Facts about Rodeos

Some cowboys and cowgirls travel to more than one hundred professional rodeos in a year.

There are six major pro rodeo events: saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling and ladies barrel racing.

Bucking broncos usually weigh between 1000 and 1500 pounds. Bulls, the real heavyweights, tip the scales between 1500 and 2000 pounds.

Rodeo cowboys (bareback, saddle bronc, bull riders) must ride their horses or bulls for eight full seconds to be scored.

In pro rodeo, only women compete in the barrel racing. If they knock over a barrel, the racers are penalized five seconds.

Steer wrestlers and calf ropers must give a steer or calf a head start, or they'll be penalized 10 seconds.

Rodeo clowns (bullfighters) protect bull riders from irate bulls by distracting the animals, often moving between the bull and the bull rider once he's off the bull.

Stock contractors provide the animals used at rodeos, and are an important facet of the sport. Many horses and bulls are better known than some cowboys are.

The Little Britches Rodeo allows boys between nine and 14 to compete in senior events and boys under nine fit into the junior category. These events usually include steer riding, novice saddle bronc riding, novice bareback riding and team roping.