Phoenix Rodeo

Rodeo time is a gay time in Phoenix-not only for the natives but for the hundreds of winter visitors. service men and women and celebrities who mark their calendars so as to be on hand for this annual fun fest.

The Phoenix Junior Chamber of Commerce. sponsors of the Phoenix rodeo, and their wives, the Dudettes. leave no stone unturned in providing the utmost in entertainment and fun, and their special guests, often top celebrities of the film world, are on hand to take part in the festivities.

Downtown Phoenix takes on a typical Western atmosphere as rodeo week approaches, and the citizens, not to be outdone are garbed in cowboy and cowgirl attire. some in full costume but nearly all with some piece of distinctively Western clothing a hat, boots, Levi's or a neckerchief.

The downtown corral takes care of those who fail to "Go Western" and the judge of the rodeo court usually fines those caught on the streets without some sort of Western apparel. Members of the JC's, with six-shooters barking. comb the downtown area seeking offenders-place them aboard the old stage coach, and haul them to the corral to appear before the court, to the delight of hundreds of onlookers who are gathered to witness the fun. The fine. especially during the past few years, usually runs to War Savings Stamps a few to War Bonds, although a cash fine of from a quarter up is assessed, depending on the "seriousness" of the offense. The Red Cross Canteen at Arizona Highways Entered as second-class matter at the post office, Phoenix, Arizona, under the act of March 3, 1879. One dollar per year. Bert Campbell, Editor.

When you turn a Brahma steer into a rodeo arena, things begin to happen.

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the Union Station is the worthy recipient of all cash donations from fines, as well as all net proceeds of the fourday show.

The Phoenix rodeo ranks with the finest in AmericaMadison Square Garden, Boston, Chicago, where long runs have been the custom and those held in the Old West, Cheyenne, Pendleton, Prescott and Tucson--to name a few. These rodeos are considered world championship affairsthe contestants' points counting in on the season's total of the circuit, in the selection of the champion cowboy in the various branches of competition, as well as the selection of the all-around world's champion cowboy.

The opening day's performance is preceded by a colorful parade of thousands of horses and their proud ridersmen, women, children, cowboys and rodeo performers. From early morning until noon-parade time an almost continual stream of horsemen moves in on the city from all directions and from miles around. One is amazed at the hundreds of riding horses there are in the Valley of the Sun. The parade, accentuated by numerous bands from the Valley high schools, army air bases and military installations, add zest and color to the affair.

Hundreds of thousands of Valley folk and winter visitors; soldiers, cadets, sailors, Marines, Wacs and Waves, jam the downtown streets many witnessing the spectacle for the first time. It takes hours for the parade to pass the thousands of horses, numerous floats and bands, as well as the performers themselves.

The parade winds up at the Fairgrounds where the rodeo is held later than usual this year the opening performance being scheduled for April 13. These performances are usually witnessed by capacity audiences the spacious grandstand accommodating 10,000 persons.

In team tying one roper must rope the steer's head or horns, and the other must rope one or both hind feet and tie by both hind legs.

The featured events are bronc busting-both saddle and bareback; steer wrestling or bulldogging; steer riding, calf roping, team tying and roping, as well as Brahma steer riding, wild cow milking, trick and fancy riding, and of course, to the delight of the spectators, the rodeo clowns with their humor provoking trick mules.

The performers are skilled and trained experts. Most rodeo stars got their start on working cow ranches-grew tough and strong and expert at their trade on the wide open spaces of the great West. Bronc riding, bulldogging and Brahma steer riding are especially dangerous business, and for action, drama, color, and excitement, these events are tops. For four days men and animals compete against each other. Sometimes the cowboys win-often the animal comes out on top. The contestants too are competing against each other and against time.

In the daring bronc riding events, a twisting, squirming, kicking, bucking piece of horse flesh plunges out of the chute, carrying a determined cowboy on his hurricane deck. In the bareback event, the contestant must ride his charge with loose rope and with one hand free.

The riders draw for mounts in the saddle event and are likely to have to weather the storm on such treacherous, time tried buckers as "Hell's Angels" and "Hell to Set"-broncs having earned a reputation through the years of competition as "bad medicine" and who hold the respect of every seasoned rodeo performer. The rider is judged from the time the bronc lunges from the chute until the ten-second whistle is blown, and he must ride with plain halter and one rein and with no knots or wraps around the hand and no tapes on stirrups or rein. The rein must be held at least six inches above the horse's neck while bucking. When the bronc leaves the chute the rider must have both feet in the

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stirrups and both spur rowels moving against the horse's shoulder then scratch both ways until the whistle is blown. The contestant must ride with one hand free and must not change hands on reins. Both horse and performer in the bucking events are judged according to their performance in the arena from the time the animal leaves the chute to the blowing of the whistle.

Bulldogging is a dangerous business. The steer is given a deadline start and as soon as he is released from the chute and crosses the deadline, a flag is dropped and the dogger and his hazer race toward the fast moving animal-the dogger flanking one side his hazer the other. When the steer is reached the dogger springs from his saddle, grasps the steer around the horns as he slides to the ground in a cloud of dust. All steers must be thrown to the ground by hand and it is up to the contestant to stop the steer and twist him down in the fastest possible time. Sometimes the steer's strength and resistance prolong the feat. Other times, when all is timed just right and the dogger has the breaks with him, a record time is made. Seconds mean hundreds of dollars in rodeo competition.

The Brahma bulls are ridden with a loose rope and with a bell dangling from its underside. The Brahma must be ridden with one hand. This feature was added to the rodeo game to bring more rough and tumble to an already thrill packed sport. When you put a Brahma bull in a rodeo arena, tie a rope around his middle and attach a bell to the rope-things begin to happen. When the rider is thrownas he usually is the ride is over. But the Brahma isn't through. He takes after anything and everything within sight and reach, and one of the many unpleasant things in life is that of being butted by an angry Brahma. They are vicious and dangerous.

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The calf roping event is handled in about the same way as the bulldogging the break from the chute-deadline start the starter's flag. Upon approaching the calf the roper must dismount and go down the rope-which is held taut by the cow pony and throw the calf by hand. If the calf is down when the roper gets to him, he must be let up on his feet and thrown by hand. The roper must cross any three feet of the animal and tie so as to hold the calf until passed upon by the tie judge.

In team tying, when the steer crosses the deadline, he is the roper's steer. One roper must catch the steer's head. half head or horns, and the other roper must catch one or both hind feet. If the animal falls before the second rope is on the hind foot or feet, he must be permitted to regain his footing. Both ropes must be on the steer when the tie is started. The steer must be tied by both hind legs below the hocks, and may be tripped, stretched or tailed down. Two loops are allowed to the head and two to the heels. If they fail, the contestants receive no time and must retire from the arena.

The rodeo is the one show that is typically Western. It is a contest of skill and daring-reflecting the activities of the range in a spectacular manner. It has thrilled thousands upon thousands throughout the West as there are few communities from the smallest hamlet to the metropolitan cities that do not have their rodeo. And it has been taken to a strange and unfamilar land for Western sports-the East. The Phoenix World's Championship Rodeo is riding high. It has ranked well through the years. The warm comfort of the brilliant winter sun-teamed with genuine Western hospitality has blended with this fine show of the cowboys to form one of the finest and most pleasurable events and attractions the Valley of the Sun has to offer.