BARREL RACING

Barrel racing is the only women's event at the Calgary Stampede. As with tie-down roping, barrel racing requires close cooperation and teamwork between horse and rider.

In the barrel racing competition, contestants circle three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. Time is marked with the use of an electronic eye timer. A rider may touch or even move a barrel. However, if she knocks over the barrel, a five-second penalty will be added to her total time.

SADDLE BRONC

Rhythm is the key in this event. The rider moves his feet from the horse’s neck in a full arc toward the back of the saddle in time with the bronc’s action. The cowboy must ride in a saddle built to CPRA specifications with a braided rein connected to the horse’s halter. The cowboy uses this rein for balance. Where a cowboy holds onto the rein is very important. If he takes too short of rein, he will be pulled over the front, too long he may be bucked off the back.

The rider will be disqualified for touching any part of the horse or his equipment with his free hand, losing a stirrup or being bucked off before the end of the eight-second ride.

STEER WRESTLING

Timing, coordination and strength are prerequisites for a steer wrestler. The steer wrestler starts behind a barrier, which is a rope stretched across the front of the starting box that is tripped by the steer crossing the score line giving it a head start. If the steer wrestler does not allow the steer a fair head start, a penalty of 10 seconds is added to his time. The steer wrestler's horse is trained to run by as the steer wrestler reaches for the steer. The steer wrestler then grabs the steer's left horn, taking the right horn in the crook of his right elbow. As his feet hit the ground, with his legs extended forward, he slides the steer to a halt. (The steer must be on its feet before being thrown.)

Using his left hand as leverage under the steer's jaw, and the momentum of the running steer, the steer is rolled to the ground. The steer must be flat on its side with all four legs extended on the same side before the official time is taken. This event requires an extra horse ridden by a hazer, who keeps the steer running as straight as possible. Control and speed are required from both horses as they wait for their cue to start, then cover about 46 metres in four seconds from a standing start.

TIE-DOWN ROPING

Tie-down roping is the most technical event in rodeo. It takes long hours of practice to perfect both the roper's and the horse's skills.

The roper is positioned behind a rope barrier in the starting box until the tie-down animal crosses the score line. The length of the scoreline is the head start given to the tie-down animal. Not allowing the required head start will break the rope barrier and adds 10 seconds to a roper's time.

After roping the tie-down animal, the cowboy must run down his rope and lay the animal down by hand. If the tie-down animal is down when he reaches it, he must allow the tie-down animal to get up then lay it down. The roper ties three of the tie-down animal's legs with a piggin string - usually two wraps and a half hitch. The tie must hold for six seconds after the roper calls for the time and slackens the rope. The tie-down roper's horse is all-important. The horse must gauge the speed of the animal, stop on cue in a single stride, then hold the rope taut while the roper runs to the tie-down animal. A solid true-working horse is difficult to find and commands a high price.

A tie-down roper is disqualified for jerking the tie-down animal straight over backwards and fined for using unnecessary roughness.