Kissimmee, FL – Now is your opportunity to see a rodeo up close in your backyard. Join the Silver Spurs Rodeo for the School’s Out Blowout before the rodeo! Bounce houses, music, games and more! Then, the dirt flies at 7:30pm where you can catch the seven traditional rodeo events. Those events include bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, steer wrestling, and team roping. All this happens on June 2nd and 3rd, 2017, at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
Here is some brief history about the The Silver Spurs Rodeo. This venue is the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi and is annually ranked among the top 50 events sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). But the Silver Spurs Rodeo history stems from a humble gathering of Osceola County ranchers. In 1941, those pioneering ranchers gathered in Tallahassee to ride in the inaugural parade for newly elected Florida Governor Spessard Holland. Their appearance gained statewide attention and sparked the notion that they should continue to gather and enjoy their common interest of horseback riding.
Traveling from Orlando to Kissimmee is about a thirty-minute drive. Check your GPS for the best travel route to Kissimmee. There is plenty of free parking available at Osceola Heritage Park.
Since 1944, the Silver Spurs Rodeo has brought locals and visitors from around the world together to watch America’s original extreme sport. Our rodeo is a biannual rodeo that takes place during the 2nd and 3rd weekend of February and the first weekend of June each year. When tickets to the Silver Spurs Rodeo go on sale, they can be bought online at http://tickets.silverspursrodeo.com/p/34 , at the Silver Spurs Arena box office or by calling 407-67-RODEO.
Tickets usually go offline around 11am the day of each performance. After that, they are available at the box office Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and on event days from 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM (Friday and Saturday). The rodeo promoter recommends purchasing tickets early to guarantee entrance and a seat. All seats are general admission. It is recommended arriving at the arena 1.5 to 2 hours in advance to avoid long parking lines or box office lines. To buy tickets go to
Please be advised there is a security checkpoint to enter this arena with your ticket. Some items maybe band. Everyone is searched before going into the arena. Law Enforcement is on hand during this venue for your safety and security.
There is much to see at this year’s rodeo. Come early for Mutton Bustin’! In between these events, you’ll also see acts throughout the night from our rodeo clown, as well as witness a performance from our Silver Spurs Quadrille Team! This rodeo will last about 2-3 hours.
Bull Riding is rodeo’s most dangerous and exciting event where competitors must ride a bucking bull for eight agonizing seconds with no more than a bull rope as a handhold. Unlike the bronc riding contestants, bull riders are not required to spur (where the spurs on their shoes are touching the bull). No wonder! It’s usually impressive enough just to remain seated on an animal that can weigh more than a ton and is as quick as he is big. However, those cowboys who do manage to spur are usually rewarded with extra points! A perfect score for a bull ride is 100 points. Judging is based half on the bull’s performance and half on the riders ability to match moves with the bull. The rider must stay atop the bull for a full 8 seconds holding on with only one hand, and is not allowed to touch the bull, himself, or any part of his equipment with his free hand or he will be disqualified.
Bareback Bronc Riding is perhaps the most physically demanding event of the rodeo, and next to Bull Riding, contains some of the wildest action. Scoring for this event is based half on the bucking action of the bronc, and half on the control and spurring technique of the rider. The cowboy is only allowed to grasp the “rigging” with one hand, they must stay on the horse for 8 seconds, and will be disqualified if he touches his equipment, himself, or the animal with his free hand. The bareback rider starts out in the chute with his feet placed above the break of the horse’s shoulders. If the cowboy’s feet are not in the correct position when the horse hits the ground on the first jump out of the chute, the cowboy is disqualified for failing to “mark out” properly. The cowboy then pulls his spurs along the horse’s neck or shoulders towards himself while the bronc is in the air, then snaps his spurs back to the horse’s neck just before its front feet hit the ground.
Barrel Racing is a timed event where the contestant enters the arena at full speed, triggers an electric eye starter. Typically, they are riding an American Quarter Horse. They will go around the three barrels, pre-arranged in a cloverleaf. The pattern may be started from either the left or right, however, if the horse deviates in any other way the rider is disqualified. The racer rides the cloverleaf pattern around the barrels and sprints back out of the arena, tripping the eye and stopping the clock as they leave. While Barrel Racing may have started out as a friendly competition of horsemanship skills between cowgirls, the riding skills and competitive drive in this fast and furious event make it a crowd favorite.
