102nd Snake River Stampede

I have faint memories of going to rodeos in my childhood, the years I lived in Texas.  John has never seen a rodeo, so we decided to attend one when we read about a rodeo happening in Nampa, Idaho.  We went Friday evening, after a week of competitions had already been playing out at the rodeo.  Friday night was down to the wire; the best off this evening were going to compete in the final show on Saturday.  The prize money paid out this year came to $444,020.  The largest payoff is team roping with a total of $122,800 up for grabs for 172 men or 86 teams.

In team roping equal money is paid for heading and heeling.  To explain further, the header ropes the head of a steer, and the other team member ropes the heels.

Second highest paying event is barrel racing where 145 cowgirls were going after a total of $69,920 (entry fee is $296).   That's just a bit more than the steer wrestling where 114 bulldoggers were competing for $66,900.  The speed of the cowgirls around those barrels was impressive, I believe the best of what we saw was 16 seconds, to go around several barrels and back out of the arena. 

Whoops there goes a man flying off his horse in the bareback bronco riding.  In team roping each man puts up a $400.00 entry fee and for bareback bronco riding it is $250.  Your money flies out the window if you barely make it out of the chute!  Chutes are pictured below.

It was two hours of good entertainment.  Other events included steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping and bull riding.  There were clown acts as well as a lighted drill team called the Snake River Stampeders.  With the lights off in the arena cowgirls rode in the dark with lights on their clothing and horses.  Some of the team members have held Miss Rodeo Idaho titles.  The women have to try out every year to be part of this team.  And only in this particular rodeo can the awesome drill team be seen.