Rodeo Terminology
Breaking the barrier: in the timed events, if the rider leaves the box too soon – failing to give the animal enough of a head start – he is assessed a 10-second penalty
Bulldogger: a steer wrestler
Bullfighter: two athletes who protect the bull rider after he dismounts by distracting the bull and directing its attention to the exit gate, sometimes stepping between the bull and the bull rider
Calf roper: a tie-down roper
Chute: a pen that holds an animal safely in position
Covering: staying on for at least the minimum time, eight seconds; “He covered all three broncs he rode last weekend.”
Crossfire penalty: in team roping, if the header doesn’t change the direction of the steer before the heeler catches, the run is disqualified
Drop: in roughstock events, the way a bucking horse or bull may lower its front end suddenly while kicking out in back, creating a more difficult ride; in timed events, the way a calf or steer may lower its head to avoid a catch
Flank strap: A soft sheepskin- or Neoprene-lined strap placed in the area where a human’s belt would go, it encourages the animal to kick out behind itself rather than rear up, which provides a safer, showier ride
Gold Card member, life member: A 10-year, dues-paying member of the PRCA who has reached his 50th birthday, or a 20-year dues-paying member of any age
Hazer: in steer wrestling, the cowboy who rides on the other side of the steer from the contestant to make sure the steer runs straight
Header/heeler: the two partners in team roping – the header throws the first rope, over the animal’s head or horns, and the heeler throws the second rope to catch the steer’s hind legs
Hooey: the knot that a cowboy uses to finish tying the calf’s legs together in tie-down roping
Left (or right) delivery: many bucking animals prefer to stand in the chute facing a particular direction, so they can leave the chute in the direction they prefer
Mark out: in the bareback and saddle bronc riding, a cowboy’s feet must be above the point of the horse’s shoulders when the horse makes its first move out of the chute – if so, he “marked the horse out,” but if not, he “missed him out” and the ride is disqualified
Penalty: in timed events, common penalties include 10 seconds for breaking the barrier and, in team roping, five seconds for a one-leg catch
Pickup men: two mounted cowboys who help riders dismount, release the bucking horse’s soft flank strap, and escort bucking horses and bulls to the exit gate after a ride
Piggin’ string: in tie-down roping, the small rope used to tie a calf’s legs together
Rank: an adjective of praise and respect used to describe especially challenging roughstock
Reride: if a horse or bull doesn’t buck to performance specifications, the judges may offer the cowboy a clean-slate chance on a different horse or bull
Roughstock: the bucking horses and bulls used in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding, usually bred and raised for the job
Standings: a professional cowboy’s success is measured in earnings and cowboys may keep track of where they rank in yearly earnings in several sets of standings
Timed events: steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping – events in which the contestant(s) who make the fastest qualified runs win
Try: a noun used for both cowboys and livestock, denoting grit, determination, fitness, stamina and resilience: “Give that cowboy a hand – he had a lot of try.”
Triple Crown winner: a cowboy who wins three world championships in the same year; the most recent was superstar Trevor Brazile in 2008
