Every Wednesday evening all summer, cowboys and cowgirls saddle up to compete at the Snowmass Rodeo, just outside of Aspen, Colorado. During our mid-July visit to Aspen — and since we were staying just minutes away in Snowmass Village — we saddled our Subaru and got there early to watch the show. These pics are from the July 21, 2021 rodeo.

Grand Entry

Like all sporting events in America, the Snowmass Rodeo kicks off with the national anthem and patriotic flag waving, with the added spectacle of a young woman racing around the arena on horseback, Old Glory rippling overhead.

That horse wanted to RUN, and when she let him go they flew around the arena before pulling up to face the audience.

Rodeo fashion

The rodeo is held outdoors, with mountain views all around, which was nice. I’d only been to indoor rodeos in Austin and Houston. We enjoyed the people-watching too: Aspen’s richie-rich visitors sporting designer western wear (including floofy, ruffled dresses in candy colors) and cute denim dresses and boots.

Even a lot of the kids were duded out for the occasion.

As steers were herded into the corral, we saw that their horns were wrapped — no, not the latest fashion. It’s protective wrapping for the roping competition.

Team Roping

Rodeo competitions show off cowboying skills like riding and roping and also feats of daring. Team roping involves two riders chasing down a steer, with one rider lassoing its horns and the other its back feet, immobilizing the steer between them.

It’s amazing to watch them ride at top speed, throw ropes to catch a racing animal, and bring it to a stop between their well-trained horses.

A few cowgirls competed in this event along with the cowboys.

The competitors would go again and again, partnering up with different riders and sometimes on different horses.

Bull Riding

Bull riding looks crazy dangerous, and as such it seems to be the crowd favorite. Riders wearing protective helmets and padded vests straddle a 2-ton animal made of pure, bucking muscle and horn, and when the gate is thrown open they try to stay on for 8 seconds. One hand clenches a rope wrapped around the bull, and the other hand must stay high, without touching either themselves or the bull.

The bulls burst from the gate, throwing themselves into the air, hind legs kicking high as they try to dislodge their riders.

Sometimes a rider makes a jump for it at the end of a ride. Other riders get tossed head over heels (see below).

Oof, no helmet. We did see one rider (not this one) get stomped pretty good after getting bucked off. The crowd gasped, and the rodeo clowns ran to distract the bull. The cowboy staggered to his feet, collapsed momentarily, and then managed to stand upright and walk away.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Bronc riding evolved from the practice of breaking a wild horse. A cowboy sits astride a saddled horse, holding onto a rope with one hand, the other hand up in the air. The rider cannot touch the horse or himself with his free hand. As with bull riding, staying on for 8 seconds is the goal.

Barrel Racing

Barrel racing is one of my favorite competitions — just a horse and a female rider racing around two barrels. Watching the horse maneuver swiftly around the barrels without knocking them over is impressive.

Mutton Bustin’

The audience is invited to participate in several competitions, including the hilarious mutton bustin’. Little kids (4 to 7 years old and under 50 lbs.) are suited up in helmets and vests, placed on a sheep’s back, and set loose. Gripping handfuls of wool and clamping their legs around the sheep’s middle, the kids try to hang on for that magic 8 seconds.

Most start slipping right out of the gate.

And down they go.

Others manage to clamp on like a tick…

…even as they slide to one side. Go, girl!

Calf Scramble

Another event bringing nearly every child (age 4 to 10) into the arena was the calf scramble. The kids lined up across the center of the arena, and at a signal they charged toward a cluster of wary calves wearing yellow ribbons on their tails.

The object: to snatch a ribbon — like in flag football, but with speedy calves — and present it to the official for a prize.

Burro Racing

Adult audience members could compete in a burro race. Three teams of 3 were paired with burros, with one team member riding and the other two encouraging the burro to run. The goal? Oh so simple: to be the first team to get burro and rider around a barrel and back to the start. The burros had other ideas, of course. Hilarity ensued.

The Snowmass Rodeo is entertaining and a reminder of the cowboying roots of the Old West, and this season marks its 48th year. If you’re in the area on a Wednesday evening before late August, saddle on up and go see it.

For a look back at bighorn sheep and wildflowers we spotted near Aspen, click here. Up next: A hike around an extinct cinder cone volcano in northeastern New Mexico.

__________________________

Digging Deeper

Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!

All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.