The 5 Events Rodeo Should Consider Adding

Although there isn’t even talk about rodeo adding a new event I think that it is high time that rodeo starts to look to incorporate something new and exciting for the rodeo fans. I by no means think that it should add all five of these suggested events but that it should look into adding one.

1. Cowboy Mounted Shooting (Men & Women Against Each Other) – The Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA) is a booming organization that boasts clubs and competitions all around the United States. Rodeo contestants have already been involved with the CMSA in their celebrity shoot out competition at nationals which is, ironically, held at the South Point (the home of the National Finals Rodeo’s warm-up arena and the jackpot team roping). What is more cowboy like than riding a fast horse and shooting colt .45 pistols? The challenge of cowboy mounted shooting is the contestant maneuvering a 10 balloon-target course, 5 of which are light and 5 of which are dark, in the attempt to have the fastest times with the best accuracy. It’s kind of like show jumping for cowboys and cowgirls.

   

2. Breakaway Roping (Females Only) – This is like the female version of calf roping or for young cowboys who are not yet strong enough to flank a calf for tie-down roping. This idea comes from a circuit that I am very familiar with here in the Pacific North West: The Northwest Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. This is a family based association which is dubbed the “working man’s rodeo association” as families are able to work 9-5 jobs and still make 2-4 rodeo performances. Many Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association members compete in this as a build up league or combined with the PRCA circuit that they are competing in. This would also open up for a women’s all-around title at the National Finals Rodeo but this also opens up a whole new case about the contract with the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.
3. Pole Bending (Females Only) – As you can tell I am trying to find a way to get females more involved with the National Finals Rodeo Season. I think that it is very important for cowgirl role models to put into the scene and I don’t think just the flag girls on the Cervi Rodeo horses during the intermission of the rodeo are enough. This can be a fun and exciting run for the cowboys and cowgirls – the only issue is would a pole bending pattern fit in the Thomas & Mack? Probably not so the finals would have to be held elsewhere like the Steer Roping event.
4. Wild Cow Milking (Men and Women) – Another Northwest Professional Rodeo this one is a fun filled event of something that had to have been made up by an intoxicated gang of cowpokes on the trail. Kind of kidding but it is a fun event where one person ropes the cow from horseback, the mugger holds the cow steady (which is usually a rodeo in and of itself) and then the person who was originally on horseback gets milk into a baby bottle and runs to the judge who is usually in the center of the arena.
5. Double Mugging – I state this last suggestion a little leery as I am not as familiar with it as I am with the other events that I have suggested. This event is from the Hawaiian rodeo circuits and is a version of steer wrestling (too similar of events?). One cowboy ropes a steer and then their partner, who starts on the ground, mugs the animal in an attempt to wrestle it to the ground. The horseback cowboy jumps off and helps his partner on the ground. Fastest time wins!