Rich Kaye

Added Money: The money donated to the rodeo committee by the sponsors  to attract the contestants to the rodeo for competition.

Arena Director: The person whose responsibility it is to see that the rodeo goes smoothly and according to the rules of the P.R.C.A.

Arm Jerker : A horse or bull that is really stout and bucks with the power to cause a great amount of pull on the contestant's arm.

Average: scores on all go rounds (see below) plus the score on the short go (see below). Whoever has the highest score (roughstock) or the fastest time (team roping, calf roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing ) wins

Bail Out : A horse that comes straight up on its hind legs when coming out of the chute, then begins to buck.

Bailing Out : Getting off the animal the best way you can, generally by throwing your weight against the animal.

Bareback bronc: a wild untamed unsaddled unbridled horse whose rider isn't using a saddle but is using a riggin’, a suitcase style handle made from rawhide and leather.

Barrier: The rope stretched across the front of the box that the contestant's horse comes out of. In the timed events, the stock is given a pre-determined head start. The amount of head start depends on the arena conditions, and is called the score. The contestant's horse can not break the barrier before the stock crosses the score line.

Barrel man: AKA , the rodeo clown, an important factor in the bullriding event. Not only does he entertain the crowd with jokes and antics during the rodeo. During the event he places himself in and around a barrel specially designed for this event, usually in the center of the arena.  His job is to distract the bull from injuring a thrown rider or bull fighter .

Biting The Dust : Being thrown from a horse or a bull

Blooper: An animal with very little bucking ability that jumps and kicks or just runs around the arena.Also known as a Dink

Blows-up: An animal that runs out away from the chute before starting to buck.

Boot the Bull: A term used to mean a particular bull can be spurred. Bull riders are not required to spur their animals, and if they can, they earn extra points

Brands:  If there is a 0 in front of a number, the correct pronunciation would be "ott". Example: 07 (ott 7). If there is a  " - " in front of a number, the pronunciation would be "Bar". Example: -4 (Bar 4).

Break the Barrier: When a contestant rides through, or breaks the barrier before it is released. Breaking the barrier adds a penalty of ten seconds to the contestant's time.

Bronc Rein:  A thick rope, 1 1/2" - 2" in diameter that is attached to the halter of a saddle bronc horse. The rope can be longer than 6 1/2 feet, and is used to provide balance, and to give the cowboy something to hold on to.

Bufford:  An animal that is easy to ride, rope, or throw down.

Bull fighter: “cowboy protector”. It is his job to place himself between the fallen rider and the bull to allow the rider to get to safety. The bull fighter can also coax a better performance out of a bucking bull before the buzzer sounds.

Bullriding: North Americas most dangerous sporting event, where the goal is simple, stay on and survive. Cowboy using only a bull rope, attempting to stay on for the eight second ride.

Bull rope: a flat poly-braided rope no larger than 9/16" with a bell attached , wrapped around the bull's midsection for the bull rider to hang on to.

Calf Scramble: At each Rodeo performance, there's a group of competitors who don't have to check their riggings, tighten their chaps or don gloves to gear up for some heated rodeo competition. This event is for the up and coming cowboys and cowgirls. A ribbon is tied to the calves tail and the first young cowboys or cowgirls to return with the ribbon to the judge wins a prize.

Chaps: leather coverings worn over jeans (originally worn by working cowboys to protect their legs from cactus and brush)

Chute: holds bucking or timed event stock prior to event

Chute Fighter:  A rough stock animal that will not stand still and tries to fight the cowboy before he leaves the chute.

Cowbell: a bell on the end of the bull rope, used to drag the rope from the bull after the rider dismounts (or is dismounted)

Circuit finals: Regional finals before the championship.  

Clover leaf: the pattern contestants in the barrel race follow

Crow Hopper: An animal that doesn't buck, but jumps stiff-legged instead.

Dally: wrap rope around saddle horn after animal is roped

Disqualified Ride: When a contestant touches any part of his equipment, the bull, or himself with his free hand.

Double Kicker:  A horse or bull that kicks up with the hind legs, walks on the front legs and then kicks again with the hind legs, before the hind legs touch the ground.

Ducks Off: An animal that is running in a forward direction then suddenly moves off to the left or right.

Entry Office: a place to make rodeo entries

Fading: A bull that spins and slowly gains ground in the direction that he is spinning.

Fire in the hole: Bull, bronc still loose in arena

Flagger:  The official who signals the end of elapsed time in timed events.

Flank strap: A wool-lined strap with a self-holding buckle that is passed around the flank of a bronc or bull. As the stock leaves the chute, the strap is pulled tight causing the animal to buck in an effort to get rid of the strap.

Floater: A horse with little power that jumps with all four feet up and just floats through the air.

Floating: A technique used by some saddle bronc riders that make them appear to be bucked off with every jump of the horse.

Free hand: in rodeo events, this only pertains to rough stock. In which one hand must stay free of animal, rider or equipment at all times, if a rider touches with the free hand he is disqualified and receives no score.

Freight Trained:  A contestant or clown that gets run over by a bull traveling at top speed.

Go round: The part of the rodeo that is required to allow each contestant to compete on one head of stock.

Ground money: The money paid when the purse for an event is split equally and paid to all contestants in the event. This is done when all contestants entered in an event fail to qualify.

Half-Hitch / Hooey: a knot used by calf ropers to secure the rope around three of the calves legs.

