The Rodeo Association of America (RAA), founded in 1929, combined a group of managers and promoters and structure to the rodeo. The RAA sanctioned events, selected judges and established purse awards and point systems to determine all-around champions. Since 1946, the organization has acted as the International Rodeo Association (IRA).
Until 1936, rodeo contestants themselves remained unorganized. Then an indomitable group formed the Cowboys Turtle Association (CTA) during a strike at the Boston Garden World Championship. The CTA's goal was to offer cowboys larger purse awards, competent judges, uniform rules and regulations throughout the rodeo system for the safety of competitors and animals, and to protect their rights. The cowboys adopted the name "Turtles" because they were "slow" to organize, but had finally stuck their necks out for what they believed in. In 1945, the CTA became the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA), and was renamed in 1975 to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Most major rodeos fall under the jurisdiction of the PRCA.
A rodeo boasts five standardized events including, but not limited to, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, and the ever-watched bull riding. Bull riding has become so popular that a group named Professional Bull Riders (PBR) was organized, promoting bull riding only events. Many rodeos include barrel racing, a sport dominated by women who have their own organization, Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA).
Today's rodeos offer cash prizes. Points are tallied up based on cash winnings and these high point makers are advanced to final rodeos. Ranking contestants compete in more than 100 rodeos per year for total prize money in excess of twelve million dollars plus a variety of valuable awards.
The sport is especially popular in the United States and Canada, and about 2000 rodeos are held annually in those countries. Today's leading rodeos include Frontier Days, in Cheyenne, Wyoming; National Finals Rodeo, in Las Vegas, Nevada; National Western Stockshow and Rodeo, in Denver, Colorado; Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, in Houston, Texas; and Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, in Calgary, Alberta. A person wouldn't have to travel too far to find rodeo competition being played out.
Rodeo is now big business. With more than 170,000 fans attending the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas and more than 13 million viewers tuning into the finals on ESPN, rodeo is more popular and more competitive than ever.
By Diana Rowe Martinez Copyright 2000. All Rights Reserved.
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