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There are seven rodeo activities in the NFR including Bareback Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping (Header & Heeler), Saddle Bronc Riding, Tie-Down Roping, Barrel Racing and Bull Riding. There is also an All-Around Champion event in which cowboys vie for the most coveted prize at the National Finals Rodeo. The PRCA standings are determined by the total prize money earned by cowboys during the NFR year.

The NFR main events are:

Bareback Riding

A rider who participates in Bareback Riding is allowed to hold tightly to a bucking horse (bronco) with bareback rigging. The rider must stay on top of the horse during the riding technique and show the best grip possible. Cowboys are judged on their riding technique and qualify after an 8-second ride.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Here, a cowboy aims to maintain balance for at least 8 seconds while the horse is bucking. While sitting on a saddle, the riders hold on to a thick rein attached to the horse’s halter with one hand. It’s quite similar to Bareback Riding. The only difference is that Saddle Bronc Riding focuses on maintaining balance, while Bareback Riding relies more on holding on while a horse is bucking.

Steer Wrestling

The story revolves around a cowboy and a Corriente steer, hence its name. This form of wrestling is also known as bulldogging. Cowboys need to jump on a steer by its horns and bring it to a halt as quickly as possible after dismounting from their horse. Performance of this event demands precision, speed, technique, and strength, which is why only experienced cowboys should practice it at the NFR. Despite its physical hazards, it remains the most exciting event in the Wrangler NFR.

Team Roping

As the name suggests, it’s a team combination event. The event is known as ‘heading and heeling,’ and it’s the only time men and women riders compete together at a rodeo.

• Headers: There are only about three attempts for the header to rope a steer’s head. The ropes should be tied around the neck, head, and horns of the animal.
• Heelers: On the other hand, heelers attempt to rope the animal’s hind legs by approaching it from behind. If both hind legs are not tied together, a 5-second penalty is assessed. If they are faster, they will receive a higher score.
  As the animal is between the headers and heelers, the ropes should be taut once the steer is captured, and the headers and heelers must face each other. It’s an exciting competition that requires wit and team effort.

Tie-Down Roping

Calf roping is another term for Tie-Down Roping, one of the oldest timed rodeo events. During the event, participants watch a cowboy on horseback try to restrain an unruly calf by tossing a rope loop attached to the horse to the calf. Although the slight head starts taken by the calf, both the cowboy and the calf leave from the same starting point. Cowboys depend on their horses to reduce rope slack after dismounting, then tie up their calves as quickly as they can.

Barrel Racing

WPRA (Women’s Professional Rodeo Association) organizes the Barrel Racing event more as a women’s event. There are barrels set up as landmarks to guide horseback cowgirls along a course where they race against the clock. Three barrels in a triangular formation are arranged so that the cowgirls can run around them in a cloverleaf pattern as fast as they can. If a barrel is knocked over, the cowgirls take a five-second penalty.

Bull Riding

Full-grown bulls instead of horses now do the work of riding here. While competing, cowboys need to maintain their balance by staying on top of the bull without falling. Their hands are wrapped around a flat braided rope that they wrap around the bull’s chest. Cowboys try to demonstrate their bull riding skills with all the bucking involved in this exciting rodeo event at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

All-Around Champion

It is widely known that the All-Around Champion title is the highest honour that the PRCA can confer. A cowboy who has been awarded this title has exhibited exceptional versatility and high talent levels. To qualify for this award, the cowboy must have earned more than anyone else in at least one event during the year (at least $3,000 per event). During the PRCA year, the All-Around Champion can be either one person or two people with the most money won.