Well, there are those have, and are still trying, to stop all rodeos in the U.S.. They don't understand, and don't want to understand, that most rodeo action originally came from ranch work, as in: breaking horses and doctoring/branding cattle. Some are 100% vegetarians and don't care at all about livestock that is raised on a farm or ranch. At one rodeo wife and I attended back in 2000, protesters were right at the main gate with their signs. A couple of Orange County, CA Sheriff Deputies escorted us into the arena area.
In the early 1960s, while I was spending time with a great uncle and aunt on their huge west Texas ranch, my aunt mentored me in tie-down roping. I was skilled at roping, but roping from a running horse, in a timed event, with the safety of the horse as well as mine considered, needed work. My uncle fine-tuned my cattle showmanship although I had won several best of show awards. Having all boys and all their grandchildren were boys, I was given special attention as a girl showing a winning steer, would bring extra attention to their registered herd. The price of bull would increase. Not only did their steer win, but I was awarded best showman. When I left to go home to our Colorado ranch, my uncle handed me two $100 bills. My aunt tried to hand me three $100 bills and I said, "Uncle has already given me $200." She said, "Well that cheap old skinflint, but I suspected such, so take the $300 for a total of $500 and do something special for yourself." I bought a Fender electric guitar. My tie-down performance was about in the middle which thrilled my aunt because tie-down roping was the big event at the San Angelo rodeo and stock show. The crowd cheered louder for the winner of the tiedown than they did a championship bull rider. It was the crowd's favorite event. I was reading an article written by a cousin recently and she says tiedown, now called calf roping or breakaway, is still the number one favorite at that rodeo even though it is PRCA. The crowds are still mostly ranch based and enjoy useful ranch skills more than rough stock, barrel racing, or even team roping. Even though team roping is still used on many ranches, competition team roping varies vastly from the rodeo timed event where the essence of time damages horses, but winning big money and titles are more important than horses. I thought it was interesting that calf roping is still the main attraction even though tying has given way to break away. Break away for those that don't know, is where the rope is held only by an easily broken string so, before the closed loop around the calf's neck can cause it any debatable issue, the string breaks, and the calf runs to the holding pen. What surprises me is that since no rancher would rope a calf and then let go of the rope, this newer event still gets the loudest cheers from the crowd in San Angelo. As a pro rodeo competition event, break away is my favorite. As a general rodeo event, penning and mounted shooting are my favorites by far.
My Red Roan was never hurt when I roped and neither was my "heeler's" horse. But, we were at a PRCA rodeo in Bakersfield, CA in 2000 and, either "heading" horse or "heeling" horse, had a heart attack in the arena. The horse simply fell in the arena and died. At least that's what the rodeo announcer stated. He also told the fans "this happening was not due to anything the Team did". The horse was put on a slab and taken out of the arena. Faye, as far as penning and mounted shooting, both are specialty acts, sort of like a contract act, that have nothing to do with any rodeo event. I was at a rodeo in Santa Barbara and seen actress Linda Blair penning. It was a celebrity penning. A few months ago, we were watching a rodeo in Texas, on the Cowboy Channel, and they had mounted shooting, but as a specialty act. Heck, around 1986, I remember attending a Celebrity Rodeo (not PRCA sanctioned) in So. California. I met: Doug McClure, Dan Haggerty, James Drury and Richard Roundtree. Dan Haggerty was a BIG guy! And, just FYI, on the Cowboy Channel, tomorrow starts 100 Days of 100 Rodeos. We'll be watching!
Mounted shooting, penning, wild cow milking, bull hide races, Indian horse races, etc. are a part of rodeo even several of our PRCA sanctioned yearly rodeos. There are prizes for winners, but these events don't count toward any PRCA titles, points, or awards, but they are in fact an integral part of many rodeos dating back to the early days of rodeo.
