Rodeo

Etymology: Spanish, from rodear to surround, from rueda wheel, from Latin rota Dates from 1834 and can be used synonmously with roundup. A public performance highlighting bronco riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, and Brahma bull riding.

Originally an off shoot of the round up the rodeo became a spectator sport as cowhands vie to show off various skills it took on a circus like appearance in the late 1880's with many professionals traveling from one annual rodeo to another for monetary prizes. Rodeos had their origin in the United States when cowboys would gather together in the cowtowns at the end of cattle-driving trails and compete for the unofficial title of best bucking-horse rider, roper, and so on. As the cowboys' occupation changed by the railroads and fencing off of the open ranges the contests became regular and formal events. Contestants pay an entrance fee and judging, on a point system comprised on the performance of the animal as well as that of the contestant. Broncos are not trained to buck, and the rules of professional rodeo ban cruelty. In all riding events the contestant is disqualified if he touches the animal or its rigging with his free hand. All-around championships and championships in each of the standard events are determined each year at the National Finals Rodeo on the basis of a long-established point-award system.

La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, one of the top fifteen professional rodeo events in North America is a five-day event centering around the Tucson Rodeo and is the largest outdoor winter rodeo on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit.

Interested in learning more? Please visit Rodeo Lingo

Sources

britannica.com:
http://www.britannica.com/

Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo:
http://www.emol.org/emol/tucsonrodeo/rodeofeatures.html

If you ever decide to attend a rodeo, be leary of bringing cameras, especially of the video sort, along with you. They are quite careful, though not so much at larger ones like the Calgary Stampede, about animal rights activists.

It would seem to me that there are really valid concerns as to the welfare of the animals at such things. A lot of livestock are injured, even killed, at these events. While it can be neat to watch, I guess, it just grates on my nerves at times that humans can find such delight in watching the manipulation of innocent creatures for our entertainment.

Of course I say this after having watched the entire Calgary Stampede on television. Somewhat hypocritical, but I still don't condone it. I've a fascination with cowboys in general, but I really doubt that they spent a lot of time roping calves for something to do. (Or maybe they did, what do I know?)

My father once went to a rodeo in Alberta with my uncle and brought along the video camera. The announcer had to make a point of telling everyone that he was videotaping it for the kids, or it probably would have been confiscated or stolen/destroyed by someone. I guess they really get a lot of complaints and the like for what they do.. shocking.

Just heard quite possibly the most terrible and humiliating thing for a human being to do to another human being, and thought, well heck, I should node this puppy.

Rodeo is a game that takes hogging a step further. First one must find an extremely overweight woman and seduce her into the sack (note: while hogging can be done by either sex, rodeo has certain formalities that would make it difficult to accomplish if the roles are reversed). During sex, one must use doggie style while uttering extreme profanities that are both insulting and degrading to the woman. She must become so annoyed that she tries to stop the sexual act. Once this happens, the "rider" yells out "Rodeo!", grabs a belt and quickly throws it around the woman and holds both ends to "ride" the woman for eight seconds.

It helps if an accomplice is hiding somewhere with a video camera to ensure the claim of 8 seconds is properly documented.

I would also like to add that I in NO way condone this sort of behavior, think anyone who does it should probably be brought up on charges of sexual assault, and have lots of other nasty things happen to them. This is just FYI.

Ro*de"o (?), n. [SP., a going round.]

A round-up. See Round-up.

[Western U.S.]

 

© Webster 1913.