Essay On Rodeo

Research Project

I stared down into the arena my eyes wide watching as the team a woman and horse prepare to go out. I started down as the horse gets excited about taking off running as fast as possible, the only thing that is holding him back is the rider. I stared down as the horse bolts out into the arena on cue as they race at top speed. Only if this was not only a dream, I have seen this happen many times on T.V., and at the fairgrounds here. But never live, sitting right in the midst of happy cowboys and excited cowgirls at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

To fulfill this dream of mine, I looked up ticket prices, the tickets range from $144-$1655. The NFR tickets go up every day as the competition gets bigger. The
First I looked at the history of the NFR. I learned that women were no longer to do any other sports than barrel racing by world war 2. They stopped because of Bonnie McCarroll, she was a bronco rider. Her first time at a rodeo she fell of the bronco like norman and was not hurt. Her second time though was not as successful. The bull bucked like normal and she fell of but then her foot got caught in the stirrup. She was then dragged to her death in 1929 since then women have not been allowed to do any other events. The rodeo tradition comes from vaqueros (spanish for cow and man). The first rodeo was in 1864 in Prescott, Arizona. Not until five years later was there another rodeo. Rodeos were used as entertainment in a time before T.V. and electronics. To make rodeos more entertaining they brought in rodeo clowns. Rodeo clowns were and are used as entertainment and safety. For bull riding they used what is said to be the most dangerous bull. In many sources the barman bull is said to kill any thing is it’s way. Rodeo clowns helped distract the bulls so they won't kill the ridder. If the bull goes after the clown is supposed to hop in barrel. I think being a rodeo clown must be very scary especially when it wants to charge