SADDLE BRONC RIDER

Where can I ride? 

Finiding an organization your comfortable riding with makes the experience much more enjoyable.  For some organizations you can buy a day permit so you can give them a try before commiting to a full year membership, I'd highly recommend going that route.

Find organizations online, or through some periodicals. 

www.thecompetitiornews.com "The Competitior News" is one of the periodicals I use to find upcoming rodeos in my area(CCPRA "California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association").  They have listings for multiple organizations in multiple states.

In addition, I have a subscription to, & use Prorodeo Sports News "PSN" for PRCA rodeo www.prorodeo.com dates and phone numbers.  If your just starting out you'll be a permit holder and will have to check and see whether they will be allowing permit holders to sign up for that particular rodeo.

• Some organizations in North America

American Professional Rodeo association

National High School Rodeo

National Intercollegiate Rodeo

American Junior Rodeo Assn (20 and under)

National Little Britches (8 to 18)

National Senior Pro Rodeo (40 and up)

International Pro Rodeo Association

•  If you are up in Canada 

Canadian Professional Rodeo Association

Canadian Cowboys Association

• If you are in Australia

Australian Professional Rodeo Assoc.

• New Zealanders

NZ Rodeo Cowboys Ass Inc.

• European (not sure this is current)

European professional cowboys assoc

•  World Rodeo League

This site wasnt done last I checked

• For Police and Firefighters

• There are organizations for Native American Indians.

All Indian Rodeo Cowboys Association

• There are organizations for Gay folks.

International Gay Rodeo Association

Also, don't forget your local rodeo and fairgrounds.  If you can, contact the staff at the grounds and ask them about upcoming rodeo's.  In addition, you can contact the chamber of commerce in places you'd like to rodeo and ask them if there are any planned.

You'll probably be able to find much more on the net as well.  The point is to find an organization (or even a couple) that sanctions events in your area and find out how they publish the entry information whether it be in a periodical, magazine, online, whatever, and sign up to ride.

What it all means:

When you go through the listings of rodeos like the ones I described on the left, it might be a bit confusing with all the accronyms and how to interpert the info, so here's what I know-

(ps - if there's something I missed email me and I'll add it - I don't know it all, I'm just sharing what I do know)

Going through my "The Competitor News" publication I thumb through untill I get to the organization I'm a member of, or would like to try out.  I go through all the news and results of the rodeos that have been going on and flip to the schedule of upcoming rodeos.  I look for something at least a week and a half from the upcoming tuesday (That's usually the cut-off to call in my entry.  Pretty typical for CCPRA, but it may be different, so be sure to read through ALL the details of the event).  I see the following:

XXXXXX RODEO

LOCATION:

DATE:

PERF:

SLACK

EVENTS:

CONTRACTOR:

LIMITS:

TR:

EO:

CB: 

SECRETARY:

ENTRY FEE:

ENTRY#:

TURN-OUT#:

XXXX Rodeo = the name of the rodeo

Location = where it's taking place

Date =  when it's taking place

Perf = when and how many performances available.  When you call in they'll ask if you have a preference.  They are asking what day you would like to ride.

Slack = if the entries exceed the slots available in the main performance the additional entries go in slack - it's when the "overflow" performances take place.

Events =  number of events in the rodeo, and usually the purse money for the events.

Contractor = the stock contractor (the guy who supplies the rough stock)

Limits = always seems to say limited entries, but I'd just call anyway.

TR = team roping - instructions to team ropers

EO = ENTRIES OPEN - this is very important.  This tells you the date to call in your entry.  pay attention to what it says because it may only be open for a few hours.

CB = CALL BACK - this is important as well.  It's the date you call back to find out what performance you've been assigned and in some cases what animal you've drawn.

Secretary = The person assigned to working the books

Entry Fee = $$$ gotta pay to play.

ENTRY NUMBER = This is the number to call to sign up for the event.

Turn-out Number = this is the number to call if you have signed up to ride, and aren't gonna be able to make your ride.

The format may be slightly different for different associations or organizations, but this should get you started out on the right track.  I'll put together a listing off the accronyms I've seen on a different page in alphabetical order.  So if you see something you don't understand try the acronym listing or email me and I'll try to get an answer for you.