Bronco riding at a rodeo is divided into two styles. They’re pretty easy to identify: bareback versus saddle riding. Does it really need any further explanation? Here are a bunch of my pictures from this year’s Elizabeth Stampede. (For the rest of the events of the day, see this post and these videos.)
Every rodeo needs a little comic relief. I called this guy the soccer clown. I don’t envy him wearing all that make-up in the heat! Not only did he provide safety as a clown during the bull riding competition, he also acted as the front man for the primary announcer. Given all the bad jokes about his wife, I sincerely hope this man is single!
As a novice rodeo spectator, I found purposeful dismounts interesting. Of course, the goal in bronco (or bull) riding is to stay on the bucking animal for a specified amount of time. If the rider is not thrown off in that time, he still needs to get off. How does he do it? The following shots are some of the assisted dismounts. Two cowboys (in red chaps) stayed in the arena the whole time. Once a competitor’s time was passed, a cowboy would ride up next to the bucking animal and assist the rider onto his own horse.
One last shot, because it makes me smile.
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