STEER WRESTLING The quickest way to make a buck at the rodeo is to get down and dirty in a hurry -- it's called steer wrestling. Don't blink because a top notch run lasts three seconds. A speedy Mexican Corriente steer weighing up to 450 pounds bounds from the chute. It gets a predetermined head start on the steer wrestler and his assistant, known as a hazer. The wrestler and the hazer pursue the steer at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. Then the cowboy slips from his saddle onto the steer's head, swings his legs forward and digs his heels into the arena dirt, brings the steer to a halt while flipping it to the ground with all four feet and nose pointing in the same direction. Steer wrestling is often referred to as bulldogging or simply doggin'. That name comes from one of the most famous black cowboys, Bill Pickett, who was the world's first bulldogger. As the story goes, he was struggling to separate a testy steer from the herd, became frustrated and pounced on the animal's back. Pickett grabbed hold of a steer's head and bit its lip as he threw it to the ground. Observers said Pickett had a bulldog grip on that steer and the name stuck as the popularity of the contest between man and steer grew.

COWGIRLS' BARREL RACING A cloverleaf pattern around three barrels in the fastest time makes a winning run. It is the second most popular event in rodeo. The difference between heading home with some prize money and going empty handed can be as little as one hundredth of a second. Starting from the center alleyway, the horse and rider cross the score line starting the electronic timer. The two have the option of rounding the barrel to the left or right first before circling the opposite barrel then charging around the center barrel and heading back for the score line. As they turn around a barrel, the horse and rider can be at a 45 degree angle. If the horse or rider knocks a barrel over, a five second penalty is added to the cowgirl's time, basically assuring she'll finish out of the money. However, there is no penalty for touching a barrel that doesn't tip over and many riders have become experts at stopping a barrel's fall as they round the turn.

TIE-DOWN ROPING A cowboy who can't rope is as worthless on a ranch as a horse without legs. This contest features rodeo's best horsemen who can rope and handle cattle in a hurry. Calf roping is virtually unchanged today from how it was accomplished 100 years ago. The experts in the field contend that the unique blend of skills utilized by the cowboy and his horse make calf roping the most complex and difficult of rodeo's six most popular events. It can also be the most expensive event to pursue. A professional rodeo cowboy and his highly skilled horse can chase down, rope and tie a calf in mere seconds. To get to the point where a cowboy can compete on the pro rodeo circuit requires years of practice, training and an investment of $175,000 or more in livestock and equipment. Most calf ropers ride horses with an inbred ability to work cattle. They need to be able to produce quick bursts of speed and have uncanny ability to adjust to the different challenge each calf represents. Finally, the roper's horse must be able to do all this on its own. The calf is given a predetermined head start. If the cowboy starts too soon, there's a 10-second penalty tacked on to his time that likely will keep him from finishing in the money. As the calf roper's mount speeds toward the quarry, the cowboy is swinging his lariat. At the precise moment the loop hurdles toward the calf, the cowboy is making a flying dismount and the horse is putting on the brakes and going into reverse. The great calf ropers know precisely how to handle their rope so the calf is brought to a stop while staying on its feet. Once the calf is roped, the cowboy speeds his way along the line to the calf, wrestles it to the ground and binds three of its legs with his "pigging string," throwing his hands in the air signaling the end of his run. The cowboy steps away from the calf and remounts his horse, then moves it forward leaving slack in the line. If the calf remains tied for five seconds, the cowboy's time stands.