What is a ranch rodeo?
Ranch rodeos are events in which traditional working cowboys gather to compete and demonstrate skills that are used every day in cattle ranching operations.  Although there are some similarities to rodeos that people are normally accustomed to seeing, ranch rodeo events typically use combinations of roping, horsemanship, and groundworking skills to create a more genuine presentation of real-life ranch work.  The equipment and tack used in ranch rodeos is the same as that used by the cowboys back on the ranch.  In contrast,  traditional rodeo events use specialized tack and riggings that are not used on the ranch.  Bucking stock are not used in ranch rodeos unless the ranch rodeo contestants unintentionally provide their own. (see below)  Another difference between ranch rodeos and traditional rodeos is that most of the events in traditional rodeos are events for individual competitors.  There are no events for individual competitors in ranch rodeos.  Teams usually consist of four cowboys.
Sometimes team penning events use teams of only three cowboys.  These are usually dedicated Team Penning competitions.

What types of events are in ranch rodeos?
Individual events usually feature different sizes or types of cattle depending on the ranch situation being simulated.
Cattle range in size from calves (300-500lbs), to weaned yearlings (700-1000lbs), to roping steers, and grown cows.
A typical ranch rodeo will have four or five events depending on the number of teams scheduled, time available, stock available, etc...
Each team usually has a maximum time limit of two and one half minutes to successfully complete each event.

Common ranch rodeo events include:

When Good Times Go Bad At A Ranch Rodeo
You never know what to expect at a ranch rodeo.  The team featured on this page is a contender on any given day and have won both individual ranch rodeo events and entire ranch rodeos.  Sometimes things can go wrong with any team.  Some teams will have everything go right and win, some teams will have things go wrong and go home wiser and lighter in the pocket.  This is why we play the game.  But the audience is usually well entertained in both situations.

Shown below are some things that you wish didn't happen.

Roping While Bucking (They don't do that in traditional rodeos.)

Your "shore nuff good horse", that has been doing good, decides he wants to try and buck you off right when you're getting ready
to rope the steer.

Missed a Loop

Right when you get the yearling lined out for the winning throw, your big loop gets tangled in your horse's tail.
 

Special thanks to the Horizon Cattle Co. team of  Johnny Fenn, Tony Kitzmiller,  Todd Harrell,  Traylor Lenz
You always get your money's worth watching them.

Comments:  william.fenn@brazosport.edu
Page last updated: 02/2008
Site designed by Bill Fenn