Pickup rider

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Pickup riders assisting a cowboy after his successful ride concludes Last Chance Stampede 2013 06.JPG
Pickup riders assisting a cowboy after his successful ride concludes
A pickup rider (at left) waiting to assist a falling bronc rider Last Chance Stampede and Fair 2012 (7664521226).jpg
A pickup rider (at left) waiting to assist a falling bronc rider

A pickup rider is a person on horseback who works at a rodeo in the rough stock competitions of bull riding, saddle bronc and bareback riding. [1] Pickup riders play an important role in assisting rodeo riders and increasing the safety of competitors.

Usually working in teams of two, the most important job of a pickup rider is to help the competitor at the end of his/her ride by riding next to the bucking horse, allowing the competitor to safely get off of the bucking animal, usually by grabbing the pickup rider or the pickup rider providing stability while the competitor jumps or swings free. If a competitor becomes tangled or caught up in the equipment, a pickup rider may assist the competitor in getting free. If a competitor falls off, the pickup rider may help herd the animal away from the fallen rider.

The general pattern is for one pickup rider to take charge of helping the competitor while the other stays near the horse to remove the flank strap from the bucking animal and herd it out of the arena. If necessary, pickup riders can rope the animal and lead it out if the animal is reluctant to leave the arena.

In the case of bull riding, the competitors are primarily assisted by the rodeo clown who helps protect the rider from the bull. However, in rodeos in the United States and Canada, riders on horseback are still present; once the competitor has gotten off the bull, voluntarily or otherwise, the pickup riders may haze the bull from the arena, lassoing it if needed, working with the bullfighters to keep the animal from hurting people on the ground.

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Rodeo Competitive sport

Rodeo is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States, western Canada, and northern Mexico. Today, it is a sporting event that involves horses and other livestock, designed to test the skill and speed of the cowboys and cowgirls. American-style professional rodeos generally comprise the following events: tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding and barrel racing. The events are divided into two basic categories: the rough stock events and the timed events. Depending on sanctioning organization and region, other events such as breakaway roping, goat tying, and pole bending may also be a part of some rodeos. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the "worlds first public cowboy contest" was held on July 4, 1883 in, Pecos Texas between cattle driver Trav Windham and roper Morg Livingston.

Cowboy Traditional ranch worker in North America

A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of special significance and legend. A subtype, called a wrangler, specifically tends the horses used to work cattle. In addition to ranch work, some cowboys work for or participate in rodeos. Cowgirls, first defined as such in the late 19th century, had a less-well documented historical role, but in the modern world work at identical tasks and have obtained considerable respect for their achievements. Cattle handlers in many other parts of the world, particularly South America and Australia, perform work similar to the cowboy.

Bull riding

Bull riding is a rodeo sport that involves a rider getting on a bucking bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal tries to buck off the rider.

Bronc riding

Bronc riding, either bareback bronc or saddle bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding a bucking horse that attempts to throw or buck off the rider. Originally based on the necessary horse breaking skills of a working cowboy, the event is now a highly stylized competition that utilizes horses that often are specially bred for strength, agility, and bucking ability. It is recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA).

Bodacious (bull) American bucking bull

Bodacious #J-31 was a bucking bull. He was known throughout the rodeo sport of bull riding as "the world's most dangerous bull." He was also known as "the greatest bull ever to buck." During his rodeo career he was the 1994 and 1995 Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year, as well as the 1995 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull. He and Bruiser are the only bulls who have won bucking bull world championship titles in both organizations. Bodacious is most well known for his serious injury to bull riding icon Tuff Hedeman. Coincidentally, Hedeman is the only rider to win the world champion bull rider title in both organizations as well. Not long after, Bodacious also seriously injured Scott Breding. His owner, Sammy Andrews, then retired Bodacious. In 1999, Bodacious was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, and in 2017 into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. In 2019, the PBR inducted Bodacious into the Brand of Honor, which is part of the PBR’s Heroes and Legends Celebration, the PBR's unique way of honoring outstanding individuals and livestock in the sport of rodeo. For a bucking bull, this is the highest honor he can receive in the sport of bull riding.

Cutting (sport) Western-style equestrian competition

Cutting is a western-style equestrian competition in which a horse and rider work together before a judge or panel of judges to demonstrate the horse's athleticism and ability to handle cattle. Modern competition utilizes a 2+12 minute performance, called a "run." Each contestant is assisted by four helpers: two are designated as turnback riders, who help to keep cattle from running off to the back of the arena, the other two are designated as herd holders to keep the cattle bunched together and prevent potential strays from escaping into the work area. Cutting cattle are typically young steers and heifers that customarily range in size from 400 to 650 lb. They usually are of Angus or Hereford lineage though may be a mix of crossbred beef cattle, including Charolais or Brahman lineage.

Goat tying

Goat tying is a rodeo event typically seen in youth, high school and college rodeos, in which the participant rides to a tethered goat, dismounts, catches, throws, and ties any three of its legs together. The goat must stay tied for six seconds after the contestant has backed away from the animal. If the goat becomes untied before six seconds have passed, the rider receives no score. A participant may be disqualified for undue roughness while handling the goat, touching the goat after the tie, or after signaling completion of the tie, or the contestant's horse coming in contact with the goat or tether while the contestant has control of the horse.

