In the colourful speed event of rodeo, Barrel Racing, the rider must circle three barrels set in a cloverleaf pattern. The closer she circles the barrel, the better time she makes. The danger is in cutting too close and knocking down a barrel. An extra five seconds is added to the rider’s time for each barrel that falls.

The barrel racer’s time is started when she crosses an electric beam of light and the time is completed when she recrosses the beam after completing the pattern. A fast, well trained horse is the key to winning the barrel racing event. The rider can be disqualified if she and her horse break the pattern.

Times are so close, measured in hundredths of a second, that the horse and riders require great precision to race quickly, yet cleanly.

Until the advent of Bullfighting, Bull Riding was known as the most dangerous event in rodeo. Bull riding requires a positive attitude from the cowboy and a will to look fear in the face as he matches wits and moves with a Rodeo Bull. A braided rope, of varying width, is wrapped loosely around the bull with a weighted cowbell hanging underneath, allowing the rope to fall free when the ride is completed. The rope has a woven handhold which is pulled tight around the rider’s hand with one more wrap taken to ensure a snug fit. During the ride the cowboy must keep himself close up on the handhold to prevent his arm from straightening and jerking has hand loose. He will be disqualified for failing to have to have a bell attached to his rope, or touching the bull with his free hand or bucking off before the end of an eight second ride.

Riders are not required to spur, as staying on these loose-hided animals is difficult enough. But naturally, if they do, they receive a better mark. Pick up men are not used as a bull would just as soon fight a man on horseback as one on foot. The rider must depend on the bullfighting clown to distract the bull until he is out of range.

The Bareback Riding event is the most physically demanding in rodeo. The cowboy, using only one arm, holds onto the leather handhold of the riggin’, which is a leather pad cinched around the horse. The stress on the rider’s arm is intense, absorbing most of the horse’s power. The handhold is snug fitting and customized to the individual’s grip.

The rider will be disqualified for failing to keep his spurs over the break of the shoulder until the first jump out of the chute is completed or touching the animal, or equipment with his free hand, or bucking off before the end of the eight second ride.

Riders try to spur the horse on each jump, reaching as far forward as they can with their feet, then bringing their ankles back toward the riggin’. At the same time they must keep from being snatched away from the handhold. The higher and wilder they spur, the better they mark.

Rhythm is the key in the Saddle Bronc event. The rider spurs from the animal’s neck in a full swing towards the back of the saddle in time with the bronc action. The cowboy must supply his own saddle which is uniform in design, together with braided rein, spurs with dull towels and chaps of light leather. The length of the rein is important.

The cowboy must adjust his grip carefully to maintain balance and avoid either being pulled over the front end or launched out of the saddle. To qualify, the rider must have his spurs over the break of the shoulders until the horse has completed his first jump out of the chute.

He will be disqualified for touching any part of the animal or equipment with his free hand, losing a stirrup or getting bucked off before the end of the eight second ride. A rider will gain points for reaching the full length of the arc with toes turned outward.

In Steer Wrestling, timing, coordination and strength are prerequisites for a steer wrestler. To begin with he must remain behind the barrier, which is a rope stretched across the front of the starting box, until the steer crosses the scoreline giving it a head start. If he breaks the barrier ten seconds are added to his time. The horse is trained to run beside the steer and then to run on by as the steer wrestler reaches for his steer. The steer wrestler catches the right horn in the crook of his right arm and then must hit the ground with his legs extended forward in order to bring the steer to a halt. Using his left hand as leverage under the steer’s jaw, he throws the steer off balance and wrestles it to the ground.

The steer must be flat on its side with all four legs extended before official time is taken. Also the steer must be on its feet before being wrestled. The event requires an extra horse ridden by a hazer whose job is to keep the steer running as straight as possible. Control and speed are required from both horses as they wait for their cue to start and then cover about 150 feet in four seconds from a standing start.

The Team Roping event features a pair of ropers each mounted on a well trained horse. They enter the ropers box and at a nod of the head the gate keeper releases the steer.

The header (ropes the head end) must give the steer a head start and if he fails to do so, a ten second penalty is added on to the team’s total time. This is called “breaking the barrier”.

Once out he ropes the steer around the neck or the horns, dallies up (2 wraps of the rope around the saddle horn), and turns off with the steer following. The heeler then rounds the corner swinging his loop and throws his rope, if all goes well he catches two feet in his loop and then he dallies up. Once the heeler has dallied the header must turn his horse to face the heeler and when the ropes are taut between the horses and the steer the flagman drops his flag to signal for a time. If the heeler has only one hind foot in his loop a penalty of five seconds is added to the total. A fast run in Williams Lake rodeo arena is in the 5 – 6 second range.

Tie Down Roping is the most technical event in rodeo. It takes hours of practice to perfect both the skills of the roper and the horse. To begin with, the roper must remain behind the barrier until the calf crosses the scoreline. The length of the score is the head start given to the calf. Breaking the barrier adds ten seconds to the roper’s time.

After roping the calf, the cowboy must run down his rope and throw the calf by hand. If the calf is down when he reaches it, he must allow the calf to get up and then throw it. The roper then ties any three legs with a pigging string. The tie must hold for six seconds after the roper calls for time and slacks the rope.

The maneuvers of the horse are all important. He must rate the speed of the calf, stop on cue in a single stride and then hold the rope taut while the roper runs to his calf. A solid, true working horse is difficult to find and commands a high price.

In the Boys Steer Riding event contestants in this event are 11 to 14 years of age and are the future stars of professional rodeo. Riders hang onto the steer, or cow, by means of a flat braided rope with a loose handhold, similar to the ropes bull riders use. Steer Riders may hold on with either one hand, or, two.  Bullfighters are utilized to help protect the contestants from harm.  The top 6 Steer Riders in the CPRA year end standings qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer, AB.

Ladies Breakaway roping is a variation of tie down roping where a calf is roped, but not thrown and tied. Once the rope is around the calf's neck, the roper signals the horse to stop suddenly. The rope is tied to the saddle horn with a string. When the calf hits the end of the rope, the rope is pulled tight and the string breaks. The breaking of the string marks the end of the run. The rope usually has a small white flag at the end that makes the moment the rope breaks more easily seen by the timer. The fastest run wins.