Stampede Rodeo barrel racer (©Watson Rodeo Photos, Inc.)

Sherry Cervi while clenching the world title in 2010 ran the pattern in a blazing 13.49 seconds at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Barrel racing is just that - a race against the clock in a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels set in the arena. A rider can choose to begin the pattern to the right or the left. The time begins when the horse and rider cross the predetermined start line and stops when they come back across the same line. Each run is timed to the hundredths of a second, making every fraction of a second count. Each tipped over barrel adds a five second penalty to the time. Although barrel racing is one of seven events common to most PRCA - sanctioned rodeos, it is administered by a separate organization, the Women's Professional Rodeo Association.

A contestant competing in the Bareback Riding event
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The highest score ever in the bareback riding is 94 points accomplished by 3 cowboys, Wes Stevenson, Will Lowe, and Ryan Gray. In 2010 Bobby Mote was crowned the world champion at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bareback riding is one of the most physically demanding events in rodeo. A bareback rider sits directly on a bucking horse, with only his won "riggin" to hang onto. As the horse comes out of the chute, the cowboy's feet must be above the break of the horse's shoulders. he holds his feet up at least through the horse's first move, usually a jump, then spurs the horse on each jump, matching the horse's rhythm and showing control rather than flopping around. he may not touch the horse, his equipment or himself with his free hand. If the ride lasts eight seconds, two judges award up to 25 points each for the cowboy's "exposure" to the strength of the horse and his spurring technique and up to 25 points each for the horse's bucking strenght and moves. Therefore, it takes not only an outstanding ride but an outstanding horse to score in the eighties.

A contestant waits for the slack to run out in the Tie Down event
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The world record for the tie down roping is Ricky Canton with a 6.3 second run in Strathmore Alberta in 2005. Trevor Brazile was crowned the 2010 world champion in December at the National Finals Rodeo.

Tie Down roping has evolved directly from the cowboy's work on the range. To start this sprinting event, the tie-down roper and his horse back into the box: the cowboy carries a rope in one hand a a "piggin string" in his mouth. When the cowboy nods, the chute opens and the calf gets a head start. The cowboy throws a loop over its head; his horse stops and pulls the rope taut while the cowboy jumps off, dashes down the rope, lays the calf on the ground and uses the piggin string to tie any three of its legs together. Then he lifts his hands to show he is finished, and the field flag judge drops a flag to stop the clock. The horse is trained to keep the rope taut until the cowboy remounts and moves the horse toward the calf, giving the rope slack. If the calf's legs stay tied correctly for six seconds, it's a qualified run ad the flagging time stands. There is a time limit of 30 seconds although any time under 9 seconds is considered a good run.

A team ropes their steer in the Team Roping event
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The world record holders are Chad Masters/Jade Corkill roped a steer in 3.3 seconds at the 2009 National Finals Rodeo. is the most popular event for contestants and competion in the world. Trevor Brazile and Patrick Smith were crowned the 2010 world champions in December at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Team Roping originated on the working cattle ranches of the west, cattle were often roped in this manner for care and treatment, this method is still used today and team roping has become the most popular rodeo event for contestants and competion. Team Roping is the only event that is a team event involving a header and a heeler. The header starts behind a barrier string, starting line, the steer is released and the header must catch the steer one of three ways around the horns, half head (head and one horn) or around the neck, once caught the header must then dally to the saddle horn and turn the steer in 90 degree angle this is when the heeler comes in to catch both hind legs. The header must then turn his horse and face the heeler with the steer in a direct line between them this is called facing and this is the completion of the run. Penalties can be assessed 2 ways if the heeler only catches one leg a 5 second penalty will be assessed and/or if the header breaks the barrier the team will be assessed a 10 second penalty. Team roping time limit is 30 seconds but a good run in under 8 seconds.

A bull blasts out of the chute during the Bull Riding event.
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The world record is held by Wade Leslie scoring a perfect 100 points on Wolfman in Central Point, Oregon in 1991. J.W. Harris was crowned as the 2010 world champion in December at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas Nevada.

Bull Riding is the most dangerous and the most exciting of all of the rodeo events with increasing popularity every day. In the chute, the bull rider settles on the bull's back (these rodeo animal athletes are fast, powerful, and can weigh as much as a ton) the cowboy wraps his braided rope around the bull's girth, then loops the rope around his hand and back into his palm so he can grip it tightly. When he nods, the gate is opened and the bull lunges out of the chute. Spurring is optional - the primary goal is to stay on for eight seconds without touching himself, his equipment or the bull with his free hand. The cowboy will be scored highly for staying in the middle of the bull, in full control of the ride. If the ride lasts the required eight second, it is scored by two judges who assess difficulty ( the bull's spinning, jumping and kicking, lunging, rearing and dropping, and side to side motion) as well as the cowboy's degree of control. Each judge awards up to 25 points for the cowboy's performance and up to 25 points for the animals performance, for a potential of 100 points.

A steer wrestler dismounts during the Steer Wrestling event.
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The fastest time ever recorded in the steer wrestling is 2.4 seconds held by 4 different cowboys Jim Bynum, Todd Whatley, Gene Melton, and Carl Deaton this record was set in 1976 and although many have come close no one seems to beat it. Dean Gorsuch was crowned the 2010 world champion in December at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Steer wrestling demands coordination between two mounted cowboys - the contestant and the hazer who controls the steer's direction - and their horses. The cowboys back their horses into the box on each side of the steer. When the contestant nods, the chute gate opens and the steer gets a head start before the cowboys start to chase him. As the steer wrestler draws even, he dismounts from his horse, which is moving at perhaps 30 miles an hour. He grasps the steer's horns and digs his boot heels into the dirt to slow down the 500 to 600 pound steer. Then he wrestles the steer onto its side; when all four legs point in the same direction, the clock stops. The steer wrestler has 60 seconds to accomplish this although a good run is 5 seconds or less.

A rider in the Saddle Bronc Riding event.
(©Watson Rodeo Photos, Inc.)

The world record is 95 points and held by Doug Vold and Glen O'Neill. In 2010 Cody Wright was crowned as the world champion at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The classic event in rodeo, saddle bronc riding evolved long before rodeo. Cowboys of yesterday would compete on tough broncs when their outfits met. Breaking and training horses to work and for transportation, was part of the Old West.

The saddle bronc rider sits on a specialized saddle - it has no horn, and the stirrups are set forward. In the chute, the cowboy adjusts his grip on the rein and perhaps the horse's position. When the gate opens, his boots must be above the break of the horse's shoulder. After the horse's first move, usually a jump,the cowboy begins spurring in long, smooth strokes, in sync with the horse's jumps - legs straight when the bronc comes down, toward the back of the saddle at the top of the jump. His only handhold is a six-foot braided rope; his free hand may not touch his equipment, his body, or the horse. If the ride lasts the required eight seconds, it is scored by two judges - one on each side - who assess difficulty and control Each judge awards up to 25 points for the cowboy's performance and up to 25 points for the animal's performance, for a potential 100 points.