I can say that when I was covering the rodeos as a paramedic, I did not desire for anyone to be hurt, but I don't know that this was entirely altruistic. Since I was the director of the ambulance company covering the Los Fresnos PRCA Rodeo, and a co-owner of the company covering the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo, I was also concerned with the logistics of getting another ambulance in to cover the rodeo while we were transporting a bull rider since the event would literally stop until we had another ambulance in place, and the people putting the rodeo on would start getting angry about it. While they may have contracted for only one ambulance, we would have to commit two or three ambulances to the rodeo in order to assure that we always had one available. Of course, we had other calls, as well. Even on the rodeo or fairgrounds, there were fights, as well as people having heart attacks and other injuries or illnesses. Plus, of course, when some got hurt, I had to work. The Los Fresnos Rodeo was just the rodeo, but the RGV Rodeo in Mercedes, Texas, was part of a much larger agricultural fair.
I see it as being the crowd comes to see great rides without injury instead of the desire to see poor or failed rides and injured contestants. The likelihood of injuries is very high in bull riding and that is a fact, but even if it wasn't, I still maintain it would be well attended, perhaps it would even draw larger crowds. I doubt many go to football games hoping for injuries, which there are many. On the other hand, I think boxing fans attend to see injury as any time one blacks out from being hit, that is an injury. Boxing is all about injuring your human opponent. How permanent an injury might not be known for years. I don't think bull riding crowds are like the blood-thirsty gladiator crowds where it was a certain someone would die.
I don't suppose very many people attend hoping to see someone get gored by the bull, and I do agree that a great ride, without mishap, is loudly applauded but, at the same time, the chance of injury adds excitement to the event.
Well, here's news from the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, that ended yesterday: 18 yr. old Rocker Steiner wins the Bareback Bronc Riding Championship buckle. The Steiner family is 100% about rodeo, being that Rocker's grandfather was a World Champion Bull Rider, his father (Sid Steiner) is a World Champion Steer Wrestler and both his sister (Steely) and his mom (Jamie) are Barrel Racers. And, now, Miss Rodeo America, is seen wearing a plastic face mask, in some photos of her.
Just seen a picture of Rocker Steiner on Facebook. He is part of the Resistol (hat) Team. His hair is long and he sporting an earring, just like his dad (Sid Steiner) did. And, just like his dad, will, without a doubt, be teased by rodeo announcers and fellow bronc riders for his look.
Well, I just closed out/deleted our Facebook Group page discussing PRCA rodeos across America. I had 5 members who weren't posting/commenting on a thing. I had posted information and even a video. All I got was "Likes". So, after some consideration, I decided to close out/delete the Group. Actually, PRCA has their own Facebook page, that I'm a part of. And, there is a website for Rodeo Contestants/Fans (selling/buying rodeo equipment and following rodeo), but it hasn't been completed and doesn't appear that it will be.
I'm now back on another rodeo Facebook Group. The lady that started it, really likes that wife and I talk about rodeo so much. The Ft. Worth Stock Show & Rodeo have been going on in a beautiful arena that is only a couple of years old. It is the Dickies Arena. We have been watching this rodeo for a week or so now and the Finals are tomorrow night. This is a 1.1 million dollar total purse rodeo. The NWSSR (Denver) was half of that amount.
Well, PRCA Rodeo is now in Houston, Texas at a very, very beautiful arena. It's where the Astros and Texans play. Now, the total purse for this rodeo is.................believe it or not, $2.17 million dollars! This is the 3rd rodeo now, since the beginning of 2022, that offers over $1 million dollars purse money to contestants. This is considered the largest indoor rodeo of any in the U.S.
Yesterday, we bought Box-Front Row seats for two rodeos this coming July. We will be in Colorado Springs for the Pro-Rodeo Hall of Fame Dinner, Induction and Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo. The Dinner will be Semi-Formal, but The Hall requests "Formal", so I'll be wearing my Western Blazer, dress shirt/tie a nice pair of Wrangler jeans and my black felt hat. My wife might wear a nice dress she has, but not her hat. We have never been to this dinner before, but it will include Hall of Fame Inductees and very serious rodeo fans that are paid members of the Hall of Fame, like us. We also bought Box-Front Row seats for the last rodeo performance in Greeley, CO. The last performance is the Finals. It's been a good 16 years since we've been to this rodeo. When we lived here before. We have never had Box-Front Row seats to any rodeo, so this will be very neat for us.
Actually, Marie, they are very, very big today. We are currently watching the Houston, Texas rodeo, that runs for 3 weeks with a purse of $2.1 million dollars. Cheyenne, Wyoming, Pendleton, Oregon, Red Bluff, CA, Ft. Worth, TX are among numerous rodeos that are big with big purses. Then there is the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) that is a $13 million dollar rodeo in Las Vegas. If desired, you can get the Cowboy Channel, which is on Roku, for $90 for the year and it shows "live" rodeo action all year long. Roku is a device you buy and connect to the back of a tv.
I think that depends on where you live. They're not widely promoted by media so unless you live near a rodeo or are particularly interested in rodeos, you probably won't come across much about them.
Funny, but when it comes to advertising about a rodeo, I can think of one rodeo that was advertised locally, but not in any other county. This was the Norco Mounted Police Rodeo in Norco, CA. No advertising was done outside of Riverside County/Norco, because there was no need for it. This Friday, Saturday and Sunday rodeo was packed with folks. For being only three performances, it had an excellent purse. Actually, I would sometimes shop at the Tustin, CA (So Calif.) Boot Barn store. They knew nothing of the Norco rodeo and had no advertising for it either. The people that went to the larger country-western nightclubs in Orange County knew about the rodeo and went. They had been to it before.
This is true too along with the pandemic ,we live in a rural area and would hear about one now and then maybe it will come back up now that pandemic BS has slowed.