Rodeo

For the hamlet in Southwest New Mexico, see Rodeo (New Mexico).

Rodeo is a combination of competitive sport, and performance art, traditionally held in cattle-herding districts in North America, South America and Australia. Competitive events will vary by rodeo but will generally feature calf roping events, bronc riding, bull riding and barrel racing. These are mixed with novelty events like rodeo clown performances and mutton busting, where children hold on to a runaway sheep as long as they can. Small town rodeos often take place over a weekend but major rodeos can last ten days or more.

Events

Bull riding at the Calgary Stampede

Asia

• The only "real" rodeo event in Asia is reportedly Rodeo Masbateño, taking place every April in Masbate, Philippines.

North America

• Rodeo celebrates the lifestyle of the Old West, and is the state sport of Texas, South Dakota and Wyoming.
• Rodeo Houston is the biggest event of the year for the Houston area with not just rodeo events, but livestock shows, chili cookoffs, a carnival midway and big-name concerts every night of the 2-3 week rodeo season (late February - early March)
• The Calgary Stampede, a popular ten-day event held every July in Alberta, is a rodeo, exhibition and festival.
• The Grand National Rodeo, Horse, and Stock Show in Daly City is also a county agricultural fair and popular with an urban audience.
• The National Finals Rodeo, taking place in Las Vegas each December.
• The Pendleton Round-Up, held since 1910, draws 50,000 visitors to the town each September.
• Professional Bull Riders (PBR) runs events solely in the rodeo discipline of bull riding. PBR has three levels of tours in the U.S., with the top level now known as the Unleash the Beast Series. The company also runs national tours in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Australia. The season ends with the PBR World Finals, also held in Las Vegas in late October or early November.

Oceania

• Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo is the largest one in the Southern Hemisphere.

South America

• Festa do Peão de Boiadeiro in Barretos, state of São Paulo is a cowboy festival.

See also

• Horseback riding
• State fair