop and promote the sport of professional rodeo for the female competitor. 
Known as the "WPRA", the members of this fifty year old organization compete primarily in "barrel racing", a fast paced, exciting timed event whereby horse and rider cross a starting line, race around a cloverleaf pattern and run back across the finish line. Fastest time wins and times are recorded in the 100th of a second. WPRA barrel racers represent the "best of the best" and the competition is extremely fierce in trying to qualify for the prestigious National Finals Rodeo.
Team Roping
In rodeo's only true team event, two ropers, a "header" and a "heeler" work together to catch a steer in the fastest time possible. Team roping has become a popular event for people of all ages.
The header and the heeler are both mounted on their horses with the steer held in a chute between the two of them. The header sits behind a "barrier" - which is a piece of equipment designed to give the steer a head start and to ensure that all contestants begin their competition run at the exact same point. If the cowboy starts too soon and "breaks" the barrier, his time is assessed a ten-second penalty.
The header calls for the steer to be released and both ropers chase after the steer. The header throws his rope first and must catch the steer with one of three legal catches - around the horns or around the neck or around a half head. The header will then dally his rope around his saddle horn and turn the steer to the left. The heeler kicks into action by following behind the steer as it turns left and attempts to rope the animal's two hind feet. When the heeler catches the steer, he dallies his rope around the saddle horn and stops. The header also stops and turns his horse to face the heeler and the steer. Catching two hind feet is considered a "clean" run, while catching only one hind leg is assessed a five-second penalty.
Breakaway Roping
If you are going to watch a breakaway calf roping, don't blink or you might miss it. In this all or nothing event, the contestant's goal is to throw his rope as fast as he can. Winning times often range in the 2-3 second zone and times are recorded in the tenths of a second.
Like the calf roping, the contestant and his horse start from behind a "barrier", whish is a piece of equipment designed to give the calf a head start and to ensure that all contestants begin their competition run at the exact same point. If the cowboy starts too soon and "breaks" the barrier, their time is assessed a ten-second penalty. In a speed event like breakaway roping, that penalty can be devastating.
Horse and rider pursue the calf and as soon as the cowboy comes into range, he throes his loop and catches the calf around the neck, while simultaneously stopping his horse.
The rope is tied to the saddle with a piece of string and when the horse stops, the calf continues to run and the string breaks. The flagger drops his flag and the time stops. The only "legal" catch in the breakaway is around the calf's neck, all other catches receive a no time. Unlike the calf roping, in the breakaway roping, the rider never dismounts from his horse and does no have to "tie" the calf.
Tie-Down Roping
Tie-Down Roping is an event born of the old West, when the wide open spaces demanded that a person had only his horse and himself to rely on to catch and doctor cattle. Today, calf roping is poetry in motion, as a cowboy and his horse work together as a team to rope, catch and tie a calf in the fastest time possible.
The rider and his horse start from behind a barrier, which is a piece of equipment designed to give the calf a head start and to ensure that all contestants begin their competition run at the exact same point. If the cowboy starts too soon and "breaks" the barrier, his time is assessed a ten-second penalty.
The rider and horse chase after the calf and when he is close enough to throw his rope, he catches the calf around the neck and stops his horse. At that point, he dismounts and runs down to tie the calf. The horse is left standing on his own to keep tension in the rope so that the cowboy may "flank" the calf - essentially lifting the calf up and then laying him down on his side to the ground - and then ties any three legs together.
When the cowboy completes his tie, he throws his hands in the air as a signal to the judge, who will drop a flag and stop the time. He then remounts his horse and allows the rope to become slack. The calf must remain tied for six seconds for the run to be considered official. If the calf should struggle free before the six seconds is up, the contestant will receive a no-time.
Bareback Riding
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Bareback riding pits horse against rider and is one of the most physically demanding of all
the rodeo events. A cowboy attempts to ride a bucking horse by holding on to a "rigging" - a leather and rawhide strap, with no stirrups or seat, which fits around the horse's girth - for six seconds. This event demands tremendous upper body strength, balance and sheer determination.
The rider mounts the horse in the chute, and when he is ready, nods for the horse to be released. He must ride the bareback horse for eight seconds, women's rodeo must ride for six seconds. A bareback rider begins his ride with his feet placed above the break of the horse's shoulder. If the cowboy's feet are not in the correct position when the horse hits the ground on its first jump out of the chute, the cowboy has failed to "mark out" the horse properly and receives a five point penalty. This differs from the men's event, where a failed "mark out" is a disqualification.
Professional Women's Rodeo Association bareback riders have the option to ride with one or two hands and are judged the same regardless if they use one or two hands.
Optimum spurring action begins with the rider in control, his heels at the horse's neck. He then pulls his feet, toes turned outward, back to the horse's withers until the cowboy's feet are nearly touching the bareback rigging. The horse is flanked with a fleece-lined leather strap that increases his natural urge to throw his rider.
A rider is disqualified if he touches his equipment, himself or the horse with his free hand or when riding. The rider is judged on his control during the ride and on his spurring technique. The score also is based on the rider's "exposure" to the strength of the horse. Different horses have different bucking styles, some being much more difficult to ride than others. In addition, the horse's performance accounts for half of the potential score.
When the ride is finished, the rodeo pickup men ride in alongside of the contestant and lift him off the bucking horse and deliver him safely to the ground.