Hat Blender: A horse or bull that does not buck and just runs around the arena.

Hazer: The cowboy that rides on the opposite side of the steer and helps the stock from running away from the steer wrestler's horse.

Head Hunter: A bull that is constantly looking for a two-legged target to hit.

Head Thrower: A bull that tries to hit the cowboy with his head or horns while the contestant is on his back.

Head Wrap: The leather device that is placed around a steer's horns in team roping to prevent damage to the steer's head.

Header: The cowboy that ropes the steer around the horns, head, or neck in team roping.

Heeler: The cowboy that ropes the hind legs of the steer in team roping.

High roller:  The term used to describe a horse that leaps high into the air when bucking.

Honda: The eye in the end of a rope that allows the other end of the rope to pass through, forming a loop.

Honest Bucker:  An animal that bucks the same way every time out of the chute.

Honker: A really rank and hard animal to ride.

Hooker:  a bull who, when he bucks, throws the rider forward so that he can hook the rider with his horns.

Houlinhan: the head-over heels tumble a steer takes in the steer wrestling event.

Hung Up/Hang Up: A rider that is off the animal but is still stuck in the rigging or bull rope.

Hog: An expression bull-riders use to describe a large, un-agile bull that is not considered a good draw.

Lariat: rope

Latigo: the leather strap used to attach and secure the cinch

Lounger: A horse that thrusts with its hind feet forward rather than kicking out behind.

Luck of the draw: the animal most likely to give a contestant a good (high) score or time

Marking out: the position of the rider's feet over the shoulders of a bucking horse as it makes its first jump out of the chute

Mash Up: A cowboy that clamps with his legs and has no spurring motion.

Measure the Rein: Used in saddle bronc riding. The length of the rein from the horse's head, in an upright position, to the rear of the well on the saddle. Then you measure from there depending on how much the horse drops its head while bucking. When asked how much rein the bronc needs, the answer is usually something like three fingers and a thumb.

Money Horse:  A horse that when ridden, usually takes the cowboy to the pay window.

Off Side: The right side of a horse.

Out the Backdoor: When the rider is thrown over the back end of an animal.

Pay Window: the secretary's window to pick up winner's check

Pickup man: a rider in the arena who helps a contestant off a bucking horse

Piggin' String:  A small soft rope about six feet long used by calf ropers to tie the animal's feet together.

Purse: The money paid to the winners of each rodeo event. It equals the total of the added money and entry fees.

Qualified Ride: Rider must be mounted on bull for 8 seconds with free hand

Rank: A very hard animal to ride.

Re-ride: Another ride given to a saddle bronc, bareback bronc, or bull rider in the same go-round when either the stock or the cowboy is not afforded a fair opportunity to show their best. This can be caused by things like a chute-fighting animal, a fallen animal, etc.

Riding glove: worn by contestants in bareback and bull riding

Rigging: a handhold made of leather and rawhide used in bareback riding

Rodeo:  A public expedition of the talents of cowboys and cowgirls.

Rowel:  The circular, notched, bluntly pointed, and freewheeling part of a spur. Any competitor using spurs that will cause a cut is disqualified.

Run Away:  A horse or bull that does not buck and just runs around.

Saddle bronc: a horse ridden by a rider using a modified saddle and a cloth rein.

Scoring:   A perfect score would be 100 points. There are two judges, one on each side of the arena. Each will give up to 25 points to the rider, determined by how much control is shown throughout the eight seconds. Each judge will give a score of 25 points to the bull, based on his strength and style of bucking. The combined points given by the two judges are added together to determine competitor's score.

Set you Up: A horse or bull that drops a shoulder like they are going to turn or spin in one direction, and then immediately does the exact opposite.

Slinger: A bull that tries to hit the cowboy with his head or horns while the contestant is on his back.

Snorty:  A bull that blows air at a clown or downed cowboy.

Spinner: a bull that spins or turns as if chasing its tail. Scores high, especially if it spins both left and right

Spurring Lick:  A motion of the cowboy's feet.

Star Gazer: A saddle bronc that bucks with its head up, and causes the cowboy to have a hard time keeping the slack out of the rein.

Stock contractor:  The person or organization that provides all the livestock used in the rodeo events.

Sucks Back:  An animal that bucks in one direction, then instantly switches to the opposite direction.

Sunfisher: horse that bucks and all four feet stick out to the side instead of underneath or behind the animal.

Swap Ends:  An animal that jumps into the air and turns 180 degrees before touching the ground.

Team roper: The only team event in the sport of rodeo, the team consist of  two cowboys the header and the healer.  (one of whom ropes the steer by the horns and the other of ropes the steer by the hind legs)

Timers: The person responsible for marking a contestant's time for each timed event. There must be at least two timers who agree on each contestant's time for calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, and barrel racing. The timers are also responsible for marking the eight seconds during the saddle or bareback bronc, and bull riding events.

Tippy Toe:  A horse or bull that walks on its front legs when most of their weight is off the ground.

Toes Out: The preferred style of holding the feet at a 90 degree angle to the animal to ensure maximum spur contact.

Trash:  A bucking animal with no set pattern.

Trotter:  A team roping steer that hangs back on the rope and trots with its hind feet rather than running.

Turn Out: allow animal to leave chute without a rider due to the rider being hurt or not showing up

Union Animal:  An animal that bucks until the sound of the 8-second whistle, then quits.

 

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