50 rodeo terms defined in plain English, from buckle bunny and mutton busting to hooey, dally and eight seconds.
Rodeo culture is deeply rooted in tradition. Discover the most important tournaments in our piece on the most important rodeo tournaments.
Rodeo terminology carries over from ranch work, which is why so much of it sounds older than the sport. The words related to rodeo below name the events, the animals and the gear, and the words associated with the arena crew and the crowd, from the pickup man to the buckle bunny, are part of the same language. If you came for one definition rather than all thirty, the rodeo glossary further down runs from A to Z.
Must-Know Rodeo Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Barrel racing
- Bronc
- Buckle
- Bulldogging
- Chute
- Clove hitch
- Go-round
- Lariat
- Mutton busting
- No-score
- Pickup man
- Rank
- Rodeo clown
- Saddle bronc
- Stock contractor
- Tie-down roping
- Wrangler
- Bareback
- Breakaway roping
- Bull riding
- Dally
- Flank strap
- Grand entry
- Hazer
- Header
- Heeler
- Out gate
- Penalties
- Pole bending
- Spur
Rodeo Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| All-around | The title for the contestant who wins the most money across two or more events at one rodeo. |
| Arena | The fenced dirt floor where the events take place, with the chutes at one end and the out gate at the other. |
| Bareback | A roughstock event ridden without a saddle, holding a rigging handle with one hand for eight seconds. |
| Barrel racing | A timed event in which horse and rider run a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels. |
| Barrier | The rope stretched in front of the roper's box in timed events. Breaking it early adds a ten second penalty. |
| Breakaway roping | Roping in which the rope is tied to the saddle horn with string and breaks free once the calf is caught. |
| Bronc | A bucking horse. Ridden with a saddle in saddle bronc and without one in bareback. |
| Bucking | The animal's jumping, kicking and twisting that the rider has to sit through. Half the score comes from how hard it bucks. |
| Buckle | The engraved belt buckle awarded to event and championship winners instead of a trophy. |
| Buckle bunny | A rodeo fan, usually a young woman, who follows the circuit and the cowboys on it. Not a compliment in most mouths. |
| Bull riding | Riding a bucking bull for eight seconds with one hand on the bull rope and the other in the air. |
| Bull rope | The braided rope run around the bull just behind the front legs, with a handhold the rider grips. |
| Bulldogging | Steer wrestling: the cowboy drops from a running horse, takes the steer by the horns and turns it onto its side. |
| Chaps | The leather leggings worn over jeans for protection, and part of a contestant's look in the arena. |
| Chute | The narrow gated pen holding the animal until the ride starts. |
| Clove hitch | A simple two-loop knot used to tie a rope off quickly and release it again just as fast. |
| Cowboy | A rodeo contestant, and the older meaning of someone who works cattle from horseback. Women contestants are cowgirls. |
| Dally | Wrapping the rope around the saddle horn after a catch so the horse can take the weight of the steer. |
| Eight seconds | The time a roughstock rider has to stay aboard for the ride to be scored at all. |
| Flank strap | The soft strap fastened around an animal's flank that encourages it to kick out behind. It is not tightened onto anything sensitive. |
| Go-round | One complete round of competition in which every contestant competes once. A rodeo may have several. |
| Goat rodeo | Slang far beyond the arena for a chaotic situation with too many things going wrong at once. |
| Grand entry | The opening ceremony, with riders carrying flags into the arena to music. |
| Hazer | In steer wrestling, the rider who runs on the far side of the steer to keep it straight for the wrestler. |
| Header | In team roping, the roper who catches the steer's head or horns first and turns it. |
| Heeler | In team roping, the roper who catches the steer's hind feet after the header has turned it. |
| Hooey | The half hitch a tie-down roper finishes the calf's legs with. It has to hold for six seconds. |
| Lariat | The stiff roping rope with a loop at one end, also called a lasso. Used in tie-down and team roping. |
| Mutton busting | The children's event in which small kids ride a sheep for as long as they can hang on. |
| No-score | A ride that earns nothing, because the rider came off early, touched with the free hand or broke another rule. |
| Out gate | The gate the stock leaves the arena through once the run is over. |
| Penalties | Seconds added to a time in the timed events, most often for breaking the barrier or an illegal catch. |
| Pickup man | A mounted helper who rides alongside after a ride so the cowboy can get off safely, then clears the animal out. |
| Piggin' string | The short rope a tie-down roper carries in their teeth and uses to tie three of the calf's legs. |
| Pole bending | A timed event weaving a horse through a line of six poles and back. |
| Punchy | Looking or acting the part of a working cowboy, said of clothes, gear or a way of riding. |
| Rank | Said of an animal that is exceptionally hard to ride. A rank bull is a compliment to the stock, not a complaint. |
| Re-ride | A second attempt granted when the animal fails to perform or something goes wrong through no fault of the rider. |
| Riggin' | The leather and rawhide handhold strapped around a bareback horse, the rider's only grip. |
| Rodeo | The sport itself, from the Spanish word for rounding up cattle. A single event on the calendar is also a rodeo. |
| Rodeo clown | The entertainer who works the crowd between rides and, in bull riding, draws the bull away from a fallen rider. |
| Saddle bronc | The classic bronc event, ridden in a specialized saddle with a rein and judged heavily on form. |
| Short go | The final round, contested by the highest placed contestants after the earlier go-rounds. |
| Slack | The extra performances held outside the main show when more contestants have entered than the program has room for. |
| Spur | The blunt rowel worn on a boot heel. In roughstock events the rider's spurring action is part of the score. |
| Stock contractor | The business that supplies the bucking horses and bulls and travels them from rodeo to rodeo. |
| Sunfish | A bucking horse twisting its belly toward the sky as it jumps, throwing the rider sideways. |
| Team roping | The two-rider event pairing a header and a heeler against the clock. |
| Tie-down roping | A timed event roping a calf from horseback, then dismounting and tying three legs together. |
| Wrangler | Someone who handles horses and stock behind the scenes at a rodeo or on a ranch. |
#1 Barrel Racing
An event primarily for women in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. It combines the horse’s athletic ability and the rider’s horsemanship skills.
