Bareback Riding
A leather and rawhide device with a suitcase handle called a rigging is cinched onto the bucking horse's back. The cowboy sits on the horse just behind the rigging and puts his gloved hand in the suitcase handle. When he nods his head the chute gate is opened, letting horse and rider into the open arena. The heels of his feet must be touching the horse above the points of the shoulders on the horse's first jump out of the chute.
The score is based fifty percent on the performance of the horse and fifty percent on that of the cowboy. The cowboy with the highest score wins.
Saddle Bronc Riding
The cowboy sits on a saddle and holds onto a single, large, braided rein attached to a halter on the horse's head. The heels of his feet must be touching the horse above the points of the shoulders on the horse's first jump out of the chute. In order to receive a score, the cowboy must now stay on top of the horse for 8 seconds without touching anything with his free hand.
The score is based fifty percent on the performance of the horse and fifty percent on that of the cowboy. The cowboy with the highest score wins.
Bull Riding
The cowboy sits on the bull's back and ties his hand onto the bull with a rope that goes around the bull's body just behind the front legs. When he nods his head the chute gate is opened and the bull enters the arena with the cowboy on his back. In order to receive a score, the cowboy must now stay on top of the bull for 8 seconds without touching anything with his free hand.
The score is based fifty percent on the performance of the bull and fifty percent on that of the cowboy. The cowboy with the highest score wins.
Steer Wrestling
The steer wrestling consists of two cowboys, the steer wrestler and the hazer. The hazer rides on the right side of the steer to keep it from moving away from the wrestler. The wrestler rides his horse by on the steer's left side and gets off his horse onto the steer. When the steer wrestler catches the horns he plants his feet to slow down, then he uses the steer's nose to pull it onto its side.
The time stops when all four legs are pointing in the opposite direction of the nose. The cowboy with the fastest time wins.
Tie Down Roping
Tie Down Roping is a mens timed event that originated from cowboys doctoring calves on the ranch. The cowboy starts out behind the barrier, a string that is stretched across the front of the box and is attached to the calf's neck. The purpose of the barrier is to make sure the calf gets a head start. If the cowboy tries to start too early, he breaks the barrier, resulting in a ten second penalty. The cowboy then ropes the calf around the neck, steps off his horse as the horse stops, runs down the rope, flanks the calf, and ties three legs together.
The time starts when the barrier is tripped by the calf crossing the score line and stops when the calf is tied. The cowboy with the fastest time wins.
Team Roping
Team Roping is a men's and women's timed event with two competitors working together. The header comes from the box on the left side of the chute and the heeler starts in the box on the right side. The header starts behind a barrier, a piece of rope stretched across the front of the box and attached to the steer's neck. The purpose of the barrier is to make sure the steer gets a head start. If the header tries to start too early, he/she breaks the barrier, resulting in a ten second penalty added to the team's time. After leaving the box, the header ropes the steer around both horns, one horn and the neck, or just the neck. After roping the steer, the header pulls the steer left, and the heeler comes in behind the steer and ropes the hind legs. If the heeler only catches one leg instead of both, the team receives a five second penalty.
The time starts when the barrier is tripped by the steer crossing the score line and stops when both competitors have dallied their ropes to their saddle horns. The team with the fastest time wins
Barrel Racing
Barrel Racing is a women's timed event. There are three barrels set up in a triangle in the middle of the arena. The cowgirl rides a fast, well trained horse around the three barrels in a clover leaf pattern. She either turns the first to the right, and the second and third to the left, or the first to the left and the second and third to the right, depending on which way the horse turns best. After she turns all three barrels, she runs straight back down the arena and across the finish line.
Time starts when the horse crosses a line inside the arena, but before she gets to the barrels, and is stopped when she crosses the same line after completing the pattern. The cowgirl with the fastest time wins.
Breakaway Roping
The Breakaway Roping is a women's timed event. The cowgirl has a rope with one end tied with a thin string around the saddle horn. She starts out behind the barrier, a string that is stretched across the front of the box and is attached to the calf's neck. The purpose of the barrier is to make sure the calf gets a head start. If the cowgirl tries to start too early, she breaks the barrier, resulting in a ten second penalty. She ropes the calf around the neck and pulls the slack out of the loop while stopping her horse.
The time starts when the barrier is tripped by the calf crossing the score line and stops when the rope comes loose from the saddle horn. The cowgirl with the fastest time wins.
Goat Tying
The competitor enters the arena horseback at the opposite end of the arena from the goat. The goat is tethered to a stake in the ground with a rope. The cowgirl runs her horse down the arena toward the goat. She dismounts when she gets to the stake and runs to the goat. She then flips it onto its side and gathers three legs. She ties the three legs together with a rope-like string.
Time stops when her hands leave the string. For the run to be legal the goat must stay tied for six seconds. The cowgirl with the fastest time wins.