Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Bareback Riding Dec 3 – 12, 09 at Thomas & Mack
December 3, 2009 by KJ
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Bareback Riding - Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 2009
I attended the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, on assignment. The following is the first of seven short blogs, which will feature an event from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
The Bareback Riding event… ten days of the best cowboys and the best bareback horses in the sport of rodeo. Bareback riding is a very abusive sport for the cowboys competing; they suffer more injuries and long term damage than other rodeo contestants.
A cowboy attempts to ride his horse, with only one hand, by just holding onto the rigging (a handhold made of leather and rawhide) which is held onto the horse by a cinch. The cowboy must mark the horse out, and hang on for a wild eight second ride. Cowboys are marked on their spurring ability and their ability to handle what ever the horse may do during their ride. The performance of the horse provides the cowboy with half of his score, the better the horse bucks the better the score.
The horses gave many memorable performances as did the cowboys who rode them; I saw a lot of try, a few injuries, and a few surprises.
Camera Wench
“Have Camera… Will Travel”
