 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(January 2018) |
The Snake River Stampede is a rodeo held in Nampa, Idaho. It is one of the top twelve professional rodeos recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and is held for five days every year during the third week of July. There are many community events which help kick off the rodeo week. The rodeo was inducted by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2014. [1]
The Snake River Stampede had its humble beginnings as a bucking contest in conjunction with Nampa's harvest festival. The bucking contest was added to the harvest festival in 1913 and it became the "Rodeo and Buck Show." An area was roped off for the contest on the present site of the Nampa Post Office. Spectators watched from behind the ropes, as there were no bleachers. The bucking contest gained in popularity, and other events were added to the show.
By 1937, the rodeo broke away from the autumn harvest festival, and the show moved to summer in July. At this time, the rodeo joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and a new name was chosen. After considering such names as Ski-Hi Rodeo and Thunder Mountain Round Up, rodeo director Ike Corlett chose "Snake River Stampede."
In 1950, a new stadium was built on Garrity Boulevard, directly west of the American Legion baseball stadium (Bill Lofholm Field at Rodeo Park) and north of Lakeview Park. [2] The horseshoe-shaped outdoor stadium opened to the east and seated 10,000. Cowboy singers were brought in to sing at half-time, during the rodeo. Gene Autry was the first of such singers, followed by others, such as Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Rex Allen, and the Sons of the Pioneers.
The era of Cowboy stars died out and country singers were added to the lineup. Performers included Reba McEntire, Glen Campbell, and Barbara Mandrell.
During the 1980s, singers were replaced by more rodeo events, such as team roping, ladies' barrel racing, and bullfighting. Kids' mutton busting was added in the 1990s.
In 1997, a brand new indoor stadium was built in conjunction with the Ford Idaho Center, located just northeast of exit 38 on Interstate 84. The 1950 stadium at the "Stampede Grounds" was demolished and the site is now occupied by The Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho. It is separated from the baseball field by a new street, Stampede Drive, which passes through the area that held the east ends of the north and south grandstands. The open area to the northeast was used for parking and is now Snake River Elementary School. [2]
The stampede went on hiatus in 1917–18, 1942–45 & 2020.
There are many popular events to kick off the week of the Snake River Stampede during Snake River Days. These events are designed to create enthusiasm among residents to see the rodeo. They also create a sense of community in the city.
Equestrianism, commonly known as horse riding or horseback riding, includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the use of horses for practical working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises, and 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. Originally 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 "world's first public cowboy contest" was held on July 4, 1883 in Pecos, Texas, between cattle driver Trav Windham and roper Morg Livingston.
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 buck 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).
Rodeos have long been a popular competitor and spectator sport in Australia, but were not run on an organised basis until the 1880s.
The National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is the premier rodeo competition by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). The NFR showcases the talents of the PRCA's top 15 money-winners in the season for each event.
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the largest rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions events in the United States and Canada, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The PRCA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.
The Raymond Stampede is an annual rodeo that is held in the town of Raymond, Alberta, Canada every 1 July.
History of tracks the lineage of modern Western rodeo.
The All-Around is an award given to a rodeo competitor who is most successful in two or more events. Most individual rodeos and championships determine the winner of this award at the conclusion of the other events or championships.
The NFR Open is an annual championship rodeo event of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) held annually in the United States. The event was previously known as the National Circuit Finals Rodeo (NCFR) from 1987 to 2021, before changing to the NFR Open in 2022. Qualification for the event comes via winning the season title or winning the average title at the regional circuit finals rodeos in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping or bull riding. To qualify, a competitor must compete in one of the 12 PRCA regional American circuits and Canada's Maple Leaf Circuit.
The Greeley Stampede, also known as the Greeley Independence Stampede, is an annual celebration held in Greeley, Colorado. It spans two weekends in July and features Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)-sanctioned rodeo, bull riding and kids' rodeos, country and classic rock concerts, demolition derby, a televised 4th of July parade, Carnival Midway, Western Art Show, free stage entertainment, and loads of festival grounds activities, mixed with food and fun. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame inducted the Greeley Stampede in 2014.
Reg Kesler began his rodeo career at the age of 14 at the Raymond Stampede, competing in the boys steer riding. At the time, it was common for cowboys to compete in many or even all the rodeo events, and Kesler was no exception as he grew into his rodeo career. He participated in all five major rodeo events of the time: saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, tie-down roping and steer decorating, a precursor to steer wrestling. Kesler especially excelled in the roughstock events, namely saddle bronc riding and bareback riding, appearing in the top four in the Canadian standings in those events six times. He was also a successful competitor in the wild cow milking and wild horse racing, an outrider in the chuckwagon racing, and a well-known pick-up man. Kesler was a ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee.
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.
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.
Trevor Brazile is an American rodeo champion who competes in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He holds the record for the most PRCA world champion titles with 26. Brazile won his 26th title in 2020. Brazile also holds the record for the most World All-Around Cowboy Champion titles at 14, breaking the record of 7 titles held by Ty Murray, Murray's last earned was in 1998.
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.
Zeke Thurston is a Canadian professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in saddle bronc riding. He is the 2016 and 2019 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Saddle Bronc Riding World Champion.
The International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) is the second-largest American rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions rodeos in the United States and Canada, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the International Finals Rodeo (IFR), held every January.
The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) is the governing body of professional rodeo in Canada. Its championship event is the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) held every November. The CPRA also tracks its champions in the List of Canadian Rodeo Champions and its hall of fame inductees in the List of Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Inductees.
Coordinates: 43°36′29″N116°30′29″W / 43.60806°N 116.50806°W