Rodeo’s not just a sport

Idaho is home to many traditions that play important roles in the West and there are many ways to engage in Western culture. One sport that runs deep in our heritage is rodeo — it serves as a constant reminder of Western heritage and the traditional Western lifestyle. Rodeo origins can be traced back to the 1700s, when Spanish settlers ruled the West. Spanish cowboys, known as vaqueros, herded cattle for profit, which had a large impact on the culture and lifestyles of Western people. As American ranchers moved westward, they would adapt many of the Spanish methods and styles for running their ranches. While on the cattle drive, cowboys had many duties that included roping, riding, horse breaking and branding. Over the course of time, these duties evolved into competitions seen in modern rodeo today. Rodeo is unique because the sport is directly tied to the lifestyle of Western Americans. It’s more than a sport — it’s an opening to the past...more