#2 Bronc
Short for bronco, a type of horse with a propensity to buck, used in rodeo events such as saddle bronc or bareback riding. Riders aim to stay mounted on the bronc for a required period to score points.
#3 Buckle
A decorative and highly prized award given to rodeo competitors, often equivalent to a trophy. The buckle usually features intricate designs and indicates a win in a particular event or overall championship.
#4 Bulldogging
Also known as steer wrestling, this event involves a horse-mounted rider chasing after a steer, dismounting, and then wrestling the steer to the ground by grabbing its horns. It’s a demonstration of strength and technique.
#5 Chute
A narrow enclosure that holds an animal securely at the start of rodeo events, such as bull riding or bronc riding. The chute opens to release the animal and rider into the arena.
#6 Clove Hitch
A type of knot that is used in rodeo events to tie a lariat or rope securely around an object, often in calf roping events. The knot needs to be sturdy yet quick to tie and release.
#7 Go-round
In rodeo, a go-round refers to one complete round of competition where all contestants compete once. Rodeos may consist of multiple go-rounds, and winners can be determined based on individual go-round performance or aggregate scores across several go-rounds.
#8 Lariat
A lariat, commonly referred to as a lasso, is a rope with a loop at one end. It is used in rodeo events, particularly in calf roping and team roping, to catch livestock. The lariat is thrown around the neck, horns, or legs of an animal and then tightened by pulling on the other end.
#9 Mutton Busting
A children’s event at a rodeo where kids attempt to ride a sheep for as long as possible. It’s a crowd-pleaser that mimics bull riding but is tailored to the little cowboys and cowgirls in training.
#10 No-score
A term used when a rider fails to meet the required criteria for a scoring ride, often due to disqualification or falling off the animal too soon. It means they receive no points towards competition standings.
#11 Pickup Man
A rodeo performer who assists riders by helping them dismount safely from bucking horses and bulls. These skilled horsemen are crucial for rider safety and must expertly navigate the arena.
#12 Rank
Describes an exceptionally difficult-to-ride animal known for its wild and unpredictable behavior. A rank bull or bronc presents a significant challenge to even the most experienced riders.
#13 Rodeo Clown
An entertainer who provides comic relief to the audience but also serves a critical role in protecting bull riders by distracting the bull after a rider dismounts or is thrown.
#14 Saddle Bronc
A traditional rodeo event where a rider attempts to stay atop a bucking horse while maintaining proper form and using only a specialized saddle. It requires balance, timing, and significant skill.
#15 Stock Contractor
A stock contractor in rodeo is an individual or company responsible for supplying the livestock used in competitions, such as bulls for bull riding and horses for bronc riding. They ensure the quality and safety of the animals and often own the rodeo circuit’s top-performing animals.
#16 Tie-down Roping
A timed rodeo event where a cowboy on horseback chases a calf, ropes it, then dismounts to tie three of its legs together. The cowboy must then wait six seconds to ensure the tie holds for the run to count.
#17 Wrangler
A term often used for cowboys, particularly those skilled in handling horses or working on a ranch. In rodeos, wranglers may be involved in managing livestock and ensuring they are ready for events.
#18 Bareback
A roughstock event where a cowboy rides a bucking horse without a saddle, holding on with just a “riggin” strap. Riders must stay on for eight seconds, with points awarded for style and control.
