Steer Wrestling

steer wres*tling

What Is The Definition Of Steer Wrestling In Rodeo?

Steer wrestling is a rodeo event where a horseback rider pursues a steer, dismounts from the horse, and wrestles the steer to the ground. It’s also known as bulldogging, and has faced a fair amount of scrutiny by animal rights activists.

Who Invented Steer Wrestling?

Unlike other rodeo events that are popular today, steer wrestling was not a facet of western ranch life. Instead, it started with a performer, Bill Pickett, who was forced to capture a wayward steer who escaped by wrestling it down to the ground.

Steer wrestling exemplifies teamwork and collaboration between the two primary parties of the discipline: the cowboy (also known as a bulldogger) and the hazer (the tracker). Both the cowboy and the hazer ride their respective horses, too.

In this event, the cowboy follows after the streaking steer and then leans over while still maintaining control of the horse, sliding off the side and using his body’s leverage and strength to hook his right arm over the animal’s right horn and then using the left hand on the left horn, slow the animal down to a point where he can wrestle it to the ground.

The hazer has a pivotal role in all of this. While the cowboy is tracking the steer, the hazer keeps in line with the steer, boxing him in and preventing it from running in different directions.

What Are The Rules Of Steer Wrestling?

There are a few rules of steer wrestling:

• A cowboy’s horse cannot break the initial barrier at the start of a run. The steer has to travel past that boundary.
• If the cowboy breaks the boundary before the steer leaves, it will add a 10-second penalty.
• If an animal falls, the cowboy must wait for it to regain its footing or help the animal up before the wrestling process begins.

What Are Typical Times Recorded In Steer Wrestling?

Pro riders typically can have a steer on the ground between 3 and 10 seconds after the gate drops. The world record is currently 2.4 seconds.