The word ‘rodeo’ is taken from the Spanish ‘rodeo’ pronounced ro-dee-oh. As many cowboys were Mexican or Mexican American, the Spanish words worked their way into the ranching lingo. Chaps, shortened from chaparreras; lasso, from the Spanish lazo; lariat, from la reata and several others.
The first noted use of the term rodeo used in English was in 1834 and referred to a cattle roundup.
Today, rodeo is a competitive equestrian sport. Most of the events, calf roping, team roping, steer roping, and bronc riding, are a direct echo of the range cattle culture.
During the open range era, cattle were not corralled, but they were gathered, branded and doctored on the un-fenced ranges. Horses and riders acted like the fence to keep the cattle contained while branding and sorting. Even today, on many ranches, calves are roped and wrestled to the ground to be branded. Unlike calf roping in rodeos, where calves are caught around the neck, ropers at the brandings usually ‘heel’ or catch the calves by the back feet, making it easier for the wrestlers.
The event of team roping, where one cowboy ropes the full-grown steer around the horns, and another ropes the heels, evolved from having to brand or doctor full-grown animals on the range.
Bronco riding comes from the old process of breaking horses. Horses ran wild until they were four or five years old, then the ‘bronc stomper’ would rope the horse, snub him to a post, possibly even tie a blindfold over the horse’s eyes, throw a saddle and hackamore on him, untie him and swing aboard. After the horse found he could not throw the rider, he settled down and was ready to be taught lessons necessary to become a cow horse.
Bull riding and bull dogging were not essential ranch skills, but bull dogging, dropping off the horse, grabbing the steers horns and wrestling it to the ground, was invented by a black Texas cowboy, William M. Pickett. In 1971, he became the first African-American honoree to be named in the National Cowboy Hall of Fame
Cheyenne Daily Leader, October 1904 and the Wyoming Semi-Weekly Tribune, September 1904 talk about William Pickett, “a Texas negro, performed his wonderful feat of catching a wild steer by the nose with his teeth and throwing the animal on it’s back.”
“William Pickett, the Taylor, Texas man who performs a feat unrivaled in its sensational aspects by anything heretofore attempted. Pickett is not a big man but is built like an athlete and his feat will undoubtedly be one of the great features of this year’s celebration. It is difficult to conceive how a man could throw a powerful steer with his hands unaided by ropes or a contrivance of some kind and yet Pickett accomplishes this seemingly impossible task with his teeth alone.
Although Pickett did throw some bulls with his teeth, he also wrestled them to the ground by grabbing the horns, like the steer wrestlers do today.
Today, Sheridan has the WYO Rodeo, which officially started in 1931, but Sheridan has had rodeo-type celebrations for many years.
One of the first celebrations was in July of 1900. From the Sheridan Post: Mid-Summer-Carnival! July 3rd, 4th, and 5th The following are the attractions for the three day celebration: July 4, 1900. A. M. 7, Assemble. 8, Parade, Militia, Indians and Floats and disband at Speaker’s stand after parade. 10 to 12, speaking, singing and music. Balloon ascension and parachute drop at noon. Slack wire performance at noon. At 2, Custer sham battle. 4 to 6, Baseball and Polo. 7, A band concert. Lady Minstrels at the Cady opera house, at 8 sharp. 10, Fireworks; Dance.
July 5, 1900. A. M. 8 o’clock, Band concert. Civic parade, Manufacturers and Indians. 9, Shooting contest. 10 to12, Horse races. Slack wire performance at noon. 2 o’clock, broncho busting by Indians and white men. 3. Stage hold-up. 4, Horse races. 4 to 6, Baseball and polo. 7 to 10, Reception. Balloon ascension and Dance.
In 1914, there was a large rodeo, the Bots Sots Stampede. From The Sheridan Enterprise, July.
BOTS SOTS! THE BIG SHOW WAS OPENED THIS MORNING Thousands of People on the Streets to See the Big Parade Which Marked the Beginning of Stampede Finest Review of Indians, Cowboys, Cowgirls and Other Western Characters Ever Witnessed Bats Sots!
