22 Rodeo Terms You Should Know If You Go
Whether you’re new to rodeo, what many may call a“greenhorn,” or an avid rodeo fan,
it never hurts to learn new things or test your rodeo knowledge.
Breaking the Barrier:
Ensures that cowboys don’t get a head
start as they chase after the calf or steer.
Bronc:
An untamed horse that habitually
bucks.
Bucking:
The rodeo word for a bull or bronc
“kicking” in rough stock events.
Bulldogger:
Otherwise known as a steer wrestler,
this is the cowboy who wrestles the
steer to the ground.
Bullfighter:
After each bull ride, this person distracts
the bull so the cowboy can escape
the arena safely.
Chaps:
Made of sturdy leather, they are designed
to protect the cowboy’s legs
during a ride.
Chute:
A pen that holds bulls, horses, steers,
and calves before each rodeo event.
Cloverleaf:
The name of the pattern riders have to
run in barrel racing.
Cowboy nod:
Indicates to the judge to start the clock
and/or open the chute gate.
Flank strap:
A sheepskin-lined or padded leather
strap that encourages the roughstock
to buck.
Freehand:
Cowboys must have one hand holding
on to the animal and their other hand
up in the air.
Hazer:
This is the cowboy that helps keep the
steer running straight for the steer
wrestler, to catch in steer wrestling.
Header:
This is the cowboy that ropes first in
team roping, aiming for the steer’s
horns.
Heeler:
This is the cowboy that ropes second
in team roping, aiming for the steer’s
hind legs.
Hung up:
When the cowboy gets caught on one
of the bull’s horns during bull riding.
No score:
This occurs when the rider falls off the
stock before eight seconds in roughstock
events or misses the steer or calf
in timed events.
Pickup men:
After each ride, these men will help
direct or catch stray stock and lead
them to the exit.
Re-ride:
If a rider receives a low score due to
poor performance from the bull or
bronc, they will be given the chance to
do a re-ride.
Riggin’:
This is a type of suitcase hold,
customized to a rider’s grip.
Roughstock events:
This refers to the category that bronc
and bull riding events fall into. All of
the other events are called
timed events.
Tipping a barrel:
In barrel racing, the rider has to go
around all three barrels in the arena.
But, sometimes riders will knock
barrels over.
Spurs:
Spurs act as a way to encourage the
stock to perform or speed up (in the
timed events.