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  • DSRA Info, News, & Events
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    • Events
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Event Descriptions

ROUGH STOCK EVENTS

Mounted on top or standing beside an animal many times their size and  weight, it's contestant against beast. In these events, the contestant  attempts to out balance or out maneuver the animal's natural instinct to  rid itself of an unusual weight on its back or to escape from the  clutches of the contestant. These events require a great deal of skill  and experience before a contestant can become a champion. Many IGRA  sanctioned rodeos will hold rodeo schools before a rodeo or during the  year, where experienced competitors can give the new contestant good  instruction and suggestions as to how to improve.  

Bull Riding

The ultimate event of the rodeo, Bull Riding, is an advanced version of  Steer Riding, but with a one-half ton more beef to contend with and the  added danger that many bulls turn back on the rider and attempt to get  even for having their routine disrupted. Guaranteed, once you are on the  bull and the gate opens, few riders ever leave this event without being  slammed to the ground and scurrying for cover, as the Bull Fighter  moves in to save the cowboy or cowgirl. 

Bareback Bronc Riding

In 2012, Bareback Bronc Riding was changed to an "optional" event. Due  to the expense of bringing broncs and the small number of competitors in  this event, most associations no longer offer Bareback Bronc Riding at  their rodeos.


A specially designed collection of leather and cinches used for this  event is called a "bareback riggin." Compared to the bull rope, this one  is really tied on to the animal and has a built-in hand hold. Another  difference is that the rider must start the ride with both of his or her  feet extended forward over the horse's shoulders and on the first leap  out of the chute, "rake" backwards toward the horse's rump. If the rider  misses this, called "marking out", it does not matter how great the  rest of the ride is, he or she will receive a DQ. If the rider is lucky  enough to make the 6 seconds, he or she may be plucked to safety as the  two "pick-up men" move in and attempt to rescue the rider from his or  her bucking mount. Contestants may elect to ride two-handed from start  to finish, but will also receive a lower score. 


Bareback Bronc Riding was removed from the list of approved events at the 2018 IGRA Convention in Salt Lake City. 

Steer Riding

This is a good beginner's event, but it's not as easy as it looks.  Steers are male cattle which have been castrated. The rider has a "bull  rope" wound around the animal just behind the front legs and then around  the rider's hand; no knots are allowed. This hand hold and the riders  legs, wrapped around the animal, are all the rider has to count on to  stay on top. A rider who is able to spur, or move their legs back and  forth on the animal's sides, will receive a higher score.  

Chute Dogging

This event is designed to give even the novice a chance to compete in  rough stock events. The steer and the contestant both start in the  bucking chute and face a 60-second time limit. When the chute gate  opens, the contestant must bring the steer out to a 10-foot line in  front of the chute, and then attempt to wrestle, or "dog" the steer to  the ground. The contestant will turn the steer's head up and toward the  steer's shoulder, hoping the steer will fall over on its other shoulder,  causing all four feet to point in the same direction as the head was  turned. If the steer is contrary and falls the other way, it is termed a  "dog fall" and the contestant can either attempt to turn the head the  same direction or let the steer up and start over. In this event either  the contestant "dogs" or gets "dogged." 

Roping Events

Gay rodeo presents three roping events with one designed for beginners.  The other two can be costly, because your success depends on a very good  horse. Many roping horses sell for $10,000 and up. These events always  begin with the contestant in a "roping box." An imaginary start line  runs across the front of the roping box and the chute where the calf or  steer is held. Should the contestant cross this line, called the  "barrier", before the calf or steer clears the chute, a 10-second  penalty is added on to the contestant's time. 

Calf Roping on Foot

This is the second step in a roper's career. Most beginning ropers  practice on fence posts or other stationary objects and then move in to  the arena with a live animal. The contestant stands in the roping box  and when the calf is released, attempts to throw the loop over the  calf's head. Once the loop passes over the calf's head, the contestant  must pull up the slack in the rope. 

Break-Away Roping

The roper is mounted on horseback with one end of his or her rope tied  to the saddle horn by a piece of string. When the calf is released from  the chute, the roper will be in hot pursuit with lasso swirling above  his or her head. When the loop is thrown, it must pass completely over  the calf's head. As the calf pulls away from the rider and horse, the  rope grows taut and will break away from the saddle horn. 

Team Roping

Hours of hard work go into the training for this event. This event is  loaded with hazards, such as collisions, entanglements, and worst of  all, possible loss of fingers. The team consists of two ropers and two  well-trained horses. One roper is called the "header" and his or her  responsibility is to catch the steer by the horns while the teammate,  called the "heeler," has the responsibility of catching the steer's back  legs, or heels. When the header makes the catch, he or she must wind  the rope around the saddle horn, called "dallying off," and turning the  steer away from himself causes the steer's heels to fly in the air for  the heeler's loop to catch. When both ropers have been successful in  their tasks, they must turn their horses to face the steer and pull  their ropes taut. 