#19 Breakaway Roping
A rodeo event similar to tie-down roping, but instead of tying the calf, the rope is attached to the horse’s saddle horn and breaks away when the calf is caught. It’s a fast-paced event emphasizing speed and accuracy.
#20 Bull Riding
An intense rodeo event where cowboys attempt to stay mounted on a bucking bull for eight seconds, using only one hand to grip the bull rope. Scores are based on rider’s control and the bull’s performance.
#21 Dally
In team roping, a dally is when a roper wraps the rope around their saddle horn after lassoing the steer. This action helps to secure the steer for the heeler to complete the catch on the hind legs.
#22 Flank strap
A flank strap is a soft strap or rope used in bronc and bull riding events. It is tied around the animal’s flank area (just in front of the hind legs) and encourages the animal to buck more vigorously, enhancing the challenge for the rider. The strap does not harm the animal; it merely acts as an irritant to increase the spectacle of the ride.
#23 Grand entry
The grand entry is a traditional opening ceremony at a rodeo featuring parade-like elements. Participants, including competitors, rodeo queens, and officials, enter the arena on horseback, often carrying flags and performing coordinated maneuvers to the accompaniment of music, typically a patriotic theme.
#24 Hazer
In team roping, the hazer is the cowboy who rides alongside the steer on the right to ensure it runs straight. Their role is crucial for the header to lasso the steer’s horns effectively, making team coordination essential.
#25 Header
In team roping, the header is responsible for roping the front of the steer, typically around the horns. Once the steer is caught, the header must turn it to the left to allow the heeler to rope the hind legs.
#26 Heeler
The heeler waits for the header to turn the steer before attempting to rope the steer’s hind feet in team roping events. Their skillful timing and accuracy often spell the difference between winning and simply completing the run.
#27 Out gate
The out gate is the exit point in the rodeo arena where animals are led out after their event is over. It’s also where successful riders exit after their ride, often waving to acknowledge the crowd.
#28 Penalties
In rodeo events, penalties are added seconds to a competitor’s time for infractions like breaking the barrier early in timed events or touching the ground with a free hand in riding events, which can jeopardize a cowboy’s score.
#29 Pole bending
Pole bending is a timed event where a horse and rider weave through a series of six poles arranged in a line. This event tests the agility and speed of the horse, as well as the rider’s horsemanship skills.
#30 Spur
In rodeo, spurs are metal tools worn on the heels of a rider’s boots, used to encourage livestock to move faster or buck harder. In events like bull riding and bronc riding, riders use spurs to maintain their balance and enhance their performance by timing their spurs’ use with the animal’s movements. The use of spurs is regulated to ensure they do not injure the animals.
FAQ
What is a buckle bunny?
A buckle bunny is a rodeo follower, usually a young woman, who travels the circuit and chases the attention of the cowboys competing in it. The name comes from the prize belt buckles those cowboys wear, and it is rarely meant kindly.
What is the short go in rodeo?
The short go is the final round of a rodeo. After the earlier go-rounds, only the highest placed contestants come back for it, and the aggregate across all rounds decides the win.
What does slack mean in rodeo?
Slack is the extra performance held outside the advertised show, often early in the morning, when more contestants have entered than the main program has room for. The times and scores count exactly the same.
What is it called when kids ride sheep at a rodeo?
Mutton busting. Small children hold onto a sheep for as long as they can, wearing a helmet and vest, and it usually draws the loudest reaction of the afternoon.
What is a rodeo rider called?
A cowboy, or a cowgirl. Within the sport riders are grouped by what they do: roughstock riders in bull riding, saddle bronc and bareback, and timed-event contestants in roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing.
What is tied around a bull in bull riding?
Two things. The bull rope goes around the animal just behind the front legs and carries the handhold the rider grips. The flank strap is fastened further back and encourages the bull to kick out with its hind legs.
They come in groups: events (bull riding, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, barrel racing, mutton busting), animals and gear (bronc, bull rope, flank strap, lariat, riggin’), arena people (pickup man, rodeo clown, stock contractor, hazer) and scoring words (go-round, short go, no-score, penalties). The rodeo glossary above lists all of them.
What are some Rodeo terms for beginners?
“Barrel racing,” “Bulldogging,” and “Chute” are some Rodeo terms beginners should start with. These introduce the names of events, techniques, and equipment used in rodeos.
What are some funny Rodeo terms?
“Mutton busting” and “Buckle bunny” are some funny Rodeo terms that add a light-hearted element, referencing children riding sheep and fans who chase cowboys for their belt buckles, respectively.
What is a famous Rodeo phrase?
“Ride ’em, cowboy!” is a famous Rodeo phrase, often heard to motivate or cheer on riders during a rough stock event, symbolizing the excitement and challenge of the sport.
