Contract Personnel
Contract personnel play a crucial role in the success of any rodeo production. They are the unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that the event runs smoothly and safely for everyone involved. These dedicated individuals include stock contractors, rodeo clowns, bullfighters, secretaries, timers, announcers, sound men, video production, pickup men, chute bosses, and flankmen.
Stock contractors provide the bucking roughstock and the timed event livestock that are the stars of the show, while the rodeo clowns generate laughter and entertainment between events. The bullfighters are responsible for rescuing bullriders who need assistance getting off during and after their ride, and secretaries keep track of the money and handle various administrative tasks. The timers time the rodeo and keep the time and score fair and accurate.
The rodeo announcers are responsible for keeping the crowd informed about what is going on in the arena and behind the scenes while helping to entertain and keep them engaged. They work alongside the soundmen, who ensure there is always action happening in the arena with music.
Pickup men assist roughstock riders in dismounting from their horses and ensure the livestock and roughstock are out of the arena before the next competitor competes. While chute bosses keep the rodeo stock moving through the chutes in a safe and orderly fashion. Flankmen are responsible for preparing the animals for competition and play a crucial role in ensuring that they are ready to perform at their best.
While some contract personnel are easy to spot, such as clowns and announcers, others work behind the scenes and go unnoticed by most spectators. Despite this, their contributions are just as important to the success of the rodeo as those of the riders themselves.
In conclusion, rodeo contract personnel are the unsung heroes of the event, working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that everything runs smoothly and safely for everyone involved. Their hard work and dedication are essential to the success of the rodeo.
Rodeo Announcers
Rodeo announcers are an integral part of any rodeo production. They are responsible for providing the play-by-play commentary, keeping the crowd engaged, and providing insight into the events and the competitors involved.
Rodeo announcers must have a wealth of knowledge about the sport, including the rules, the animals, and the competitors themselves. They must be able to quickly and accurately identify each rider, their horse or bull, and provide background information on their performance history and accomplishments.
In addition to their knowledge of the sport, rodeo announcers must also possess excellent communication skills. They must have a clear and powerful voice that can be heard over the noise of the crowd and the animals, and they must be able to think on their feet and provide witty commentary that keeps the audience engaged.
Some rodeo announcers prefer to call the action from horseback, while others prefer a perch overlooking the arena. Regardless of their location, rodeo announcers play a critical role in the success of the rodeo and are valued members of the rodeo community.
Overall, rodeo announcers are a special breed of professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge, skill, and charisma to the sport of rodeo. Their expertise and dedication are essential to the success of any rodeo production.
Barrelmen
Barrelmen are an essential part of any bull riding event, providing entertainment for the crowd and safety for the riders. While bullfighters are responsible for diverting the bull's attention away from the exiting rider, the barrelman's primary duty is to entertain the audience during downtime in the rodeo.
The barrelman often takes center stage, performing impromptu dance routines or engaging in comical dialogue with the event's announcers. They are typically found in or around a custom-made barrel placed in the center of the arena, which not only provides a platform for their entertainment but also serves as a refuge for bull riders who are thrown off far from the arena fence or bucking chutes.
Despite their humorous appearance, barrelmen play a critical role in ensuring the safety of both the riders and the audience. Working from an open-ended barrel, they serve as a diversion for an angry bull, providing a temporary obstacle for the animal to charge at while the rider escapes to safety.
While bullfighters and barrelmen risk their lives to save riders, they are also skilled athletes and entertainers in their own right. They perform tricks and engage in banter with the announcers to keep the audience engaged and entertained throughout the event.
Overall, barrelmen are an important and beloved part of any bull riding event. They bring a sense of humor and excitement to the arena while also providing a crucial safety net for the riders and ensuring that the rodeo runs smoothly and safely for everyone involved.
Bullfighters
Initially, bullfighters began as clowns, their primary role being to entertain and provide comic relief. The protection of the cowboy was of secondary importance. However, in today's context, they still dress as clowns, but their primary and crucial role is that of bullfighters. They often make the difference between life and death.
Bullfighters now take the front line in defending the bullrider. Their responsibility is to divert the bull's attention while the cowboy regains his bearings and safely escapes after a fall or dismount. Far from being mere clowns, modern bullfighters are deeply serious about their jobs, willingly putting their own lives at risk to protect the cowboy.
The modern bullfighter is not only a highly skilled athlete but also a master of timing and agility. Appropriately, they have their own world championship to pursue. Roughly four decades ago, bullfighters began informally competing with each other, pushing the boundaries of daring stunts against the bulls.
