PRCA Rodeo

[Cody Fousnough]

Yes, professional rodeo is definitely considered "a sport". There wasn't a dedicated thread, so I wanted to start one. I'm currently watching the Calgary Stampede in Canada on The Cowboy Channel. This is one of the largest outdoor professional rodeos there is. A couple of other major rodeos are: Cheyenne Frontier Days and Pendelton Roundup. Like both of these rodeos I just mentioned, all of the Top 15 cowboys and cowgirls are in Calgary. The money to be won is extremely good.

 

[Faye Fox]

Glad to see you starting a rodeo thread. Not that anybody on here really cares, but I like to see other members sharing their passions, even if response is paltry.

Since you stated PRCA, I will only talk about bull riding happening at those events. I haven't watched the Calgary Stampede, in last few years, but certainly enjoyed seeing it in person many years ago. The PBR team bull riding is starting on the 11th, but I will keep it on the mum since no one cares, not even on the ranching forum.

I see our orthopedic clinic is again sponsoring a steer wrestler in PRCA. I forget his name, but I will try to remember it, when I visit the foot doc later this month. Is Jess Brown still steer wrestling this year? I have known him since he was in diapers and loved wrestling down the family dog. The dog seemed to enjoy it. I don't think he made the finals last year.

 

[Tony Nathanson]

Glad to see you starting a rodeo thread. Not that anybody on here really cares, but I like to see other members sharing their passions, even if response is paltry.

Since you stated PRCA, I will only talk about bull riding happening at those events. I haven't watched the Calgary Stampede, in last few years, but certainly enjoyed seeing it in person many years ago. The PBR team bull riding is starting on the 11th, but I will keep it on the mum since no one cares, not even on the ranching forum.

I see our orthopedic clinic is again sponsoring a steer wrestler in PRCA. I forget his name, but I will try to remember it, when I visit the foot doc later this month. Is Jess Brown still steer wrestling this year? I have known him since he was in diapers and loved wrestling down the family dog. The dog seemed to enjoy it. I don't think he made the finals last year.

An Orthopedic Clinic sponsoring Steer Wrestling?
There's a joke in there somewhere.

 

[Faye Fox]

An Orthopedic Clinic sponsoring Steer Wrestling?
There's a joke in there somewhere.

No joke! One of the Orthopedic doctors is an ex pro rodeo performer and then pro rodeo physician. The biggest sports fans I know are Orthopedic doctors. The highest number of sports injuries in my area, happen in High School football. Our Orthopedic clinic has two doctors that are titled Sports Medicine. "If you don't break em, we can't fix em." That was my idea for their slogan, but it was quickly rejected.

 

[Faye Fox]

Hey @Cody Fousnough Here is one of my cowboy poems, I wrote for the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) rodeo, the Pendleton Roundup with their moto, "Let er Buck."


Let Er Buck
by Faye

Old cowboys never die, they just run out of luck
So enjoy the ride and Let Er Buck
Come on over and see what we do
It's a low down hoe down, Eastern Oregon Buckeroo

It's rodeo time, out here in the east
Where man steps up, to ride the bucking beast
Cowboys and Indians, do what they like to do
It's low down on the ground, Eastern Oregon Buckeroo

Cowboys, Indians, and Hippies, are looking mighty dapper
Rough stock is unloaded, it's going to be a zapper
Many a Cowboy will soon, be all black and blue
It's low down on the ground, Eastern Oregon Buckeroo

Young ladies rounding barrels, toppling some they graze
Ropers raising dust, lariats swinging in a haze
Smoke rising from the pit, cooking brisket BBQ
It's low down to the ground, Eastern Oregon Buckeroo

Hot dogs, hamburgers, tap beer, all at least a ten dollar bill
Long lines, port a potty waiting, their turn to take a spill
Never mind the dust, the burn of sun, just do what you do
It's low down to the ground, Eastern Oregon Buckeroo

So get out of town, come on down, enjoy what we do
It's a low down, hoe down, Eastern Oregon Buckeroo

 

[Cody Fousnough]

The Calgary Stampede has really drawn in some big names and former World Champions. Like I already said, "Top 15", but also those contestants that are trying to get into that "Top 15" spot and make to the National Finals Rodeo in December in Las Vegas. Lots of money there to be won. As far as the contestants competing at the Calgary Stampede, we have either actually met them or do know who they are. Many are already Millionaires and have lots of sponsors on their shirts.

