"This ain't my first rodeo" is a phrase that gets wheeled out on many an occasion.
But if you've only experienced a rodeo from the prism of TV, it's fascinating in the flesh.
I popped along to one this July in the town of Cody, Wyoming which bills itself as the "Rodeo Capital of the World".
Watching from afar when rodeos pop up in the movies, you kind of feel like you know the drill. Bucking horses and bulls making damn well sure their riders don't stay on, hurling them from their backs and into the dirt.
That's obviously the central element of it. But a few other things jumped out from the vantage point of the stands at a Cody Nite Rodeo. So here's a few small thoughts on the pageantry around the action.
Fervor
The announcer up in his metal box keeps a helpful running commentary of the events for the viewers, many of whom are tourists or aren't that well acquainted with the turn of events. So there's a constant wall of noise, breaking down which disciplines are to come on the schedule, who the competitors are and how it all works. As a novice, it's definitely helpful as there's more to rodeo than meets the eye.
And as expected from any US sport, 'The Star-Spangled Banner' gets an airing at the very beginning, along with the announcer's religion-infused call-to-arms.
Capitalism on show
The US of A is of course the capital of capitalism. So there's a part set aside for the local businesses - and major corporations to shine. Before the actual rodeo action starts, riders on horseback emerge into the arena carrying flags. While the announcer helpfully tells you why you should shop in the particular establishment, the flags bear the logos of each enterprise from Pepsi to the local cowboy boot purveyor. Or Pizza Hut as the rider below is making sure to highlight...
Pizza Hut gets some of the spotlight
And like any sporting stadium you'd care to mention, the arena is ringed by advertising hoardings.
Age Barrier... or lack thereof
Rodeo appears to be an event aimed at all the family from old to young. One sign of that is the presence of Rodeo Clown. Mic'ed up and glammed-up (at least as much as a clown can be), he's the bit of comic relief down in the arena.
(Photo by Chris Elise/Icon Sportswire) (Credit Image: © Chris Elise/Icon SMI via ZUMA Press)In between events, Rodeo Clown cracks a few jokes and engages in banter with the announcer. But he's also the conduit for what you could call the half-time show. He gets all the young kids to join him in the arena where he gets them to roll in the mud (much to their parents' chagrin), put mud in their pockets (much to their parents' dismay). And then the piece de resistance sees two young calves brought into the arena with coloured tags on them. The kids who get hold of the tags win a prize. So it's all a bit of fun for them.
The Rodeo Clown in Cody, Wyoming
The bits that are concerning though are the kids who take part in actual rodeo events. Clad in hockey or American football helmets and padding, you end up watching them being bucked off young bullocks and smaller horses into the dirt. There mightn't have been major injuries on that occasion. But more than one young competitor could be seen limping away in the dirt.
Addressing Animal Welfare
The debate around animal cruelty within rodeo is one that has a long history. You can read more about that debate here via the BBC. But from the perspective of a first-time viewer, the announcer did regularly emphasise again and again that the animals are well looked after and that the competitors make sure to take that into account when they're trying to ride the animals for more than two seconds or lassoing them. There is an element of "thou doth protest too much" from the announcer though.
All in all though, the Cody rodeo is good craic as a one-off attendee with no horse in the race rodeo. It's a bit of a gateway into the local culture so well worth popping along to form your own view.
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