The Big Show Is On. The Stampede has begun. Commencing with a splendid parade at 11 o’clock this morning, and swinging into the program of exciting cowboy, Indian and other western sports this afternoon, under bright sunny skies and with thousands of people thronging the city, the first day of the big three-days Stampede and Fourth of July celebration in Sheridan was an auspicious one. There is little doubt but what the thousands were immensely pleased with the big parade, showing as it did the finest band of Indians ever appearing in one parade and at the same time showing a splendid body of cowboys, cowgirls, etc.
From the three husky “punchers” headed by Will Eaton leading the parade, thence to the splendid Sheridan band, down to the old stage coach and the magnificent Monarch band, thence on to the pseudo warriors in Sherm Canfield’s automobile, and to the tail end of the street-long pageant, it was splendid, and augurs well for the program which is taking place this afternoon, and the big events of tomorrow and Saturday.
Visitors have been coming in on every train. They have thronged in from the country and nearby towns in autos, wagons and on horseback. The city is splendidly decorated and everyone as well as everything bears a festal air. It is believed that the trains tonight and tomorrow will bring in thousands, and that the Stampede will be even a bigger and better show than promised. Manager Frackelton says that everything is moving along as planned, and that the outlook is splendid.
The Indian camps on the hill were visited yesterday evening by hundreds of people, curios to see the red men engaged in their domestic duties. There is a splendid line of tepees inside the fair grounds. Some of them are decorated with Indian paintings. Many of them are luxurious in deep soft rugs and furs, while the walls of the tepees are hung with small skins and with exquisite, beaded work. The cooking operations and the babies delighted everyone, and the Indians were good-natured and willing to talk.
Long before the big parade started this morning, the streets were lined with people, massed deep on the sidewalks. Headed by three cowboys, among whom was Will Eaton, in charge of the horse stunts, the pageant came south to Burkitt street, thence west a short distance and finally back on Main street again, going north to the point of starting.
First came the Sheridan band, giving splendid music. Then, on prancing and cavorting horses, rode an immense squad of cowboys, dressed in holiday chaps, sombreros and the rest of the cowboy regalia. The line of cowboys stretched for over a block in close, formation.
Then came the cowgirls, fifteen or twenty of them dressed Just as gaily as the men, and exhibiting just as good horsemanship. Following came the old Canfield stage, a little dilapidated, but in pretty fair condition. This is the old stage which used to haul many people into and out of Sheridan in the days before the railroad came. Men were riding inside and on top of it. This is the old coach which will be robbed in regulation style by the Indians.
Following came a covered wagon of the old frontier days’ type. Then came the snappy, well uniformed and splendidly drilled Monarch coal camp band The organization was a delightful surprise to the Sheridan people, and their splendid music was heartily applauded clear along the line.
Following came the Indians, the old men and the young bucks leading. Dressed in war bonnets, with faces painted, armed with lances, with bows and arrows, and some with old guns. They all wore full Indian costume, and rode splendid horses. Then came the Indian women; young belles with flowing hair combed out, the part painted a deep red; still others with bright colored blankets, with glossy black hair In braids, and with clear, smooth, dusky skin ornamented with just enough color to make it glow. There was even a tiny baby riding in a cleverly built nest of skins and bead work, and clinging to the pommel of the fancy saddle while gazing about at the crowd with big. solemn black eyes.
From the same newspaper there was this announcement.
Early day rodeos had many more events that most of today’s rodeos. They were often more reflective of the range culture as well. Races, relay races, horse races and even auto races, were a big part of the rodeo, or Stampede as it was sometimes called.
The Sheridan Post September 7, 1915 advertised the rodeo.
Greatest Aggregation Performers Ever Seen. Riders and Ropers From all the West are Here for the Stampede. Whatever else may befall, the Sheridan Stampede for 1915 will be notable for this one thing: It will see the greatest gathering of champion wild west performer ever gathered together in one town. No exceptions That statement is made in all sincerity and without, as the lawyers say, fear of successful contradiction.