IOW, folks, professional rodeo, aka PRCA, isn't what it was when I was involved. Nowadays it's lots of money and lots of sponsors. Two big major ones are Dodge, of which we do have a Dodge and Wrangler Jeans, of which is the only kind of jeans we wear. Many large rodeos, like Calgary, Pendelton, Houston, CFD (Cheyenne Frontier Days) and Fort Worth are drawing in huge crowds. The Grandstands at Calgary are packed with rodeo fans.

 

[Yvonne Smith]

Back when I was growing up, Spokane had the Diamond Spur Rodeo each year, and it was the main professional rodeo in that area. They always had the top cowboys for all of the competitions, plus they had a well-known entertainer for the mid-rodeo presentation.
One year it was Gene Autry and Gail Davis, who played Annie Oakley on television, and another year it was Rex Allen. It was a long drive to Spokane, and then a long day at the rodeo, so we did not go every year, just occasionally.

Sandpoint had their own rodeo every year, and I actually enjoyed that much more than the professional one in Spokane. Our local rodeo was sponsored by the Horseman’s Association, and they let us kids help with setting everything up for the rodeo, which we all enjoyed.
We rode our horses and helped direct traffic for cars coming to watch the rodeo, or for cowboys coming in to be contestants.

Once the rodeo started, we rode in the Grand Entry, along with all of the cowboys. Since I was in the drill team, we always wore our drill outfit and rode in formation in the Grand Entry, and we also got to perform our drill routine as part of the halftime entertainment.
Sometimes, we also helped to run the hamburger and hot dog stand, and took turns helping out with that, so we teenagers were busy all day helping out with our horses.
This was me with my pinto horse that I ride in the drill team. I raised her from a colt and trained her myself.

 

[Faye Fox]

Back when I was growing up, Spokane had the Diamond Spur Rodeo each year, and it was the main professional rodeo in that area. They always had the top cowboys for all of the competitions, plus they had a well-known entertainer for the mid-rodeo presentation.
One year it was Gene Autry and Gail Davis, who played Annie Oakley on television, and another year it was Rex Allen. It was a long drive to Spokane, and then a long day at the rodeo, so we did not go every year, just occasionally.

Sandpoint had their own rodeo every year, and I actually enjoyed that much more than the professional one in Spokane. Our local rodeo was sponsored by the Horseman’s Association, and they let us kids help with setting everything up for the rodeo, which we all enjoyed.
We rode our horses and helped direct traffic for cars coming to watch the rodeo, or for cowboys coming in to be contestants.

Once the rodeo started, we rode in the Grand Entry, along with all of the cowboys. Since I was in the drill team, we always wore our drill outfit and rode in formation in the Grand Entry, and we also got to perform our drill routine as part of the halftime entertainment.
Sometimes, we also helped to run the hamburger and hot dog stand, and took turns helping out with that, so we teenagers were busy all day helping out with our horses.
This was me with my pinto horse that I ride in the drill team. I raised her from a colt and trained her myself.

View attachment 2754

That is a beautiful Pinto! Judging by her ears and general appearance, she would have made a great cow horse. One of my great aunts had a Pinto that was the best cow horse ever for roundup and sorting. I would ride her with loose reins that really worried some folks until they saw her do her thing. I seldom watched just the cattle, but watched her head and reined like I knew what I was doing.

I also enjoyed the smaller hometown rodeos much more than the big pro rodeos. My favorite part was always the chuckwagon cowboy breakfast.

