| Rodeo
to feature Ranch Bronc riding
The days of the old west will be back in Winchester, Id on July 4 & 5 at the Winchester Open Rodeo. The main event will be Ranch Bronc Riding. These riders use their own saddle, hold on to the halter rope with one hand and sometimes, with the other hand, hold on to the lariat rope that has been tied to the side of the saddle. Ranch Bronc riders are usually true cowboys, not professional cowboys. Most work on working ranches in the Pacific Northwest. This is the way their grandfathers used to break wild horses 100 years ago. The only difference is now the horses are put in a chute and the cowboys want them to buck, but back then the horses were roped, blind folded, the cowboy got on and the blind fold was removed and they rode the horse and hoped he didn't buck. All this was done in a round pen. The Ranch Bronc horses used at Winchester are semi-wild horses and most have never been to a rodeo before. Our stock contractor, Bar X Rodeo, raises his own horses. If he needs more he buys them from other breeders like Sunny Riyley, Central Ferry, WA, who has over 1000 wild horses that are 6 and 7 generation horses that are bred to buck. Some of these horses will go on to be stars in professional rodeos. Ranch Bronc horses are 3 to 5 years old before they are used at rodeos. This event, Ranch Bronc Riding can be spectacular and is 'wilder than the rest'. For more information on Ranch Bronc Riding go to www.wsrra.org. |
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