Rodeo 101 - Rodeo Dictionary
Words and Terms - Common to the Sport of Rodeo
- ADDED MONEY
- An additional amount of money, which is provided by the rodeo committee or another sponsor, which is combined with entry fees as total prize money for each rodeo event.
- AVERAGE
- The cumulative total of each ride at a rodeo divided by the number of rides during the rodeo. The cowboy with the highest average earns additional money at designated rodeos.
- BARREL MAN
- Clown that entertains the audience from his barrel in the arena – this person also assists the bullfighters during the bull riding event, using the barrel as a distraction & shield.
- BARRIER
- A rope, which is stretched across the front of the timed event area, that allows a calf or steer a head start. The contestant's horse cannot cross the barrier prior to the stock crossing the score line. A 10-second penalty is added to the time of a contestant who breaks the barrier.
- BREAKING THE BARRIER
- When a contestant rides across or breaks the barrier before the animal has a head-start. Breaking the barrier adds a 10-second penalty to the contestant's time.
- BULL FIGHTER
- The person in the arena during the bull riding event with the job of protecting the cowboy and distracting the bull to either help the cowboy get a higher score or to help the cowboy safely dismount the bull and exit the arena following the ride.
- BULL ROPE
- A flat rope with a bell attached to it. The bull rider holds on to this rope, which is wrapped around the bull's body and just behind the front legs of the bull.
- CATCH AS CATCH CAN
- Phrase used in tie-down roping to describe rule that allows the cowboy to legally rope any portion of a calf's body be fore moving to the ground to tie the calf.
- CHAMPION
- The term used to describe the winner of an event or the contestant earning the most money at the end of a rodeo – also used as the end-of-year title for a full rodeo season.
- COWBOY-UP
- The term used by cowboys to indicate the need to increase an individual’s efforts and ability in order to overcome a particular obstacle or challenging situation.
- DALLY
- Looping the rope around the saddle horn after the animal has been caught.
- ENTRY FEE
- The amount of money paid by the contestant for the right to compete at a rodeo. Entry fees from each cowboy in an event are combined to form the prize money at a rodeo. Some entry fees are combined with added money to increase the prize money for a rodeo.
- FLAGMAN
- Rodeo official, normally on horseback, who signals for the timer to stop the clock.
- FLANK STRAP
- A padded strap placed in front of a horse or bull’s hind legs to create a slight irritation to initiate bucking action. A flank strap would be similar to a belt worn by humans.
- HAZER
- The cowboy that rides on the opposite side of the steer and keeps the steer running straight down the arena to assist the contestant during the steer wrestling event.
- HEADER
- The cowboy that ropes the steer around the horns, head, or neck in team roping.
- HEELER
- The cowboy that ropes the hind legs of the steer in team roping.
- HONDA
- The small round part at the end of a rope that allows the open end of the rope to pass through to form a loop used in the roping events.
- HUNG UP
- A rider that is still attached to a horse or bull after dismounting from the animal.
- I.P.R.A.
- International Professional Rodeo Association.
- JUST RIGHT
- The term used by cowboys to indicate that everything is going as planned.
- NHSRA
- National High School Rodeo Association
- NIRA
- National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
- NO TIME
- The term used in rodeo to indicate that a cowboy/cowgirl has gone of course, broken a rule, or exceeded the time limit for an event and therefore will not receive a time for that event.
- OVER THE DASHBOARD
- When the rider is thrown over the front end of an animal.
- P.B.R.
- Professional Bull Riders.
- PICK-UP MAN
- The cowboy on horseback who assists the bareback and saddle bronc riders to safely dismount their horse following a qualified 8-second ride.
- P.R.C.A.
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
- PRIZE MONEY
- The money paid to the winner of each rodeo event. The total of entry fees combined with any added money.
- RE-RUN or RERIDE
- A second run by a contestant - after a rodeo judge has ruled the contestant did not have a fair chance to score points the first time out.
- RODEO
- A Spanish word used to indicate the round-up of cattle and the term commonly used to indicate a public exhibition of cowboy skills.
- RODEO SECRETARY
- The person responsible for collecting entry fees, recording official times/scores, paying prize money to contestants, and reports the results of the rodeo to the organization that sanctions the rodeo. Secretary usually also works as a timer.
- ROUGH STOCK EVENTS
- The three events at a rodeo, which are judged by two official judges and consist of saddle bronc, bareback, and bull riding events.
- STOCK CONTRACTOR
- The person or group that provides the livestock used at the rodeo.
- TIMED EVENTS
- The four events at a rodeo, which are timed and ranked according to the fastest time and consist of calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, and barrel racing
- TIMERS
- Two people officially designated for recording a contestant's time for (Timed Events) calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, and barrel racing. The timer blows the whistle or horn to signify eight seconds during the (Rough Stock) saddle bronc, bareback, and bull riding events.
- WPRA
- Women’s Professional Rodeo Association