Let's Rodeo By Dr. Richard W. Slatta, Professor of History, North Carolina State University Essay adapted from my book The Cowboy Encyclopedia . See also Cowboys of the Americas for additional richly detailed portraits of cowboy life and lore. Modern rodeo flourishes in all 50 states, most of Canada, and parts of Europe and Australia. Each year an estimated 16 million fans cheer at more than 800 sanctioned rodeos around the world. About 2,000 rodeos of all types are held annually in the US and Canada.
Rodeo is a set of competitive events pitting people against livestock.
The word's Spanish origin points to another important influence from south of the border. In Spanish the term means a gathering place of cattle, a roundup. Cowboys used the term in that sense in the nineteenth century. Gradually the meaning of the term when used in the United States came to mean the dazzling cowboy and cowgirl contests now enjoyed by millions. Early cowboy tournaments or contests in the Southwest often included vaqueros and Anglo cowboys.