Never before has there been such a gathering of champion wild west performers in one town. They are here from every western state from Mexico and from Canada They are bound for most any old place. Pendleton, Walla Walla, Calgary, Douglas, south, north east and west but they are here now and will be here until the Stampede is over.
Here is a partial list, made up Sunday afternoon, of those who have arrived and registered at Stampede headquarters Everyone is entered in some event of the Stampede: Lucille Mulhall. world champion cowgirl steer roper; Vera McGinnis. champion all around cowgirl; Iva Mulhall. Cowgirl stenographer as well as rider; Georgia Mulhall, high school horse rider; Louise Thompson bucking horse and relay rider; Arlo Weaver, relay rider; Mrs Ed Wright, champion bucking horse rider in the world; Minnie Thompson, bucking horse rider; Vera Parker, pony express; Ruth Seales race rider; Red Parker, bronco rider, steer rider and bareback rider; Homer S. Wilson range boss of the Wild Bunch; Tommy Grimes, bronco and trick rider; Charles Mulhall, champion bulldogger and bronco rider; Johnny Judd, champion bulldogger and trick and fancy roper; Paul Hansen. bronco rider and bulldogger; Art Seales, bronco and fancy rider; Sid Seales, trick and roman rider; Harold Showell steer roper and bronco rider; Charles Weir, champion steer roper; George Weir, steer roper, and Ed McCarty, steer roper and bronco rider.
It is interesting to note how many women competed in the rodeo, both in riding and even rough stock events.
Vera McGinnis was born in 1892, and lived to be nearly 100. She was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1979.
Born in 1885 in St. Louis, Lucille Mulhall grew up on a ranch, where she was expected to ride, rope and brand along with the men. When she was 13, her father started a Wild West Show, with several cowboys, including Will Rogers and Tom Mix. Lucille and her brother, Charley, were featured performers. She was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1975.
In today’s rodeos, except for barrel racing, which was added as a National Finals Rodeo event in 1967, the rodeo is now dominated by men.
In addition to the rodeo that year, visitors could also see what a real open range roundup looked like. In the same 1915 newspaper, there was this story.
The big reunion of old time cow punchers will be held on Wednesday, although they are expected to be on hand for the two previous days of Stampede there is every indication that it will be the biggest roundup working thin range in many a long year. The mess-wagon will camp on the fair grounds that morning and the riders will work all the draws and water holes from north and south, meeting with the main drive on Main Street at 10:30.
From there the bunch will be pushed to the bed grounds near the wagon and the riders will go in for chuck and to change horses. W. H. Marvin, is cook on the roundup, and he has pledged himself to fix up a mess of grub that day that will make the hair stand on end.
Range Boss Frackelton has given him carte blank, (whatever that means) at all the Sheridan grocery stores, and it is a cinch he will load up more beans, sowbelly, and canned tomatoes than ever grew in Missouri. Any rider who fails to show up might as well roll his bed
In today’s professional rodeos, there are seven events and nine championships sanctioned by the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) – Bareback and saddle bronc riding; calf roping; steer wrestling; team roping; bull riding; steer roping; breakaway roping and barrel racing. There is an award for All-Around Cowboy as well. The PRCA was started in 1936, under the name Cowboy’s Turtle Association. In 1945 it was renamed the RCA and in 1975 it became the PRCA.
In 1975, the PRCA instituted a circuit system that divides the country into several geographical regions. Each PRCA member must compete in at least 15 rodeos within their designated circuit to quality for the circuit finals.
The Sheridan WYO Rodeo and several other Wyoming rodeos are on the PRCA and the WPRA (Women’s Professional Rodeo Association) circuit.
So, as you watch the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, think back to the early days when cattle were roped and branded on the range, and horses were ‘bronc stomped’ to gentle them down for work on the open range. And the early rodeos, which included many events not seen today.
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Last modified: July 16, 2022