Page 4
The Battalion
W ith a nod of the head and a jerk to the left, a feeling of satis
faction is just eight seconds away.
If you’re lucky.
The Texas A&M Rodeo Association hosted a National In
tercollegiate Rodeo this past weekend with the help of Bad
Company Rodeo producers. The contest consisted of exciting rodeo ac
tion, a touch of humor from the clowns and a special visit from Miss USA
1989, Gretchen Polhemus.
The rough and tumble sport of rodeo offers a cowboy the chance to
display his strength, skills and athletic abilty to win the battle between
man and beast. Not to mention a healthy helping of prize money if victo
rious.
But before vou decide to trade in your Reeboks for a pair of boots to
rodeo in, you snould understand some of the risks involved in this dan
gerous sport from yesteryear.
Bareback riding is an event in which the cowboy squeezes one hand
into a rawhide riggmg that is placed in the middle of the horse’s back to
ward his neck.
The issue to avoid here is not only being bucked off, but hoping you
don’t find yourself underneath the horse with your hand still in the rig
ging. More than likely the horse will help you out of this predicament by
stepping on you to force your hand loose.
Saddle Bronc riding
rider uses
ation to avoid here is getting a foot hung up in one ot the stirrups,
the horse will take you on a tour of the arena — by dragging you on your
head.
Bull riding is probably the most exciting and action-packed event,
and the one most people love to see. By literally tying his hand onto the
back of a two-ton bull, the cowboy decreases his chances of departing
without injury.
Rey points to avoid include being gored by a horn, being stepped on
and being hung up in the rope, which, nine out of ten times, enables the
bull to tear a cowboy up like a rag doll.
These are just a few of the risks involved in the sport of rodeo. After
all, no one said those eight seconds were easy.
A college bullrlder does his best to stay on the bull for the full 8 seconds.
Gretchen Polhemus, Miss USA
1989, signs autographs after
Sunday’s conclusion to the Bad
Co. Rodeo.
Gary ‘‘Roach 7 ’ Hedeman, PRCA Bullfighter, faces down a bull
after it has bucked its rider.
story by Vince Snyder
Photos by Eric H. Roalson
Jo Cox of A&M chases down a calf in the Break Away Roping
event Saturday night.