Booklet created by: PRCA Industry Outreach For more information contact: Let’s Learn About PRCA Industry Outreach 101 Pro Rodeo Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80919 (719) 593-8840 PROFESSIONAL RODEO COWBOYS ASSOCIATION PROFESSIONAL RODEO COWBOYS ASSOCIATION LET’S WILD LEARN WEST SHOWS ABOUT In the late 1800's, Wild West Shows began traveling the eastern states and did so for about 50 years. Today’s rodeos are an offspring of these early shows that featured great cowboys such as Buffalo Bill Cody and Bill Pickett, who invented bulldogging. The early 1900's marked the introduction of the Wild West Show overseas when the shows performed in England and Africa. Casey Tibbs took the Wild West Show to the World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium. The cowboys in these shows were paid performers and it wasn’t a contest like modern rodeos. SPANISH ROOTS Rodeo as we know it did not exist until the EARLY RODEOS late 1800's, but its roots in North America are It is very hard to trace the first rodeo in traced back to the Spanish settling California America. Many places make this claim including: and becoming cattle Sante Fe, New Mexico in 1847, Deer Trail, RODEO WORD ranchers.ASSOCIATION The COWBOYS RODEO Colorado in 1869,PROFESSIONAL and Pecos, Texas in 1883. All WILD WEST SHOWS RODEO WORSEDA RCH In the late 1800’s,definition Wild West Shows began of “rodeo” is early rodeos varied greatly by events and most traveling throughout the eastern states and did so SEARCH for about 50 years. Today’s rodeos are an offspring AEWFEPMCXZSCOREQOPMXV of these early showsa Spanish that featured great word were free to the public. Prescott, Arizona held DFWONQXUTPNEEAQXINSXO cowboys such as Buffalo Bill Cody AEWFEPMCXZSCOREQOPMXV WILD and BillWILD Pickett,meaning who invented roundup. The their first STJWINAQVXIPNNBVXZACZrodeo on July 4, 1888 . Much of what bulldogging. The early 1900’s DFWONQXUTPNEEAQXINSXO S ’ T E L marked the introduction of the STJWINAQVXIPNNBVXZACZWCUIAINXERSXBKCESSDOP Wild West Showskills overseas, with of the early we know today in the sport of rodeo grew from WEST performancesWEST in England and WCUIAINXERSXBKCESSDOPOCWLEPWCOERSBWOPXTDAB Africa. Casey Tibbs took a Wild Spanish vaqueros were theOCWLEPWCOERSBWOPXTDAB PrescottSCODNXOEIPRIZEMONELZU Rodeo. The committee established West Show to the World’s Fair in N R A E L Brussels, Belgium in 1958. The SCODNXOEIPRIZEMONELZUWOXWUXUPSIOOPXPEMEESL cowboys in theseeventually shows were passed SHOWS SHOWS theWOXWUXUPSIOOPXPEMEESL followingOWUENOPUSTWSPSZBARREL that still hold true today: prizes paid performers and it was not OWUENOPUSTWSPSZBARREL Spanish Roots a contest like modernalong rodeos. to the American awarded, SBNSTXSROPEQSMNUZXETPrules for competition, admission SBNSTXSROPEQSMNUZXETP T U O B A Rodeo as we know it did not QONTINQOXOLPHENCLOWNE exist until the late 1800’s, but QONTINQOXOLPHENCLOWNE Cowboy after the civil charged, cowboysOYWZOPQDISMEAQBKPNNXW invited to compete and a its roots in North America are EARLY OYWZOPQDISMEAQBKPNNXW traced back to the Spanish POWIPRSELMSOTXZCMIMUS war whensettling California the and frontier began territories Shows West wereWild heavily1800's, late the In committeePOWIPRSELMSOTXZCMIMUS to organize. 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BARREL Cowboy after the civil war charged, cowboys invited to compete and a SADDLE WILDWESTRODEO ROPECLOWN BARREL when the frontier territories cowboys committee The to organize. TheBelgium. events includedBrussels, in Fair World’s BULL HORSESADDLE WILDWESTBRONC CLOWN were heavily expanding. The bronc riding, steer roping and cow pony races. PRIZEMONEY COWBOYBULL HORSEEVENT BRONC difference between Spanish wasn’t it In 1889,and the first steer ridingperformers competitionpaid waswere shows these in SPUR STEERPRIZEMONEY COWBOYBOOT EVENT rodeo and American rodeo is held, later this event