Rodeo is a sporting event that involves horses and other livestock, designed to test the skills and speed of cowboys and cowgirls. Professional rodeos generally comprise the following events: tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding, breakaway roping, and barrel racing. The events are divided into two basic categories: timed and rough stock events.
Rodeo, particularly popular throughout the western United States and in the Canadian province of Alberta, is the official state sport of Wyoming, South Dakota, and Texas. The iconic silhouette image of a “Bucking Horse and Rider” is a federal and state-registered trademark of Wyoming. The Legislative Assembly of Alberta has considered making rodeo the official sport of that province; however, enabling legislation has yet to be passed.
In the United States, professional rodeos are governed and sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA). The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It is the largest bull riding league in the world, sanctioning hundreds of events each year in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Australia. Over 800 bull riders from these countries, as well as others, hold PBR memberships. The traditional season for competitive rodeo runs from spring through fall. In contrast, the modern professional rodeo circuit runs longer and concludes with the PRCA National Finals Rodeo (NFR in Las Vegas), held every December. The 2025/2026 calendar of rodeos is updated daily by our staff of rodeo enthusiasts.