Yes, they can be part of a PRCA rodeo and we've seen that on the Cowboy Channel. One major PRCA rodeo had one night of WRCA rodeo. Three or four different ranches participated and the winning ranch crew all got into a pickup truck and taken around the rodeo arena. However, there are PRCA fans that would rather see PRCA events and Contracted Specialty Acts, than a ranch rodeo. Serious PRCA fans keep a close eye on the Top 15 PRCA contestants, and how they do during the year, like we do. We are currently watching (very close) the Top 15 in Tie-Down as well as the Wright brothers in rough stock. Bull Rider, Sage Kimzey is out for the rest of the year due to shoulder surgery. He was/is trying to tie Donny Gay's Bull Riding record/gold buckles, but won't this year.
One other thing that irks me is a few years ago a law was made that no horses could go to slaughter in the United States. Now I LOVE horses and have had a few. I understand where the thinking came from. We used to have regular livestock auctions including horses here (Wisconsin). I got a couple from them. But if they did not sell to private people, they went to slaughter in Milwaukee or other yards. Strongheart dog food. Horrible, Right? Horses, being herd animals need to fight for place in the herd. So you take a lot of them and put them in a yard and it does not go well if it is not large enough. A lot of those reject horses are crippled or old or blind. The owners don't want to pay to put them down. Laws about that is changing to screw that up too. So, we can't slaughter them in the US in nearby yards. We now have to ship them to Canada or Mexico (where the end is much worse) but the trip can be bad. If a horse goes down on the trailer, and it can't get back up... Legislators listen to a few loud (maybe PETA) people or far left or right, and make laws just to falsely say what good laws they pass. Here they could say, We no longer allow the death of horses to be done in the United States! or We have made laws against guns so we won't let children die! Our reps are stupid and they are not out there for us.
All the many times I went to rodeo as either a performer, worker, or fan, I never had any problems with theft until one rodeo. Going as a paying fan to the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo during my early thirties, was when I experienced my first rodeo theft. The hat I was wearing was a custom-made 100X beaver felt that had been with me since my teens in Colorado. It was a flat brim, low crown, and certainly not the fashion western "cowboy" rodeo hat during that time, the late 60s to early 80s. I had it designed after the vaqueros of Spain. That custom pure beaver felt flat brim was seen on my head at a few rodeos when I was in Montana. The wranglers at the guest ranch I worked on really liked it and before long their wives were riding wearing similar hats. The cattle on the cattle ranches I worked on never noticed or cared. It was my move to Oregon and attending many rodeos yearly that rodeo fans' eyebrows seemed to be higher than normal. The performing cowboys never noticed as their eyes were usually focused lower. It was impossible to get a coveted covered seat at the Joseph Days Rodeo unless you bought reserve tickets dating back to biblical times. It was hot and the sun bore down without mercy. Very few female fans had on long jeans or western shirts, but rather shorts and sleeveless tops, some even tops that would cause the urban rodeo fans to label them as buckle hippy hoppers, but such a derogatory term was never heard at a rodeo in those days, at least in these parts. Then the rain hit fast. We could see the clouds suddenly build and move from the close towering Wallowa peaks to the rodeo grounds. The temperature dropped 30 degrees just like that. It was an ice-cold drencher and everyone, especially in the uncovered stands rushed to their vehicles for a blanket. Rural folks in this part of Oregon carry blankets in their vehicles year-round. I felt the hat go off my head, but couldn't turn around because of the pushing crowd. I looked around all the rest of that day and never saw my hat. I checked second-hand shops and had my eye out at fairs and rodeos for years. I think someone out of the area stole it and probably one of the wallet thieves that work rodeos and fairs. A few guys reported their wallets missing. That was one great thing about us ladies, especially when high waist bareback jeans were the fad, our cash was either in high front pockets we even had trouble getting into or in our bras. Recently I inquired about getting a similar hat in 100X from a local maker. That flat brim has become really popular these days. Someday when I can justify spending $500 I will get the 100% pure beaver felt and wear it to the rodeo. I think I will pay the extra $30 and get the chin strap and have it in place in rodeo crowds. I still wear USA-made bareback jeans but a lot looser which means the front pockets are not as secure but should be safe enough since getting a card out of my high-neck top might prove slow and embarrassing.
