Kaylie Wang is an English sophomore and assistant opinion editor for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
Grab a pair of cowboy boots, a straw hat and a pair of boot-cut jeans to giddy up for the rodeo. I heard the rodeo was a key highlight of attending Cal Poly, and I now mostly agree.
There is quite a reputation behind the Poly Royal Rodeo, because I first heard about the rodeo in high school. After attending the Friday night rodeo, I can confidently say it was an entertaining night that lassoed me in. I was so amazed by the Cal Poly rodeo team seniors and graduate students as they showcased their skills.
I do think my general admission ticket was worth the $50 to experience the rodeo at least once at Cal Poly. The loud announcers repeated this is the best collegiate rodeo, and not that I would know about college rodeos — but watching a rodeo made up of students right on your campus feels like a unique experience.
From the rough stock events to the post-rodeo country concert, this experience was completely outside of my interests or comfort zone. Yet, as unfamiliar as I am to the rodeo sport, the events were very easy to follow.
Friday night
My evening started around 5 p.m. when I got to Spanos Stadium. The doors opened at 4:30 p.m., and I wanted enough time to snag a seat and even a bite before the event started at 6:30 p.m. I was able to purchase a barbeque rib sandwich, which was tasty and a good source of fuel.
The rodeo started at 6:30 p.m. sharp, and I was instantly captivated by the rodeo team entering on horseback. From that moment on, there was rarely a dull moment. Between cheering for athletes during rodeo slack timed events or roughstock events, the rodeo clown kept us entertained by singing and dancing with audience members for prizes.
Before each event, the jumbotron screens would display a short video explainer to get the audience on the same page. I appreciated these explanations because I felt included and engaged; I was able to understand each event and why audience members would cheer or gasp.
I especially enjoyed watching the Friday night rodeo because it was the senior and master recognition night, according to the Cal Poly Rodeo’s Instagram page. As the jumbotron displayed each cowgirl or cowboy’s major and career goals, I was even more impressed by the level of skill: I cannot even imagine the late nights and relentless training that goes behind preparing for an event like this, plus the constant discipline to balance academics and athletics.
If I were to attend the rodeo again, I would likely want to watch the Thursday evening show. This was the student showcase, and not only were the tickets cheaper, but most of my classmates and friends attended the Thursday rodeo. I noticed there were more students in line for Thursday and more dressed up, and when I pictured the rodeo, I did not realize it would be as casual as it was on Friday.
Rodeo events
The event started with rodeo slack timed events, such as barrel racing, steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping. The second part of the rodeo included roughstock events such as saddle bronc riding and bull riding.
A standout event that impressed me was the saddle bronc riding. The goal is for riders to stay mounted on a horse for eight seconds, while the horse is “bucking,” or jumping around to try to push the rider off their back. This part of the event reminded me of classic bull riding, as the riders have to maintain a steady rhythm.
However, what’s different about saddle bronc riding comes after the eight seconds: the transfer. Pickup men, or two men also riding on horses, will come alongside the saddle bronc rider to assist him in safely getting off the horse. The rider will often lean onto one of the pickup men to provide stability, which was unique because this event combines individual performance and teamwork.
Concerns for animal welfare
As entertaining as the saddle bronc riding was to watch, the bucking from the saddle bronc riding caused an “extremely unusual” injury to a horse a few years ago, according to past Mustang News coverage.
While I was entertained, I was also concerned for the safety of the horses, bulls and calves in the rodeo at times because many of the challenges of each competition or event relied on subjecting these animals to temporary pain and distress. I know animal cruelty is a large critique of rodeos, and I quickly understood these concerns.
The tie-down roping involved wrangling the calves in vulnerable positions as the cowboy on horseback would lasso them, then flipping them to the ground and tying up their legs. Sometimes, the horse would start moving, and the calves would be dragged on the ground, which made me feel bad. Steer wrestling also involved tackling a steer (or a castrated male cow) by its horns and nearly twisting its neck to get the animal to the floor.
However, the rodeo team assured us this is not painful, and horses are trained to buck just like show horses are trained to jump over obstacles. I was also impressed by how quickly the staff would move to relieve the animals, especially when two people would rush in to untie the calf after the tie-down roping. Immediately after the event, everyone on the dirt would work to direct the animal to the exit area. The staff all clearly took precautions to take care of the animals after the event, but I’m still left wondering how much pain the animals were subjected to during each event.
Venue change
I’m also glad the rodeo team was able to return to Spanos Stadium after being at the Manfred Jean Sander Arena since 2022. This year, tickets sold out within a week rather than minutes, and the increased seating gave students like me a fair shot at securing a spot.
There was sufficient space in the general admission bleachers, especially because many people began leaving when it started sprinkling hard on us. While I started feeling pretty cold from the rain, I stuck it out to watch the motor show as two motorcycles performed gravity-defying tricks over a high platform.
Once the rodeo and motor show ended, the final event was a concert by Bayker Blankenship on Friday, and Waylon Wyatt on Saturday. I enjoyed having the live music to end the night as we could rush down into the field, and I could experience country music live for the first time.
I would go again if my friends or family wanted to go, although the animal conditions are still worrying me. Overall, being thrown into the world of the rodeo sport for the first time was interesting, and I am grateful I could experience it at least once during college.
