Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Starting life as a competitive version of the natural skills required of a cow herder in North America, Rodeo is now a huge element of popular culture for many areas of the United States, particularly in the West, and also in the Canadian plains provinces, especially Alberta. Today, rodeo is the official state sport of Texas, Wyoming, and South Dakota, and the governing body, the PRCA, has enjoyed increasing membership for many years. Additionally, in recent times the organisation has pushed for greater gender equality for participants and better welfare for the animals involved.
There's never been a better time to get involved in the world of rodeo! And a world it truly is: the upcoming Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo features a full range of rodeo events over the course of the festival's two and a half weeks, which last year attracted over 2.2 million visitors, and required over 24,000 volunteers to run its range of shows, pageants, concerts, races and tournaments, which this year runs from February 28 to March 18. There's a real festival atmosphere, and the show is only one of many such shows across North America. If that wasn't enough, the Show also features the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, which last year attracted almost a quarter of a million meat fans over its three evenings. Pro tip: bring your own napkins/baby wipes.
First off, you'll need your gear. For most cowboys this requires a good leather shirt, opened at the chest for extra manliness. Once you've secured your preferred state of ruggedness, grab your chaps. These aren't just for extra badassitude - the thick legs will protect you from some of the damage to your legs, and prevent some pretty nasty chafing if you're up practicing for extended peroids.
Next, get yourself a pair of hard-wearing boots. You'll be spending a lot of time in the sand and some substances that don't bear thinking about, so get yourself something that will put up with some damage. Once you've gotten your hands on the biggest belt-buckle in town, there's just one more thing. Your hat. No cowboy is complete without one, and as a promising young rodeador you'll need to look the part. Go as big as your neck can carry. Or, go for a bit more stylish, like this.
Nice. So as a beginner, you'll probably want to start with something that doesn't risk life and limb, like barrel racing or calf roping. Check out Randall Powell's hints for getting your rope loop just right for catching cattle.
Regardless of which event you choose, the best idea is to sign up with a rodeo school to get professional training. Pick your school based on the event that most grabs you: most centres have a focus or specialty to give you the best one-on-one instruction and actual practice in your event. Eventually you'll get enough training and experience in the ring to start your career on the local circuit, and then who knows? Maybe one day you'll find yourself turning your brief holiday in the USA to a spot in the Houston Rodeo, roping in steeds in front of a crowd of thousands.
There's never been a better time to get involved in the world of rodeo! And a world it truly is: the upcoming Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo features a full range of rodeo events over the course of the festival's two and a half weeks, which last year attracted over 2.2 million visitors, and required over 24,000 volunteers to run its range of shows, pageants, concerts, races and tournaments, which this year runs from February 28 to March 18. There's a real festival atmosphere, and the show is only one of many such shows across North America. If that wasn't enough, the Show also features the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, which last year attracted almost a quarter of a million meat fans over its three evenings. Pro tip: bring your own napkins/baby wipes.
First off, you'll need your gear. For most cowboys this requires a good leather shirt, opened at the chest for extra manliness. Once you've secured your preferred state of ruggedness, grab your chaps. These aren't just for extra badassitude - the thick legs will protect you from some of the damage to your legs, and prevent some pretty nasty chafing if you're up practicing for extended peroids.
Next, get yourself a pair of hard-wearing boots. You'll be spending a lot of time in the sand and some substances that don't bear thinking about, so get yourself something that will put up with some damage. Once you've gotten your hands on the biggest belt-buckle in town, there's just one more thing. Your hat. No cowboy is complete without one, and as a promising young rodeador you'll need to look the part. Go as big as your neck can carry. Or, go for a bit more stylish, like this.
Nice. So as a beginner, you'll probably want to start with something that doesn't risk life and limb, like barrel racing or calf roping. Check out Randall Powell's hints for getting your rope loop just right for catching cattle.
Regardless of which event you choose, the best idea is to sign up with a rodeo school to get professional training. Pick your school based on the event that most grabs you: most centres have a focus or specialty to give you the best one-on-one instruction and actual practice in your event. Eventually you'll get enough training and experience in the ring to start your career on the local circuit, and then who knows? Maybe one day you'll find yourself turning your brief holiday in the USA to a spot in the Houston Rodeo, roping in steeds in front of a crowd of thousands.
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