Joe Riley introduced us to a few good hat makers. See Clint's Hang 'em High hat? https://truewestmagazine.com/great-movie-and-tv-hats/
Some rodeo wear sure has changed since I first went to rodeos in 1985 and since meeting my wife in 2000. Each rodeo we watch on the Cowboy Channel, like the one we are currently watching, Reno Rodeo, can show rodeo fans in the stands wearing some pretty "way out there" clothing. All wife and I can say is, "what the heck is that??". Of course, we like the George Strait look in clothes/hat and how singer Terry Clark looked in a Slicker and black felt hat at a CMA Presentation. Most Breakaways Ropers (lady's event) look great as well does a lot of Barrel Racers. I remember, way back in the mid-to-later 80's, I bought very flashy/colorful long-sleeve western shirt at a Boot Barn. I liked what it looked like on me at the store, but as soon as I put it on at home, well, I ended up taking it back to the store. Today, numerous rodeo fans show up at their local rodeo in anything but western attire. That definitely isn't us! Actually, at one rodeo we watch on the Cowboy Channel, a lady looked like she was wearing an evening gown with high heels on. Now, that we definitely don't understand, but........ At the Reno Rodeo, we were watching last night, the Barrel Clown was making fun of those guys that like to wear shorts down so low their butt-crack is showing. He pulled his Clown shorts down that low, but had clothing on, so nothing showed.
If I were able to attend as a spectator, I would enjoy rodeos but I'd feel pretentious dressing as if I were anything but what I am. I know that some people dress up in jerseys when they attend football games and baseball uniforms to baseball games, but I am not a cowboy, a football player, or a baseball player, so I'd feel silly dressing as if I were. I think most people wear whatever they think might be comfortable, chosen from a wardrobe they already have.
Exactly! Also, it is important for the major rodeos they have near here, to dress comfortably because chances are you will have to walk half a mile from affordable paid parking. Also, the big ones are in the evening so no reason for a hat. I usually wear my sports walking shoes, relaxed-fit jeans, and a tee-shirt. I always take a padded stadium seat.
Five of my friends and I used to go to the Madison Horse Fair. Not quite a rodeo but it got more and more crowded every year and parking around the Colliseum got more and more difficutlt. Last time we decided the next time we went we would bring wheel chairs. We'd form a train and the last one would push till tired and then move to the front chair till we got to the door. Never did go back. We are too old and have all the tack we could ever need.
Just for fun let's see how fans in the heart of the USA wild west ranch, cowboy, rodeo, etc., country dress to attend a rodeo. The Pendelton Roundup is one of the big grand daddys of real rodeo. Rodeo fans from all over the world come to this rodeo. It isn't unusual to see many former rodeo stars in the crowd. Every motel, hotel, camping spot, bed and breakfast, and RV space are full, many booked a year in advance. Pendleton is a "cowboy" town year around. Even in the off-season, you can't stroll the streets without seeing "Let er Buck." A friend (former rancher, champion roper, barrel racer, etc) and I decided to eat at an out-of-the-way back street pizza joint hoping to escape cowboy this and cowboy that at every turn. We noticed pink and blue colored hair tattooed nose ringed college kids going in so we thought, "aw no cowboy shit in here." We entered and joined the line that quickly grew behind us. We noticed the walls were decorated with former roundup cowboy memorabilia. We opted for the "Vaquero" which was just a taco-style pizza. Their combination called "Let er Buck" had too many hard-to-digest meats for an old smooth mouth like me. My friend is lucky to be just a broken mouth at her old age but also suffers digestive problems. After my friend sat, the only seat left next to her was under some old smelly chaps. Waiting for our pizza, we downed a large pitcher of "Happy Canyon" locally brewed beer. I called the young purple-haired lady tagged as management and dressed in short frayed jean shorts belted and buckled (a real barrel racing championship buckle she won) and revealing top, over to point out the weevils were working the old pair of chaps as evident by the crumbs that had fallen on the skirting boards that created a small ledge around the old barn wood that covered the bottom four feet of the wall. She said she would take it up with higher management. I thought, "yeah of course you will." Even though she was a real deal championship barrel racer, she was, as indicated by her belt fastener, lack of concern for sanitation, and skimpy costume, a "buckle bunny." Notice not many "cowboy" hats although most of these die-hard rodeo fans are from rural towns and ranches. Ladies wearing western hats are now going flat brim. I wore a flat brim before the flat brim was cool. I feel a country song coming on.