by Native Gemini

Created on: August 15, 2009   Last Updated: August 16, 2009

The fun and excitement a rodeo brings when it comes to town has been felt by many, especially those in rural areas where there are fewer entertainment choices. There is always so much to see and do at a rodeo. Some rodeos will have seperate concession areas that offer different food choices, merchandise tables with an array of goods from hats and shirts to flags and dog collars, mechanical bull rides and other carnival like games and even face painting or pony rides for the kids. Viewing the riding events ranks higher than all the extra attractions and really is the essence of the rodeo, with Bull Riding being the main attraction. In addition to riding angry bulls, most rodeos also feature Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding and Barrel Racing, the latter being the only one preformed on a trained or broke horse. Three rodeo riding events (Bull Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding and Bareback Riding) are referred to as rough-stock events and employ pick-up men to help keep the participants safe. Pick-up men are seasoned cowboys with well trained horses that are on hand and mounted inside the arena during rough-stock competition. There are usually two, sometimes three, pick-up men during an event. Their job includes, herding the stock out of the arena after an event, helping to free trapped or hung up competitors and picking up bronc or bareback riders by paralleling the bronc/bareback horse and allowing the rider to slide onto their horse, hence picking them up.

Bull Riding is, traditionally, the final event at most rodeos, the event that poses the most immediate danger and a crowd favorite. The main objective, for a successful ride, is for the bull rider to stay on the bull for a full count of eight seconds. The rider can only use one hand to hold on with, which is strapped to the bull with a bull-rope. The rider is not allowed to touch the bull with their free hand during the ride. If the rider does use their free hand it will result in a 'no score' or disqualification. The bull-rope is a wide long rope used, in unison with rosin, by the bull rider and is situated around the upper half of the bull's body and is tightened as much as possible around the bull riders hand. The tightness and the sticky rosin will help the rider hold on as best possible during the ride. Once the bull-rope is on the bull and the rider is ready, the chute will be pulled open by a separate person. Once the chute opens, the ride begins, most often with an angry bull, lunging and jumping with

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