Saddle Bronc Riding is rodeo’s classic event, tracing its roots back to the Old West where cowboys would break and train wild horses. Scoring for this event is based half on the bucking action of the bronc, and half on the control and spurring technique of the rider. They are only allowed to grasp the “bronc rein” with one hand. While sitting in a specially built saddle, the cowboy must stay on the horse for 8 seconds, and is disqualified if either foot comes out of the stirrups, or if he touches his equipment, himself, or the animal with his free hand. The bronc rider starts out in the chute with his feet placed above the break of the horse’s shoulders. If the cowboy’s feet are not in the correct position when the horse hits the ground on the first jump out of the chute, the cowboy is disqualified for failing to “mark out” properly. The cowboy then pulls his spurs along the horse’s neck or shoulders to the “cantle” (back of the saddle) while the bronc is in the air, then snapping his spurs back to the horse’s shoulders just before its front feet hit the ground.
Steer Wrestling, also known as a bulldogging, starts with the cowboy (bulldogger) behind a barrier on horse back. The steer is then given a 10 second head start after which time the chase is on. If the barrier is broken before the steer’s head start, the bulldogger is given a 10 second penalty. The steer wrestler is assisted by a hazer, another cowboy on horseback, whose main job is to keep the steer running straight so that the bulldogger can ease down on the right side of the horse and grab the steer by its horns. The cowboy then digs his heels into the dirt slowing the steer down while turning the animal and taking it to the ground. The clock will stop as soon as the animal is on the ground with all four legs pointed in the same direction.
Team Roping is a true team event requiring coordination and timing between two cowboys, the “header” and the “heeler”. Originating in the Old West when cowboys needed to treat or brand steers too large or difficult for one man to handle alone. Team Roping is still a common practice on ranches today. The calf is given a head start while the horse and rider wait behind a barrier. If the barrier is broken before being dropped, a 10 second penalty is added to his time. The cowboy ropes the calf, then gets off the horse and flanks the calf, throwing it to the ground. While the horse maintains enough tension on the rope (without dragging the calf), the cowboy then ties any three of the animal’s legs together using “pigging string”, which he carries in his teeth until needed. When the cowboy completes his tie, he throws his hands in the air as a signal to the judge and timing is stopped. The cowboy then remounts his horse allowing the catch rope to slacken. If the calf kicks out within 6 seconds the run is invalid. Similar to Tie-Down Roping, the steer is given a head start, while the header (the first roper) waits behind a barrier. If the header “breaks the barrier,” the team is given a 10-second penalty. Once the chase begins, the header must lasso the steer either around both horns, around one horn and the head, or around the neck. Any other catch by the header is considered illegal and the team is disqualified. After the header makes a successful catch, he then “dallies”, or ties the rope to the saddle and tows the steer behind him. The heeler must then rope both of the steer’s hind legs. If he catches only one foot, the team is given a five-second penalty. The clock is stopped when the steer is roped, secured between partners. Additionally, both horses must be facing the steer with ropes dallied, and rope tight.
Tie-Down Roping, previously known as Calf Roping, originated in the Old West, where sick calves were roped and tied down for medical treatment. This is a timed event requiring not only roping skill, but extraordinary teamwork between the cowboy and his horse. The calf is given a head start while the horse and rider wait behind a barrier. If the barrier is broken before being dropped, a 10 second penalty is added to his time. The cowboy ropes the calf, then gets off the horse and flanks the calf, throwing it to the ground. While the horse maintains enough tension on the rope (without dragging the calf), the cowboy then ties any three of the animal’s legs together using “pigging string”, which he carries in his teeth until needed. When the cowboy completes his tie, he throws his hands in the air as a signal to the judge and timing is stopped. The cowboy then remounts his horse allowing the catch rope to slacken. If the calf kicks out within 6 seconds the run is invalid.
Muttin Bustin’ is an alternative rodeo event just for the little cowboys and cowgirls to compete in. Placed upon the back of an adult sheep, the objective is simple… hold on for 8 seconds without hitting the ground. While the objective may be simple, holding on to a running sheep is not! A crowd favorite at the Silver Spurs Rodeo, Muttin Bustin` is a fun event that contains just as many thrills and spills as the major rodeo events.
During the rodeo if you get hungry, there are concession stands open selling just about everything from hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, sodas, and much more. Plus, beer maybe sold at concession stands too.
This rodeo makes a great outing for the entire family. For more information go to www.ohpark.com or www.silverspursrodeo.com . If you like this article, then like it on our Otownfun WordPress account. For more great events and places please check us out at www.otownfun.com .
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