Rodeo: Cattle Industry In The American West

The cattle kingdom out west had hit its peak in the 1880 's. A steer could be purchased in Texas for eight dollars. They could be sold in the east for up to sixty dollars. In the 1880 's the open range is coming to an end. The farmers are fed up with the cattle tromping through his crops. The sheepherders also took away from the cattle kingdom. The sheep killed the grass when they ate it, unlike cows. The farmer and cowboy hated each other, and they were

We see the cowboy as rebellious, riding away from civilization, however his life is full of conformity. If he were to go against the flow and always rebel, he would never survive, much less successfully care for his cattle. “…ranch work is teamwork and even the glorified open-range cowboys of the 1880’s rode up and down the Chisholm Trail in the company or twenty or thirty men” states Ehrlich. Not only is he seen riding away from civilization he is also riding a lone. He is portrayed as being individualistic and a loner, yet Ehrlich asserts that the cowboy like every other man in America, has a family to return home to (Ehrlich, 82-83). Described as a “rugged individualist”, the cowboy is none-the-less part of a group, achieving one goal, caring for the cattle (Ehrlich,

Bull riding has a long rich history, it can be traced back all the way to the early 1800’s. Cowboys would get together and have contests in things they normally do on a ranch like roping and trying to break horses, but you didn’t have to get on the back of a

The sport of Rodeo has been a tradition in the United States since the cowboys of the American West began pushing herds of cattle across this country. Often, there was very little to do besides hard work with the cattle and horses, so the cowhands would often get together and compete with each other in the skills that they practiced every day on their jobs in order to relieve boredom. The first competitions in rodeo consisted mainly of riding bucking horses and roping steers, cows and calves, because this was what their work consisted of. Each ranch would send their best cowboys they had. The cowboys were competing only for the honor of their ranches they worked for, and their bosses who owned those

Anxious to take advantage of the growing business of tourism at the turn of the last century, Wyoming's leaders decided to give visitors what they wanted -- rodeos and wild west shows. The locals were urged to wear cowboy attire to add to the atmosphere.

Longhorn Cattle have a long history to go with their long horns that they are known for which can grow up to seven feet wide. Their progenitors were acquainted with the New World in 1493 when Christopher Columbus arrived in the present-day Caribbean Islands. As Spanish moved north they carried the cows with them and in the eighteen - hundreds longhorns touched base in the zone that would get to be Texas. These cattle were viewed as wild until tamed in the nineteenth century. (Radke)

“What are you doing next weekend?” “Going to a rodeo.” “Oh... what about the next weekend?” “I have another rodeo.” I guess you could say that rodeo is kind of a big deal for me. That I’m a “Rodeo Nerd.” Whether it’s being in them, or just watching them. I love rodeos. I have many reasons to love them! Like for example, rodeos are always a ton of fun, you're always meeting new people from all kinds of places, and last but not least the cowboys!

Revolutionized the cattle business and sounded the death of knell for the open range. Mexicans and Americans without land but had cattle were put out of business, because without fencing they had to sell out for the best price they could get. |

Cowboys are the American idol of the “Old West” pictured as silhouette riding out over the prairie on their horse with the sunset ahead of them. They are what shaped the entire cattle raising industry in America. A study of the cowboy way of life helps us to discover the hardships they faced and the experiences that every cowboy has witnessed.

Texas longhorns have far more to offer us than their hides and horns and as beef cattle. Subjected to the cruelest demands nature imposed and the most careless overuse that man imposed, Texas Longhorns prevailed. As this cattle breed continues to find its way in a competitive industry, its contributions will be remembered and its will to survive revered. A HARD WON INDEPENDENT STREAK TYPIFIES THE AMERICAN

In Texas, the word initially denoted an establishment engaged in livestock production using unimproved range pastures as the primary resource, with or without plow land crops. From the beginning, ranching often included raising cattle, sheep and goats, and horses. Cattle ranching has been a major Texas industry for nearly three centuries. Many ranching customs taken for granted today had their origins in Spain, including branding and ear-marking to denote ownership. Texas ranching derived many of its working procedures from Spanish and Mexican cattle-handling methods. Even much of the ranching vocabulary has been handed down from Spanish, though many of the terms have been Anglicized almost beyond recognition.

This picture depicts a rodeo taking place, the cowboys and their horses are competing. Around the arena we can see families gathered to watch this sport take place. The cowboys are wearing their traditional attire which includes button up shirts, jeans and chaps and spurs. The horses wear saddles to provide rider more comfort and stability.

I have been in the world of rodeo since the day I was born. My father and sister have always been involved, along with other members of my family: such as my uncles, aunts, and cousins. I guess you could say that rodeo is a family affair, so indubitably I also fell into suit and began my own rodeo career. I have had successful and not so successful intervals throughout the course of my rodeo pursuits; either way each and every one of them have been memorable in their own right. I started competing at the age of ten on a horse that my family called Dewey. Dewey was a sorrel gelding that my father roped off of and I ran barrels on. He was the type of horse that was lazy and only moved by force; we were alike in this way. We had constant success as a duo, I wouldn’t have traded him for

Mercer’s book was a controversial book after its publication, which lends to researching many of the questions and topics it brings to light. Another great resource that will bring depth to this thesis will be the biography of John Clay Jrl My Life on the Range, (1962). Clay’s biography highlights the period before the cattle baron reign, giving a rare glance at the ranches where the influence of the European cattle ranchers was prominent. One finally resource which will be invaluable to this thesis is Frank Canton’s autobiography, Frontier Trails (1966). The background and involvement of Canton with the Wyoming Stock Growers Association is described along with his role in the invasion of Johnson County War. This brings a perspective to the thesis, which allows an understanding of the cattle baron from someone who was not directly associated with cattle industry but also had a law enforcement background with ties back to the cattle barons. The plethora of resources will give this author numerous avenues to evaluate and research for additional documentation, which will

Next, why do we have rodeos? A lot of people enjoy watching the animals buck and go crazy. But it’s not just the people that like to watch it the people that are in rodeos love its their passion there to work and have fun. The contest and games became a national sport. Many people get very excited to watch or to be in the rodeo.