Chute Boss
The chute boss is a key figure in any rodeo production, responsible for ensuring that the rodeo stock are in the chutes in the proper order and that the contestants are properly prepared for competition. They are essentially the quarterback of the rodeo, keeping everything moving and on schedule.
Chute bosses are typically experienced individuals with a deep knowledge of rodeo and a strong dedication to the sport. Many stock contractors also work as chute bosses, given their extensive experience working with rodeo animals and understanding of the intricacies of the sport.
The chute boss must be highly organized and able to manage multiple tasks and responsibilities at once. They must ensure that the animals are loaded into the chutes in the proper order and that each contestant is prepared and ready to compete. They must also be able to make quick decisions and take action to resolve any issues or delays that may arise during the event.
Overall, the chute boss is a critical component of any successful rodeo production. Their expertise and dedication are essential to ensuring that the event runs smoothly and safely for everyone involved.
Rodeo Clowns
Rodeo clowns have a long history in rodeo, having originally been called upon to fill the lulls between competitions by providing comedic relief to the audience. Over time, they gained fame as protectors of cowboys during the bull riding competition, working alongside bullfighters to ensure the safety of the riders.
Today, clown acts remain an important part of many rodeo productions. They entertain the crowd with their comedy and antics while also serving as a critical safety net for the riders. While bullfighters are primarily responsible for diverting the bull's attention away from the exiting rider, clowns may also assist in this effort by distracting the animal with their colorful costumes and funny movements.
In addition to protecting the riders, clowns also provide valuable entertainment for the crowd during downtime in the rodeo. They may perform tricks, engage in humorous banter with the announcers, or interact with the audience in other ways to keep them engaged and entertained throughout the event.
Overall, clowns remain a beloved and important part of many rodeo productions. Their role may have evolved over time, but their commitment to ensuring the safety of the riders and providing entertainment for the crowd remains as strong as ever.
Flankmen
The flankman is an important member of the rodeo production team, responsible for preparing the animals for competition and ensuring their safety and well-being. Like the pickup men and many other rodeo personnel, the flankman is typically a cowboy with extensive experience working with rodeo roughstock.
The flankman's main job is to ensure that the animals are properly and safely prepared for competition. He is intimately familiar with each animal's temperament and behavior, and he knows how to handle each one to ensure that they are ready to perform at their best. He is responsible for feeding and caring for the animals on a daily basis, and he plays a critical role in maintaining their health and fitness throughout the year.
Given that the flankman witnesses the animals' bucking behavior on a daily basis, cowboys often turn to them for insights and information regarding what they can anticipate from their assigned animal.
He can provide valuable insight into each animal's performance history, quirks, and tendencies, helping riders prepare mentally and physically for the ride ahead.
Pickup Man
The pickup man is an essential member of any rodeo production, responsible for ensuring the safety of both the riders and the bucking horses. Their main job is to ride alongside the high-kicking horses after a bareback or saddle bronc ride and assist the contestants safely to the ground.
This requires both courage and excellent riding ability, as pickup men must be able to keep pace with the bucking horses and quickly assess the situation to ensure the safety of the rider. They must be able to anticipate the horse's movements and react quickly to ensure that the rider is able to dismount safely.
In addition to assisting the riders, pickup men are also responsible for removing the soft flank strap from the horse and herding it safely out of the arena. They must have a deep understanding of rodeo livestock and be able to work closely with the animals to ensure their safety and well-being throughout the event.
Overall, pickup men are respected by both contestants and spectators as true cowboys. Their dedication to ensuring the safety of the riders and animals is essential to the success of any rodeo production. Their courage, riding ability, and deep knowledge of rodeo livestock make them an integral part of the rodeo community.
Rodeo Secretary
Rodeo secretaries are an essential but often underappreciated part of any rodeo production. Their tireless work behind the scenes ensures that the event runs smoothly and efficiently and that the riders are able to compete at their best.
One of the primary responsibilities of the rodeo secretary is to prepare the entry lists, a difficult and time-consuming task that requires a deep understanding of rodeo rules and regulations. They must also tally the results of each event and cut the paychecks for the riders when the rodeo is over.
But the rodeo secretary's work doesn't stop there. They are often called upon to serve as a kind of surrogate mother to young cowboys, helping them with a variety of tasks and providing support and guidance as needed. They may also serve as a cook or a caretaker, ensuring that everyone involved in the rodeo is well-fed, rested, and ready to perform.
