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Steer
Wrestling is the quickest event in rodeo and one of the most unlikely.
The objective of the endeavor is evident in its name: to wrestle
a steer to the ground using only leverage and strength.
The steer wrestler, or “bulldogger,”
begins his run behind a barrier along with his “hazer,”
a second cowboy whose task is to keep the steer from veering away
from the steer wrestler.
The steer 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 American Quarter Horses until the bulldogger
is in position to dismount onto the racing steer.
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 left hand, then digs his heels
deep in the dirt and uses leverage to bring down the steer.
In addition to sheer strength,
timing and balance are important to the steer wrestler.
The hazer also is an important
factor in the equation. Without him, the steer could quickly sour
a run by veering away from the steer wrestler. If the steer wrestler
places, the hazer receives a share of the payoff. If not, both
go home empty-handed. |
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