Buffalo Bill's Blog

Living in Wyoming where several of the biggest and best professional rodeos are held it seems like we are all fans of this exciting event.  In the past several years we have had the pleasure of watching a local cowboy have big success in the bull riding event. Now his younger brother is an up and coming competitor in the saddle bronc competition. It has given us a sense of pride to watch the success of these two Powell boys so determined to be contenders in the rodeo arena. Equally impressive, the third brother who is not a rodeo competitor, is serving our country in his second tour of duty in the Middle East. These brave and couragous men were recently together at a rodeo event in Casper.

Check out the story and watch the video at http://charliescowboyblog.blogspot.com/

To learn more about Rodeos in Cody, Wyoming click here

Rodeo is a way of life, not just in Cody, but across Wyoming. Many of the rodeo events take place throughout the summer, with Cody’s nightly rodeo running from the start of June to the end of August. If this is your first rodeo, then you’re in for a treat. Here’s a guide to some of the events you might see.

It’s man against horse in the bareback riding competition. The rider has spurts and must stay on for eight seconds. Control is key at this event as well as at saddle bronc riding, another classic rodeo event. Two of the events that date back to the early history of rodeo are calf roping and steer wrestling, skills that were essential for cowboys in the Old West. In this event, riders have to get the rope on the calf from horseback, then dismount and get three legs tied. Steer wrestling, also called bulldogging, came to fame through American cowboy Bill Picket around 75 years ago.

If you’re new to rodeo then consider taking part in steer riding and novice barrel racing. These are good ways to learn the skills without too much danger. The only women’s rodeo event is barrel racing - the women navigate a course on horseback for a timed event.

When you think of rodeo, you probably think about jumping on the back of a bull and hanging on for dear life. Bull riding is one of the most exciting and popular rodeo events. These bulls are heavy and they can get riled up, so not only do riders have to hang on for at least eight seconds, they also have to make a quick getaway when they finally fall off. This is usually the last event of the rodeo, and it’s a thrill a minute.

One of the best things to do in Cody, Wyoming is to attend one of the nightly rodeos in June, July and August. There are events for the whole family, with bull riding, calf roping, bulldogging and cowgirl barrel racing among the favorite adult events. There are stick horse races, scrambles and clowns for the younger members of the family. This is a great night out, with tickets available at the gate or from a range of businesses in Cody.

While the rodeo is now totally American, its origins are Spanish. Ranchers from Spain and their ranch hands (often from Mexico) have been wrangling cattle and fighting bulls for centuries. Bull riding and steer wrestling have also been around for a long time. These events took place around the Spanish empire, including the areas that later became part of the US, and they spread from there to other towns and cities - and moved from the Spanish population to the English-speaking one. Bill Pickett’s unique bulldogging method also increased the popularity of rodeo.

With all that ancient history, there’s a lot of dispute about which is the world’s oldest rodeo. Several towns make that claim, including Pecos, Texas; Payson, Arizona; and Prescott, Arizona. And Cody’s rodeo has been running for more than 60 years. While it matters to the townspeople, the audience probably couldn’t care less, as long as they get to enjoy the great events for which the Cody Rodeo is famous.