Modern event Steer wrestling

steer wrestling @ 2004 national finals rodeo.

the event features steer , 2 mounted cowboys, along number of supporting characters. steers moved through narrow pathways leading chute spring-loaded doors. barrier rope fastened around steer s neck used ensure steer gets head start. rope length determined arena length. on 1 side of chute hazer , job ride parallel steer once begins running , ensure runs in straight line, on other side of chute steer wrestler or bulldogger waits behind taut rope fastened broken string fastened rope on steer.

when steer wrestler ready calls steer nodding head , chute man trips lever opening doors. freed steer breaks out running, shadowed hazer. when steer reaches end of rope, pops off , simultaneously releases barrier steer wrestler. steer wrestler attempts catch running steer, lean on side of horse running flat out , grab horns of running steer. steer wrestler pulled off horse slowing steer , plants heels dirt further slowing steer , himself. takes 1 hand off horns, reaches down , grabs nose of steer pulling steer off balance , throwing steer ground. once 4 legs off ground, official waves flag marking official end , time taken. steer released , trots off.

technique

bringing steer ground

the preferred method of wrestling steer ground lean galloping horse running beside steer, transferring weight of upper body neck of steer, 1 hand on near horn of steer , far horn grasped in crook of other elbow. 1 lets horse carry feet steer until feet naturally fall out of stirrups. steer wrestler slides feet turned left, twisting head of steer toward 1 pushing down near hand , pulling , in far elbow. steer wrestler lets go of near horn, , puts steer s nose in crook of left elbow, , throws weight backwards causing steer become unbalanced , fall ground.

rules

rules of steer wrestling include: bulldogger s horse must not break rope barrier in front of @ beginning of run, must wait animal escaping adjacent chute release rope. breaking rope barrier adds 10-second penalty bulldogger s time. if steer stumbles or falls before bulldogger brings down, must either wait rise or before wrestling ground. if bulldogger misses steer on way down, receive no time .

typical professional times in range of 3.0 10 seconds gates opening waving of flag. steers used today corriente cattle or longhorns, weigh between 450–650 pounds, , human steer wrestlers typically weigh 180–300 pounds. while steer wrestlers have lower injury rate bull riders or bronc riders, injury rate higher of speed events.