Steer Wrestling

Steer Wrestling Uses Strength, Leverage

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Steer wrestling is the quickest event in rodeo and one of the most unlikely, whereby a cowboy tosses to the ground a beast four times his size.

The objective of the endeavor is evident in its name: to wrestle a steer to the ground using only leverage and strength. A clear understanding of the laws of physics and leverage is far more important in this event than brute strength.

The steer wrestler, or "bulldogger," begins his run atop a horse behind a barrier along with his "hazer," a second cowboy rider whose task is to keep the steer running in a straight line.

The steer, which generally weighs between 600-700 pounds, is given a head start, the length of which varies depending on the size of the arena. After the steer has reached the "scoreline" and the barrier is released, the steer wrestler and hazer chase the steer on their specially trained horses until the bulldogger pulls even with the steer and dismounts onto the racing animal.

The steer wrestler slides down the right side of his horse until he can reach the steer's horns. He hooks his right arm around the steer's right horn and grasps the left horn in his right hand, then digs his heels deep in the dirt and uses leverage to bring down the steer. He must either bring the animal to a complete stop or change the direction of the steer's body before the throw.

The throw is completed and the timing stopped when the steer is on his side with all four legs extended in the same direction. All of this occurs in 3 to 5 seconds, depending on the size of the arena.