 

[Don Alaska]

Just from curiosity and ignorance on my part, have any of you done Pasture Roping as a sport? I saw something about it on TV and it sounded like it is different than what is done in rodeos.

 

[Yvonne Smith]

Just from curiosity and ignorance on my part, have any of you done Pasture Roping as a sport? I saw something about it on TV and it sounded like it is different than what is done in rodeos.

I do not know anything about that at all, but i remember seeing people talking about something like that on facebook. I think that it might have been cutting horses and not roping though.

 

[Faye Fox]

Just from curiosity and ignorance on my part, have any of you done Pasture Roping as a sport? I saw something about it on TV and it sounded like it is different than what is done in rodeos.

I have but not for sport. It was done to hold an animal for treatment. Usually on leased range far away from any corrals. Pasture roping is done by some cowboy churches, to play cowboy, but no rancher would use stock raised for beef for roping. Being a ranch cowboy is a totally different state of mind than a rodeo cowboy.

Photo of some of my cousins, range roping a rodeo stock cow that has an abscess that needs drained.
Notice it takes 2 ropers to make a good hold and leave the animal standing. Horns and lift one front leg.
Nothing like a rodeo with neck and both back legs. Also no multiple swings, just one. The idea is not to
excite the animal more than necessary. Basically working cattle on a ranch is the opposite of rodeo.

 

[Cody Fousnough]

I have but not for sport. It was done to hold an animal for treatment. Usually on leased range far away from any corrals. Pasture roping is done by some cowboy churches, to play cowboy, but no rancher would use stock raised for beef for roping. Being a ranch cowboy is a totally different state of mind than a rodeo cowboy.

Photo of some of my cousins, range roping a rodeo stock cow that has an abscess that needs drained.
Notice it takes 2 ropers to make a good hold and leave the animal standing. Horns and lift one front leg.
Nothing like a rodeo with neck and both back legs. Also no multiple swings, just one. The idea is not to
excite the animal more than necessary. Basically working cattle on a ranch is the opposite of rodeo.
View attachment 2778

Need to remember, Faye, working ranches now have their own rodeo association and we attended a Ranch Rodeo in either Colorado Springs or Pueblo some years ago. In fact, a Ranch Rodeo can now be done before or after a PRCA rodeo. We've watched a Ranch Rodeo on the Cowboy Channel. And, these were real ranches competing against each other in an arena. The Association is called: Working Ranch Cowboy's Association (WRCA) and started in 1995 in Texas.

There are some rodeo cowboys that also help their family on a ranch. Former Miss Rodeo South Dakota, who became Miss Rodeo America Jordan Tierney, would help her dad on their ranch, when she had the time to do so. Her dad is in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame (Paul Tierney) and Jordan's mother was a former Miss Rodeo South Dakota.

 

[Cody Fousnough]

Just remember folks, many rodeo events came from old ranch work, as in: breaking horses to ride (Saddle Bronc Riding) and roping cattle for branding or doctoring. Today, Squeeze Chutes, are used a lot for either branding or doctoring. In fact, a Texas ranch hand, named Bill Pickett, invented Steer Wrestling aka Bulldogging back in the 19th Century.

Rodeo goes back many, many years ago, and the movie The Great American Cowboy, shows/proves just that. We have the movie.

 

[Cody Fousnough]

Don't think a major PRCA rodeo pays good? Today (Sunday) is the Finals for the Calgary Stampede each winner gets $50,000, PLUS/added-on to the money they won to get to the Finals today. And, with the Sponsors they acquire, to pay for different things, so a contestant doesn't have to, they can make a lot of money during the year.

 

[Faye Fox]

Need to remember, Faye, working ranches now have their own rodeo association and we attended a Ranch Rodeo in either Colorado Springs or Pueblo some years ago. In fact, a Ranch Rodeo can now be done before or after a PRCA rodeo. We've watched a Ranch Rodeo on the Cowboy Channel. And, these were real ranches competing against each other in an arena. The Association is called: Working Ranch Cowboy's Association (WRCA) and started in 1995 in Texas.

