What is steer wrestling?

EATON — Steer wrestling is an exciting event in the rodeo arena, and Preble County fair goers will soon get the chance to watch.

When a man drops from a running horse onto the steer, stops the steer, and throws the steer to the ground, spectators have seen how skill overcomes heavily weighted odds. According to the IPRA, The secret is in how the cowboy catches up to the steer. He reaches with his right hand, grabs the right horn and as his horse speeds by the steer, the cowboy get the horn in the crook of his right elbow. At the same time, his left hand pushes down on the other horn while this horse veers off to the left. The cowboy’s heels drops ahead at a 45-degrees angle in the path the steer is taking. The cowboy digs his heels into the dirt, turns the steer’s head and pulls it toward the center in a left hand turn. As the steer stops, his rear having been swung around, the cowboy grabs the animal’s nose with his left hand and with this sensitive hold, throws the steer onto its side.

In addition to the steer wrestler, a second man, called the ‘hazer,’ is alongside the steer. To the onlooker, all he seems to do is retreive the wrestler’s horse after the jump is made. In actuality, he watches for mishaps which may happen if the steer slams on its brakes or veers away from the wrestler. This is sometimes called the ‘dogger.’ The hazer has to foresee these possibilities and make split-second corrections. This event is judged on the fastest time.

This event will be part of the IPRA World Championship Rodeo event at the Preble County Fairgrounds in Eaton, on Monday, Aug. 1. For information, contact Jim McElroy at the Broken Horn Rodeo at 937-382-4608 or the Preble County Fair office at 937-456-3748.

By Broken Horn Rodeo

For The Register-Herald