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The Rodeo school of hard knocks Event #8- Saddle Bronc Riding Forget everything you tbink you know about school. This one's really different. For example, instead of a let- ter stitched on a sweater, a bronc brands his hoofprint on your heati. And instead-of a sehool ring, the only ringing is the one going on inside your head! Summer sehool was neyer like this. Oh yes, you do learn things. Lots of things ... like close your eyes and pray. 'Me trouble is, at Rodeo School a failing grade coulId hurt. I mean, really hurt, as in serjous physical pain. Why do people go to Rodeo School? Simple ... they are a couple of bales short of a full. load. Seriously foilks - and Rodeo Sehool is serious work - good rodeo cowboys are made, not born. And many of themn learn the basies of the sport at Rodeo School. Rodeo School serves the sarne purpose as any other sports training - hockey school or anything else. "You get taught by somebody more knowledgeable than yourself," says Bill Leggette of Big 'L' Rodeo. "Basically it's for newcomers, so they can learn rodeo in this day and age, especially here in the east." Rodeo Schools are mun by the ORA at various times and locations; during the season. There is usually one rough-stock school in the spring, and a number of rop- ing and teain roping schools. Participants are taught the fundamentals, in order to get them off to a correct start. "Rodeo School eliminates two or tbree years>of bad experience," Bill continues. "The worst thing is when you do sometbing wrong for a while - just little tbings maybe - but it's a lot harder to change after you start do- ing it wrong than it is to do it right in the first place " "This is basically w,,hy we have rodeo schools, to bring new kids on. 1 don't know of anybody who makes any money at it. They do charge a little bit to cover op- erating costs, but they're really mun to bring new cow- boys into the spo)rt. That's how the participant side of the sport will develop and grow.- For M/or e,,, Would You Like to Know More About Rodeo Events ln Ontario ? The Ontario Rodeo Associ- ation sanctions rodeos tbroughout Ontario from April until October every year. If you would like a rodeo schedule for next year, please write to the address be- low and we will send you one as soon as they are available. If you are interested in' joiing our Association, we offer four different types of membersbips - Contestant, Contract, Junior Steer Riding, and Associate. Our 1996 membership dues will be de- tennincd at our General ÔMeet- ing in Novemiber. If you require any informa- tion today, comne down to thie rodeo office and we will be happy to answer any ques- tions you may have. For more information, plecase contact: Nancy Nicholson, 3560 Westney Road, Greenwood, Ontario, L0H iHO 905-683-6327 Saddle brone riding is considered rodeo's cIassic event. It is one of rodeo's original events, evolving from the days when ranch cowboys broke their own horses. Saddle bronc riding has less competition than any other event in professional rodeo. There's a reason; the instinctive reactions required to keep in the stirrups, sense what a horse will do next, and the rhytbm re- quired, because there is nothing solid to hang onto, make tbis event one with no substitute for years of ex- perience. ePhotos Like Ths... and fui newspaper coverage of The Ontaro Rodeo Finals be sure to pick up your C0py of The Canadlian, SÓtatesmran and The Clarington Independent Clarington's Community Newspapers Since 1854 905-623-3303 On the Internet: canadianstatesman @ocna.org The duration of the ride is 8- seconds and as in bare- back riding the cowboy will hang on with a single hand- hold, this time to a bucking rein. The rein is a round, piece of braided rope about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and much of the success of the ride depends upon the length of rein the cowboy takes. If he takes too short a hold the horse is strong enough to pull him out of the saddle the first jump.out of the chute. Saddle bronc riders move their feet alongside the horse from tbe front to rear (tbe bigher and> the farther forward the rider's feet go the higher the marking). 1When the rider moves bis feet alongside the horse he should keep bi s toes pointed out. When the horse's front feet bit the ground the rider's feet should be at the front of the horse. -Scoring of the ride is done by two judges with the saine 1 to 25 point spread for the horse and rider for a potential total score of 100. That of course is impossi- ble and any score over 50 is above average. mhe rider is downgraded by the judges if he loses control-cowboys call it "getting into a stormn" - and if tbis happens the saddle makes recovery more difficult. The cantle of the sadrile, bebi˘nd, and tbe swells, in front, get under a man and literally knock bim out of it. 'Me possibility of hanging up on a stirrup, always in the back of a rider's miin, is a great hazard to saddle bronc riding. J.R. 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