Overall, the rodeo secretary is an invaluable member of the rodeo community, playing a critical role in ensuring the success of each event. Their hard work, dedication, and attention to detail make them essential to the smooth operation of the rodeo, and their contributions are often overlooked or underappreciated. If there were a most-valuable-player award in rodeo, the rodeo secretary would undoubtedly win it every time.
Specialty Acts
Specialty acts are an important and beloved part of the rodeo tradition, providing a diverse array of entertainment options for fans and spectators. These talented performers often hold their own in terms of keeping the crowd engaged and entertained, even when there is a lull in the action.
Specialty acts can consist of just about anything, from elaborate clown comedy skits to magnificently trained animal acts, trick ropers, sharpshooters, and death-defying trick riders. These performers bring a unique skill set and a sense of showmanship to the rodeo arena, adding an extra layer of excitement and entertainment to the event.
In addition to providing entertainment during downtime in the rodeo, specialty acts can also be honed to a fine point, with performers working tirelessly to perfect their craft and deliver a memorable performance. Whether they are performing intricate trick riding maneuvers or dazzling the crowd with feats of strength and agility, these performers are a testament to the rich history and tradition of the American West.
Overall, specialty acts are an important and beloved part of the rodeo experience, providing a diverse array of entertainment options for fans and spectators alike. Their commitment to their craft and their dedication to delivering a memorable performance make them an essential part of any successful rodeo production.
Stock Contractors
Stock contractors are an essential part of the rodeo industry, responsible for providing the bucking horses and bulls, as well as the calves and steers, that are used in the rodeo events. Stock contractors generally live on ranches and spend much of the year developing quality stock for rodeo competition. They carefully select and breed their animals to ensure that they are strong, healthy, and capable of providing a challenging and exciting ride for the riders. They also train and care for their animals throughout the year, working tirelessly to ensure that they are ready for competition when the rodeo season arrives.
In addition to providing the animals, stock contractors also hire other contract personnel and produce the rodeos for various rodeo committees. They are the ultimate authority at any rodeo, responsible for ensuring the safety of the animals and the riders, as well as the overall success of the event.
Overall, stock contractors are an essential part of the rodeo community, playing a critical role in preserving the rich history and traditions of the American West. Their dedication to breeding and training quality rodeo stock, as well as their commitment to producing safe and successful rodeo events, make them an integral part of the rodeo experience.
Timed Event Chute Boss
The timed-event chute boss is an important figure in the rodeo world, responsible for ensuring that the timed events run smoothly and efficiently. This cowboy takes charge when the timed events take place, working the timed-event chutes and making sure that the barrier is set and working properly on all the calves and steers.
In addition to ensuring that the animals are in the proper order, the timed-event chute boss also plays a critical role in matching the cowboys with the right animal. As in the roughstock events, contestants in the timed events draw their animals randomly, and it is up to the timed-event boss to make sure that each cowboy is paired with an animal that is appropriate for their skill level and style of riding.
The timed-event chute boss must also be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations of each timed event, as well as the scoring system and other important details. They must be able to make quick decisions and respond to unexpected situations as they arise, all while maintaining a calm and professional demeanor.
Overall, the timed-event boss is an essential part of any rodeo production, playing a critical role in ensuring the success of the timed events. Their expertise and attention to detail make them a valuable asset to the rodeo community.
Timers
The timers are an essential part of any rodeo production, responsible for keeping a clock on the timed events and ensuring that the competition runs smoothly and efficiently. There are typically two-timers at every rodeo, and they work closely with the Rodeo Secretary and Timed-Event Chute Boss to ensure that everything is fair and accurate.
The timers use stopwatches to keep track of the elapsed time in the timed events, including tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing. They must be precise and accurate, stopping their watches at the exact moment that the event is completed. They also ensure that roughstock cowboys make full eight-second rides, keeping track of the time and making sure that the riders get credit for a successful ride.
In addition to their technical skills, the timers must also be fair and aware during the competition, ensuring that every rider has an equal opportunity to succeed. They must be able to make quick decisions and respond to unexpected situations as they arise, all while maintaining a calm and professional demeanor.
Overall, the timers are a critical part of the rodeo community, playing a vital role in ensuring the success of each event. Their dedication to accuracy and fairness, as well as their technical expertise and attention to detail, make them an essential part of the rodeo experience.