evolved into modern bull a contest like modern rodeos. rodeos. modern like contest a ROWEL SCORESPUR STEERBUCK BOOT that the Spanish version focuses riding. By 1917, calf roping was RANK WIN on style, while the American added to the list of events ROWEL SCORE BUCK version focuses on speed. at Prescott. S T O RANKO R H WINS I N A P S RODEOS EARLY the until exist not did it know we as Rodeo It is very hard to trace the first rodeo in in rodeo first the trace to hard very is It are America North in roots its but 1800's, late America. Many places make this claim including: including: claim this make places Many America. California settling Spanish the to back traced Sante Fe, New Mexico in 1847, Deer Trail, Trail, Deer 1847, in Mexico New Fe, Sante cattle becoming and Colorado in 1869, and Pecos, Texas in 1883. All All 1883. in Texas Pecos, and 1869, in Colorado The ranchers. early rodeos varied greatly by events and most most and events by greatly varied rodeos early is “rodeo” of definition were free to the public. Prescott, Arizona held held Arizona Prescott, public. the to free were word Spanish a their first rodeo on July 4, 1888 . Much of what what of Much . 1888 4, July on rodeo first their The roundup. meaning we know today in the sport of rodeo grew from from grew rodeo of sport the in today know we early the of skills the Prescott Rodeo. The committee established established committee The Rodeo. Prescott the were vaqueros Spanish the following that still hold true today: prizes prizes today: true hold still that following the passed eventually awarded, rules for competition, admission admission competition, for rules awarded, American the to along charged, cowboys invited to compete and a a and compete to invited cowboys charged, civil the after Cowboy committee to organize. The events included included events The organize. to committee heavily were territories frontier the when war bronco riding, steer roping and cow pony races. pony cow and roping steer riding, bronco Spanish between difference The expanding. In 1889, the first steer riding competition was was competition riding steer first the 1889, In Spanish the that is rodeo American and rodeo held, later this event evolved into modern bull bull modern into evolved event this later held, American the while style, on focuses version riding. By 1917, calf roping was added to the list list the to added was roping calf 1917, By riding. speed. on focuses version of events at Prescott. at events of RODEO PRCA Color the Bucking Bronc ORGANIZATIONS FAST FACTS: Color the Bucking Bronc In the 1920’s, rodeo began to organize to combat • Total prize money problems of the rapid expansion of the sport. awarded at PRCA The Rodeo Association of America, made sanctioned up of rodeo committees and producers, was rodeos in 2014 formed in 1929. World Champions were to be was $41,102,501. selected in the following events: bronc riding, bull riding, bareback riding, calf roping, steer roping, bulldogging, team roping and wild cow • The PRCA has over milking. The name was changed in 1946 to the 7,000 members International Rodeo Association. (card and permit). By 1936, the cowboys decided to form • Most PRCA rodeos their own organization after striking at the Boston Garden Rodeo. The organization are produced by was named the Cowboys Turtle Association local volunteer because they were slow to committees who organize, but eventually donate proceeds “stuck their neck out.” to charity. Over The organization wanted $25 million a year to ensure fair prize money, equality is donated from in judging and honest advertising of the PRCA rodeos to sport. In 1945, the name was changed to the charity. Rodeo Cowboys Association. By 1955, the International Rodeo Association recognized • Over 127 PRCA the Rodeo Cowboys Association as superior and closed down. cowboys have surpassed the million dollar mark in career THE PRCA prize money