Rodeos

Rodeos as we know them today don't bear a lot of resemblance to their humble beginnings. Way back during the 1700s and the 1800s, Spain owned much of land that makes up the American West.

Spain established "missions," and many of the "padres" who oversaw these missions were actually the sons of Spanish nobility and skilled horsemen. They were trained in the arts of riding and roping that had been part of Spanish tradition for generations.

Because raising cattle for the American market was profitable, padres taught their hired hands the skills of horsemanship, riding, and roping. The workers that were trained were called "vaqueros."

At the annual roundup and the branding of cattle, the "vaqueros" liked to show off their skills and compete with one another, and the competition was called a "rodeo."

After the Civil War and with the coming of the railroad, many cowboys had to find another way to make a living. Showmen like Buffalo Bill Cody began to organize the competitions between cowboys and charge admission. America was fascinated by cowboys and all things "western," so the smart money invested in the phenomenon.

Today rodeos are big, big entertainment events. The rodeo contestants are not working cowboys who are trying to pick up a few extra dollars by showing off their riding and roping skills. The competitors are athletes — professional athletes who earn their income from competing in rodeos and promoting products that are related to horses and other livestock.

The rodeos of today are big business. The crowd doesn't consist of a few people interested in riding and roping. The crowds are huge. ESPN covers rodeos and there is professional musical entertainment; the prizes that are awarded to the winners of the competitions are not paltry little sums, either. Rodeo is a big sector of the entertainment industry.