Rodeo Rider.

Rodeo Rider.

This young rodeo rider was captured living his dream at an annual country show. He was clearly loving every minute as he hung on to this bucking bull.

The sport of Rodeo originated from the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico. Later on, it was introduced in Central America, South America and Unites States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The skills were used by working vaqueros and then sometime later, cowboys. They are utilized today in western United States, western Canada, and northern Mexico. Modern rodeo involves horses and other livestock for the purpose of testing the skill and speed of cowboys and cowgirls.

These skills include team roping, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, bull riding, bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding and barrel racing. The two basic categories are; timed events and rough stock events. American Rodeo is the official state of sport in Wyoming, South Dakota, and Texas and is especially popular in Alberta, Canada.

This sport has provoked opposition from animal welfare advocates and animal rights groups, arguing that various aspects of competitive rodeo constitutes animal cruelty. Due to these concerns, the American rodeo industry have implemented steps to improve the welfare of rodeo animals. They now have specific requirements for veterinary care and other protective regulations for the welfare of rodeo animals.

Despite these improvements a number of animal welfare organizations in the Unites States and Canada oppose rodeo. Other local and state governments in North America have either banned or restricted rodeos.

It is banned in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands and some European nations have placed restrictions on certain practices. The word “rodeo,” is from the Spanish language, which when translated means, “round up.” The Spanish word stems for the verb meaning, to “surround” or “go around,’ which refers to “a pen for cattle at a fair or market.”

Rodeos have been popular for a long time in Australia as a competitor and spectator sport but did not become organized as such until the 1880’s. The earliest recorded event was held by the National Agricultural Society of Victoria in 1888. This rough riding competition was held at their annual show.

Then travelling tent rodeos became popular throughout Australia but during the Great Depression in the 1930’s caused all but a few travelling shows operating on the road. The Australian equivalent to American Rodeos are Bushmen’s Carnivals which began in Northern New South Wales in the 1920’s.

Rodeo events grew in popularity following WW11 and by September 1978, Australia competed in the World Rodeo Titles with riders from the US, Canada, and New Zealand. Today, strict standards for the selection, treatment and care for rodeo livestock are in place. This includes arenas, equipment and specifications.

The National Rodeo Queen Quest was founded by the National Rodeo Council of Australia in 1992 to encourage women to take part in this sport. Generally, rodeos take place during late spring and summer and the prize money is collected from donations, and entry fees.

Queensland hosts the biggest rodeos in Australia, although New South Wales events are large also. Rodeos are a regular event at the Royal Agricultural Society show in Sydney and each year, four day campdrafting and rodeo competitions occur in Walcha. The National Finals Rodeo takes place annually as well.