Muster (livestock) Animal husbandry practice

A muster (Au/NZ) or a roundup (US) is the process of gathering livestock. Musters usually involve cattle, sheep or horses, but may also include goats, camels, buffalo or other animals. Mustering may be conducted for a variety of reasons including routine livestock health checks and treatments, branding, shearing, lamb marking, sale, feeding and transport or droving to another location. Mustering is a long, difficult and sometimes dangerous job, especially on the vast Australian cattle stations of the Top End, 'The Falls' (gorge) country of the Great Dividing Range and the ranches of the western United States. The group of animals gathered in a muster is referred to as a "mob" in Australia and a "herd" in North America.

Bucking

Bucking is a movement performed by an animal in which it lowers its head and raises its hindquarters into the air while kicking out with the hind legs. It is most commonly seen in herbivores such as equines, cattle, deer, goats, and sheep. Most research on this behavior has been directed towards horses and cattle.

Mechanical bull

A mechanical bull, also known as a bucking machine, is a device that replicates the sensation of riding a bucking animal, such as a rodeo bull or horse popularized by Sherwood Cryer. It is usually powered by a variable-speed electric motor. Padded flooring is often installed around the equipment in order to reduce the likelihood of injury to those thrown off it.

Western riding

Western riding is considered a style of horse riding which has evolved from the ranching and welfare traditions which were brought to the Americans by the Spanish Conquistadors, as well as both equipment and riding style which evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West. At the time, American cowboys had to work long hours in the saddle and often over rough terrain, sometimes having to rope a cattle using a lariat, also known as a lasso. Because of the necessity to control the horse with one hand and use a lariat with the other, western horses were trained to neck rein, that is, to change direction with light pressure of a rein against the horse's neck. Horses were also trained to exercise a certain degree of independence in using their natural instincts to follow the movements of a cow, thus a riding style developed that emphasized a deep, secure seat, and training methods encouraged a horse to be responsive on very light rein contact.

Bareback riding

Bareback riding is a form of horseback riding without a saddle. It requires skill, balance, and coordination, as the rider does not have any equipment to compensate for errors of balance or skill.

Women in rodeo

Historically, women have long participated in the rodeo. Annie Oakley created the image of the cowgirl in the late 19th century, and, in 1908, a 10-year-old girl was dubbed the first cowgirl after demonstrating her roping skills at Madison Square Garden. Women were celebrated competitors in bronc and bull riding events in the early decades of the 20th century until a female bronc rider died in a 1929 rodeo. Her death fueled the growing opposition to female competitors in rodeo; their participation was severely curtailed thereafter.

Stock contractor

A stock contractor is an individual or business that provides animals for rodeo competition. Stock contractors supply roughstock - horses for saddle bronc and bareback bronc riding and bulls for the bull riding event, plus steers for steer wrestling and team roping, plus calves for calf roping events. Use of stock contractors who specialize in providing these animals has produced a more uniform range of bucking stock which are also quieter to handle.

The Heart of the North Rodeo is located in Spooner, Wisconsin. The Rodeo takes place the first full weekend in July every year since 1954, except 2020. Spooner Rodeo fans will always see a different act every night, as each rodeo is never the same. Fans from all over come to watch the professional cowboys and cowgirls compete in the 7 main events of rodeo, and even some up and coming little cowboys and cowgirls.

Bucking bull

A bucking bull is a bull used in American rodeo bull riding competition. They are usually a Brahman crossed with another breed, weighing 1,500 pounds or more, selected for their tendency to "leap, plunge and spin" when a human is on its back. Circa mid-20th century breeders began selecting bulls for bad temperament, that would buck when ridden. Many of the best bucking bulls trace their lineage to bulls owned by Charlie Plummer of Oklahoma. These are known as Plummer bulls.

Bucking horse Untrained horse or a horse that habitually bucks

A bucking horse is any breed or gender of horse with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock.

Tornado (bull) American bucking bull

Tornado was a bucking bull. He has been inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and the Bull Riding Hall of Fame inductee.He went to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) at least four times. He was voted Bucking Bull of the NFR four times consecutively from 1962 to 1965. Owned by rodeo champion Jim Shoulders, Tornado was named the "meanest bull alive" at the NFR four times. Tornado is best known for his matchup with ProRodeo Hall of Fame bull rider, Freckles Brown, which is most often referred to as "The Ride." It was Brown who, in 1967, broke Tornado's undefeated streak of 220 buckoffs in six years. Tornado, Brown, and Shoulders all have been recorded in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture maintained online by the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Miniature bull riding is a rodeo sport that involves a youth rider getting on a miniature bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider. It is bull riding on a smaller scale, as both the bull and the rider are smaller than in professional rodeo. All competitors are under age 18.

References

  1. Lawrence, E. A. (1984). Rodeo: An anthropologist looks at the wild and the tame. University of Chicago Press.

See also