As they burst from the chute, the cowboy must keep both spurs above the horse's shoulders until the horse's hooves hit the ground. Then, as the horse bucks, the rider drags his spurs up the bronc's shoulders, straightens his legs as he descends, and tries to stay on for eight seconds.

The cowboy must keep his toes turned outward and continually spur the horse from its shoulders to the back of the saddle. Points are awarded based on the horse's bucking action, the rider's spurring action, his control of the horse, and if he stays on for a full eight seconds.

After the steer bursts from the gate, the lead rider, or header, must get his lasso around both of the steer's horns, around one horn and the head, or around its neck. Then the second rider, or heeler , has to get his rope around both hind legs. If he only gets one leg, the team is penalized five seconds. The fastest time wins.

Racing down an entry ramp, the cowgirl and her horse burst into the arena and follow a set path around three large barrels arranged in a triangular pattern. The cowgirl receives a penalty if she or the horse touches a barrel. After turning around the last barrel in the back of the arena, the horse sprints back to the entrance to record the fastest time possible.

Ever try wrestling a steer or jumping from a running horse? Cowboys must do both in steer wrestling. The cowboy slides off his galloping horse, hooks his right arm around the steer's right horn, grasps the left horn with his left hand, and tries to muscle the animal to the dirt. The fastest time wins.

As in team roping, the calf gets a running start, with the cowboy throwing his rope around the calf's head. His horse then stops and the cowboy jumps off, runs to the calf, picks it up and drops it to its side in a move called "flanking." He must tie any three legs together with a short rope, and the horse pulls back to eliminate slack in the rope. This is also a timed event.

Usually saved for last, bull riding is often the most popular rodeo event. With nothing between him and the 2,000+ lb. goliath, the rider must hold on to a braided rope wrapped around the bull's chest using only one hand. If he touches the bull or himself with his free hand, he doesn't receive a score. The score is determined by how much the beast bucks and turns, and if the cowboy can stay on for eight seconds.

And don't forget about the wild antics of the clowns throughout the performance! While they entertain and delight the crowd, the clowns also serve a very important purpose: protecting the cowboys. Once a rider jumps or is thrown from his animal, the clowns get in the face of the bucking beast to distract it and keep its mind off of going after the cowboy.