Bucking Bulls and Broncos to Star in Rodeo Teaser

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

You can get your rodeo fix this weekend as part of a teaser for September’s Kodiak Rodeo and State Fair.

President of the rodeo and fair, Bonnie Stratmen, says yesterday, the cowboys were out the road catching the bulls which they’ll use for the two hours of rodeo activities on Saturday.

“We have three bulls that we brought over form the mainland last year that we used at the rodeo, and so they’ve wintered out on the range at the Burton ranch, so now they’re trying to round ‘em up and get ‘em into the rodeo this weekend. Most of the ranches around here we raise Scottish Highlander cows, and they’re not super good bukkies, so these bulls – that’s actually what they’re bred to do. They’re bred to be bigger, stronger, better bucking bulls.”

It’s not such an easy task to transport the bulls.

“Right now, it’s because there’s so much green grass, and it’s breeding season, so the bulls are more interested in eating grass and seeing what the cows are up to than actually coming to feed and getting into the corral and getting them rounded up. So, they’re just running all over and trying to catch ‘em. They’re like, we’re not coming, we’re not leaving.”

And the dialogue with the bulls doesn’t get any easier once the cowboys drive them onto the fairgrounds. Stratman this weekend’s line-up will include bull riding, bear-back bronc, and saddle-back bronc.

“They get on bulls. For example, they have a rope that’s tied around right behind their front shoulders and the cowboys hold onto to that. They’re to keep their spurs in and on the bull. Once the shoot opens and the bull’s nose actually breaks the front of the shoot, their time starts. They have to stay on it for eight seconds.”

If it sounds dangerous, it is. Bull riders can get hurt when they get bucked off and entangle their hand in the bull rope.

“It’s pretty tough. It’s hard work. They do run the risk of getting hung-up. We have a bull fighter that comes down that helps during the bull riding. What their job to do is if the cowboy does get hung up, is to help them get free, get their hand out.”

You can see that spectacle – which with good luck and skill will be free of incident – on Saturday. The events will begin at 4 p.m. at the fairgrounds.