There are some rodeo cowboys that also help their family on a ranch. Former Miss Rodeo South Dakota, who became Miss Rodeo America Jordan Tierney, would help her dad on their ranch, when she had the time to do so. Her dad is in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame (Paul Tierney) and Jordan's mother was a former Miss Rodeo South Dakota.

Well Cody, you missed my point that life running a cattle ranch for beef production, rather than rodeo stock is totally opposite in how you work cattle.

An example would be the PRCA Hall of Fame team roper, Mike Beers. He lived not far from me at one time and his dad had a cattle ranch and he had a bunch of rodeo stock steers that Mike ran every day, for several hours, practicing speed roping for rodeo. That had no resemblance to working the cattle, his dad raised for beef, none! So yes, Mike was from a working cattle ranch, but his speed and skill wasn't from roping cattle raised for beef.

One may learn to rope on a working cattle ranch, but no way will they practice timed roping on calves or steers raised for beef. Around here a few still use two ropers for hot iron branding, but the ropers just sit on their horses and usually swing once and catch the calf and that is it. The and last time, a few years ago, I helped with branding, vaccinating, and castration, I roped, standing on my own feet, about half way in the corral, and usually made an underhand half swing, caught the heels, and then someone took the calf down easy and held it while another branded it and another gave the vaccinations. All preformed calm and easy.

I know several ex rodeo folks, now beef cattle ranchers, that dedicated younger years to rodeo, and made a lot of money they used to buy ranches. They made a lot more money at rodeo than they could at ranching, so they get to live their dream after their rodeo years are over. I think you knew some of them over on Ranchers forum.

 

[Marie Miller]

Don't think a major PRCA rodeo pays good? Today (Sunday) is the Finals for the Calgary Stampede each winner gets $50,000, PLUS/added-on to the money they won to get to the Finals today. And, with the Sponsors they acquire, to pay for different things, so a contestant doesn't have to, they can make a lot of money during the year.

Yes, it pays good but for how any? Please look at those hurt/maimed and their families. A 50k purse for how many years of training, suffering, hoping. Let’s talk about horses, trailers, trucks, hotels, chiropractors and vets. Let’s ignore food, clothes, relationships. 50k does not pay a ranch hand so you can go and play.

 

[Faye Fox]

Just remember folks, many rodeo events came from old ranch work, as in: breaking horses to ride (Saddle Bronc Riding) and roping cattle for branding or doctoring. Today, Squeeze Chutes, are used a lot for either branding or doctoring. In fact, a Texas ranch hand, named Bill Pickett, invented Steer Wrestling aka Bulldogging back in the 19th Century.

Rodeo goes back many, many years ago, and the movie The Great American Cowboy, shows/proves just that. We have the movie.

True that a few rodeo events are based ranching skills, but these days, as I said before, there is little resemblance in actual practice. A ranch where rodeo stock are bred and trained, differs vastly from a cow and calf beef operation. Many cattle ranches these days, don't even have horses and a rodeo without horses, isn't a rodeo by PRCA standards. Bull riding is the only discipline that doesn't involve horses for scoring. A rodeo is all about horses from the parade, drill team intro, to the events. A cattle ranch is about beef production and no place for timed rodeo cowboy events.

One can visit a lots of large cattle ranches here and never see a horse. You won't visit many small acreages without seeing horses. Horses are used mostly for recreational purposes and seldom for working on a cattle ranch.

Even as a non working guest Cody, I bet you couldn't spend more than a few hours on a working cattle ranch, before you were so bored you had to leave. Nothing glorious about it. Rodeo was invented because working cowboys had to do something crazy to beat the boredom. When rodeos started paying, cowboys left ranches to follow circuits.

I remember one of the big ranches I was working at, put out an ad for cowboys for roundup. The ones that showed up with big rodeo buckles were told to get back in their pickups and go elsewhere.