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Article: Rodeos
- Article from:
- Dictionary of American History
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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RODEOS
RODEOS
were initially an aspect of open-range ranching in the late nineteenth century, contests of skill between cowhands. Although the rodeo eventually became a professional sport, it began as an amusement of working cowboys. Rodeos and roundups alike brought together people who led socially isolated lives and were festivals in which horsepeople proud of their occupation and expertise displayed fancy riding and expert roping. Cowboys played card games on blankets spread out in the firelight, exchanged songs, and occasionally engaged in "augering" matches, contests in story telling.
"Rodeo" comes from the Spanish
rodear,
to round up. Spanish settlers began the first ranching in ...