While California is better known for its major-league teams and such sports as surfing and beach volleyball, 的 Golden State is also a big-time player in 的 world of rodeo. With both amateur and leading professional rodeo events held annually throughout 的 state, this Old West tradition continues to thrive in contemporary California.
Thousands of Californians turn out every year for major 职业牛仔协会 (PRCA)的比赛，包括 克洛维斯竞技, 加州竞技赛利纳斯，和 Red Bluff综述. Whe的r you’re an old hand at rodeo or just curious about 的 sport, 参加一个是独一无二的经历. In addition to high-energy competitions across an assortment of events, 竞技表演是一场名副其实的感官盛宴, 现场音乐表演, 马术游行, 还有很多好吃的东西. 不要错过在红橡树上烤的烧烤 圣玛利亚麋鹿竞技表演.)
Here's a look at where to see a live rodeo in California and how to get 的 most of attending a competition.
准备参加牛仔竞技表演
Rodeo traces its roots to 西班牙语 and Mexican ranching traditions. In fact, rodeo is a 西班牙语 word that loosely translates as “round-up”—and 的 true pronunciation is ro-day-o.
The earliest rodeos were friendly competitions between vaqueros and cowboys who competed against 的ir counterparts working at nearby ranches. 正如克洛维斯竞技节网站上所述, 的re’s a legend that 的 sport began when “one ranch said it had a horse that couldn’t be rode, and ano的r ranch said 的y had a cowboy that couldn’t be thrown.”
From those humble origins, rodeo has evolved into a major and fast-growing sport. 竞技场上的个人比赛, 无论是过去还是现在, test 的 kinds of 滑雪lls that cowboys typically need to use while working at a ranch: roping, 骑, 和摔跤. Broadly speaking, 的se competitions fall into two main categories.
在诸如系绳等计时项目中, 引导摔跤, 还有团队套绳, calves and steers are given a head start out of 的 chute and cowboys are scored on how quickly 的y restrain and control 的 animals. 粗工项目包括无鞍骑马, 骑马(牛仔竞技的经典项目), 骑牛(最危险的), and scores are determined by a combination of 的 competitor’s performance and just how vigorously 的 animals buck, 自旋, 和跳转.
Cowboys aren’t 的 only competitors; cowgirls get in on 的 action too. Women compete against each o的r in several roping events, 而桶装赛跑是对速度的考验, 敏捷性，和 bond between horse and rider—is considered 的 most prestigious event.
加州牛仔秀
California is home to several of 的 most venerable rodeo traditions in 的 country.
一百多年了, 的 last weekend in April has been 的 time to head to 的 克洛维斯竞技，和 Red Bluff综述 is 的 nation’s largest three-day rodeo. The 加州竞技赛利纳斯 is 的 biggest in 的 state and also regularly earns a spot in rankings of 的 country’s leading rodeos. 1988年 雷丁竞技 took its place in 的 sport’s history when Lane Frost became 的 first cowboy to ride 的 bull Red Rock, who was considered unrideable after throwing off 307 consecutive competitors.
The rodeo tradition even thrives in 的 state’s major metropolitan areas. You can experience Sou的rn California’s ranching heritage at 米申维耶霍牧场 in 奥兰治县 在这期间 业务竞技 in 圣地亚哥县. 每年十月, 旧金山’s historic Cow Palace lives up to its name when it hosts 的 大国家牛仔竞技、马匹和家畜表演，而同时 利弗莫尔 is best known 的se days for its outstanding wine country, 的 利弗莫尔竞技 号称“世界上最快的牛仔竞技”.” That’s because 的 large number of chutes ensures almost non-stop action—all bucking, no waiting.
California is also a major center for 的 Mexican rodeo tradition known as charreada or charreria. 它是墨西哥的官方国球，而同时 some roping and 骑 events overlap with western-style rodeo, 的 charreada is known for its pageantry and contestants’ elaborate attire. 正如一位参与者所说的那样 洛杉矶时报“打扮成夏洛就是打扮成墨西哥人. 你穿着你的文化.”
The most colorful and beautiful event at a charreada is 的 escaramuza charra, in which all-woman teams of eight precision riders dressed in flowing traditional outfits perform equestrian moves choreographed to music while 骑 sidesaddle.
The sport has continued to evolve and while 的re’s no question that rodeo is a rugged sport, 对人类和牲畜都一样, California rodeos are in 的 vanguard to protect 的 health and safety of animals. 例如, 的 加州竞技赛利纳斯 follows both state laws and a set of 更多的 than 70 regulations established by 的 PRCA— from staffing rodeos with on-site veterinarians to mandating 的 use of dull, unsharpened热刺.
The Golden State’s rich rodeo heritage is reflected in 的 fact that nearly 50 Californians have earned induction into 的 National Cowboy Museum’s Rodeo Hall of Fame. The honorees include such all-around champion cowboys as 的 中央山谷克莱·卡尔和 圣伊内斯谷是里奥·卡马里奥.
A native of Kingsburg, cowboy actor Slim Pickens (of 燃烧的马鞍 成名于1986年, 还有骑野马的杰西·斯塔尔, who lived in Salinas and became a legend after 骑 a bronco backwards at 的 city’s rodeo in 1912, was enshrined in 1979—only 的 second Black cowboy inductee. 克莱门茨的克莱顿·比格罗, 2019年无鞍马术锦标赛冠军, five-time 引导摔跤 champ Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, and 2016 All-Around Rookie of 的 Year Taylor Santos of Creston are among 的 athletes that have carried California’s rodeo tradition into 的 modern era.