Camp Events

Whenever a group of cowhands get together for a good time, hell is going  to be raised! Cowhands generally have their own definition of fun and  challenge. After a few beers and some serious ego pumping, it is amazing  what a group of hands can come up with! Prerequisites for participation  are a willingness to eat dirt and the ability to hold your own with an  ornery steer or goat. Sixty percent of gay contestants get their start  in these three events and the old-timers stay in because the payoffs (or  winnings) are the best of all events. 

Steer Decorating

This event requires a two-person team. One member stands ten feet from  the chute gate holding the end of a 25 foot rope, which is looped around  the steer's horns. The other team member stands 40 feet from the chute  and has a 24-inch long ribbon. When the chute gate opens, the team must  bring the steer out and across the ten-foot line. One team member tries  to tie the ribbon on the steer's tail while the other team member tries  to remove the rope from the steer's horns. When the ribbon is on the  tail and the loop is off the horns, the ribbon-tier must tag the timer. 

Wild Drag Race

The Wild Drag Race is an audience favorite all across the IGRA rodeo  circuit. Even though the competition is serious and the payoff sizable, a  large number of competitors also believe this to be a very entertaining  event for the audience. The drag costumes come from "Goodwill" stores,  from second-hand stores, and many from raiding mom's closet. A team is made up of one male, one female, one "drag" (either male or  female), and one wild steer. The steer, with a halter and a 25-foot lead  rope, is in a bucking chute at the beginning of the event. The cowgirl  holds the rope and the cowboy and drag stand 40 feet from the chute.  When the chute gate opens, the team tries to direct (or harass) the  steer toward the finish line, which is 70 feet from the chute. They must  get the steer across the finish line, mount the "drag," and then ride  back across the finish line.  The "drag" must be mounted on the steer  before the steer starts back across the finish line and must stay on the  steer until all four feet of the steer have crossed back across the  finish line. Sounds easy, but the "drag" may get bucked off several  times before the event is ever completed!  

Goat Dressing

This two-person event was created specially for gay rodeo. The team  stands 50 feet from the point where the goat is tethered. One of the  team members has a pair of jockey-style underwear worn over their  forearms. When the whistle sounds, the team runs to the goat. The team  member without the underwear picks up the goat's rear hooves, grabs the  underwear from around the other member's arms, and pulls it up the legs  of the goat. Both team members must then race back to the start/finish  line and cross the finish line to stop the time. The underwear must stay  over the goat's tail bone until the timer is tagged by both members.  

Wild Cow Milking

 

Gay rodeos no longer have the wild cow milking event. 


It was discontinued in 1986 and replaced with the Wild Drag Race. This video is of a straight event held in Wichita Falls in 2014.


As IGRA rodeos began to run throughout the year, it became  increasingly difficult to find cows that would give milk for all rodeos.  Cows only give milk when they have young calves. Most calves are born  in the spring and after the calf is weened the cow ceases to produce  milk.


In Gay rodeo, this event involved 3 people, a female, a male, and a  third person dressed in drag. Similar to the Wild Drag race, the team  must control the cow, but rather than riding the cow, they must milk her  of at least 2 drops of milk then race back, tag the timer and show the  judge the milk. In the gay rodeo version of this event, all the  contestants were on foot, not riding horses as shown in this video. 

Speed events

Speed and agility are two highly prized qualities in these contestant's  horses. These three speed events pit the horse, under the skillful hand  of its rider, against the clock. Negotiating the prescribed pattern is a  test of the rider's skill and the horse's speed and agility. A running  start is permitted in these events and the fastest time wins.  

Barrel Race

Contestants vie for the fastest time in running a 3 point, cloverleaf  pattern around three barrels. The horse and rider are allowed a running  start and time begins and ends upon crossing a visible starting line. A  5-second penalty is assessed for knocking over a barrel. The pattern can  be started either from the left or right, and contestants that go off  the prescribed course are disqualified. 

Pole Bending

In this event, horse and rider compete for fastest time working a linear  pattern through six equally spaced poles. The poles must be at least 6  feet in height and spaced 21 feet apart. A running start is allowed and a  5-second penalty will be assessed for knocking a pole down, and  disqualification will take place if the team goes off course. 

Flag Race

A triangular pattern similar to that of the barrel race is used, with  the substitution of a pole in place of barrel number three. The two  other barrels will have a bucket that is 3/4 full of rabbit pellets  placed on top of it, and a flag in one of these buckets. The rider may  choose to run to the right or left and as they pass the first barrel,  they pick up the flag, race past the pole, back to the second barrel,  and attempt to place the flag in the second bucket. If the rider knocks  over the first bucket or the pole, a 5-second penalty will be assessed.  If the rider does not pick up the flag or misses the second bucket, no  time will be given. If the second bucket or barrel are knocked over, the  rider is disqualified. Sounds easy, but try this at 30 plus miles per  hour! 

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