Personal Essay: Roping

Was there ever a time where you were terribly embarrassed because of a minor event; this was me with rodeo. One day I was roping with my sisters and went to go throw my loop but missed the dummy. When I pulled my slack, I noticed I had somehow turned my loop into a figure 8 and had no idea how I did it or how to fix it. I panicked, and my sister had to help me. All I had to do was turn my loop the other way, but I did not realize this because I was too frustrated to figure this out. Many assume that rodeo is easy and for everyone, but in fact it is not. Rodeo allows me to use skills such as speed, strength, courage, and many more to help me later on in my life because Rodeo teaches me to not run from my fears, but to face them. All sections

Roping like barrel racing is also one of the more costly events within rodeo, but it is also one of the safest and highest paying. There are two divisions within roping, team roping and calf roping. Calf roping is just what it sounds like. A calf with no horns is released from the chute and the roper must throw his loop around the neck of the calf. Team roping involves steers and two ropers. Once the steer is released from the chute, the header must go first and loop his rope around the horns in order for his heeler to catch up to him and loop the rope around the bottom of the leg. Roping usually costs a pretty penny because again a trained horse is necessary. And depending on whether they are a headers or heelers, some horses can cost more just because they have been trained differently. And where there is a horse there must be a truck and trailer to haul around the horses and all of the tack. The tack is the same for roping as it is barrel racing, with the exception of the saddles. Barrel racing saddles are made differently than roping saddles because different things are being done in them. Therefore, they are built for whatever they will be used for. Also in roping, there is a rope, self-explanatory, and gloves so one does not burn their hands on the rope. Even though roping is usually safe, accidents can still happen, such as falling off or even losing a finger or two from getting their hand caught in their rope and not pulling their

Bronc riding is one of the more dangerous events because that is where the majority of the injuries occur. Like roping there are two sections of Bronc riding, saddle and bareback and they are just what they sound like. Bronc riding is one of the most dangerous because most riders can get whiplash, muscular problems, and broken bones from getting thrown around and stepped on. Saddle bronc is more expensive because one has to purchase the saddle; with bareback all that is bought is a cinch strap so there is something to hang on to. Unlike any other events except for bull riding, bronc riding has a point system. 50 points go to the rider, and 50 points go to the horse. Penalties that result in point reduction or disqualification are spurring above the shoulders, but the main thing to worry about when bronc riding is the safety. Bronc riders get hurt a lot for the simple fact that they are getting tossed around and onto the ground. Then they have to get up as fast as they can so they do not get stepped on. Bronc riding teaches people to not run from their fears, but to face them. Also, it teaches people that they might have to risk a little injury to do something exciting and worth