A rodeo stock contractor is the business owner responsible for providing the animal athletes—such as bulls and horses—for rodeo events. This profession demands a specialized combination of skills, blending a deep understanding of animal husbandry with sharp business management and a dedication to the sport of rodeo. Their role is to ensure a consistent supply of healthy, high-performing animals that challenge the cowboys in competition.
Gain Foundational Experience
The first step is to immerse oneself in professional rodeo by working for an established stock contracting company. This period serves as an informal apprenticeship, offering direct, hands-on experience. It is here that one learns the nuances of the trade, building a solid base of practical skills.
Working for a seasoned contractor provides firsthand education in the daily realities of the business. This includes learning to safely handle and load bucking stock, understanding the nutritional needs of animal athletes, and mastering flanking techniques. You also observe the logistics of transporting animals across the country, managing their health on the road, and interacting with rodeo committees.
Acquire and Develop Rodeo Stock
The primary methods for building a string of bucking stock are to either breed your own or purchase animals from other producers. Breeding offers long-term control over genetics, allowing a contractor to cultivate specific traits by crossing proven bloodlines. This path requires patience, as it takes several years to raise a calf or colt and determine its potential as a rodeo performer.
Purchasing stock provides a faster route to acquiring competition-ready animals, but it comes at a higher initial cost. Contractors attend special bucking horse and bull sales to find proven performers or young prospects with strong pedigrees. The focus is on developing animals with the right temperament for rodeo. This process involves specialized feeding programs to build strength and careful handling to accustom the animals to the rodeo environment without diminishing their bucking instinct.
A contractor’s inventory must include a variety of animals suited for different events. Bucking bulls are bred for power, agility, and a strong desire to buck. Saddle broncs and bareback horses are also bred for their athletic ability, with different styles of bucking preferred for each event. A contractor needs a deep string of animals in each category to meet the demands of various rodeos.
Establish the Business Infrastructure
Operating a stock contracting business requires a solid business foundation. The first step is to establish a legal business entity, such as a Limited Liability Company (LLC), to separate business assets from personal ones. This structure provides a layer of financial protection in a high-risk industry.
Comprehensive liability insurance is a significant operational cost. Stock contractors must carry substantial policies to protect themselves, rodeo committees, and the public in the event of an accident. This insurance is a prerequisite for securing contracts with professional rodeo associations and venues, as a single incident could be financially ruinous.
The business requires a significant investment in physical assets. A contractor needs a home base with sufficient acreage and facilities to house and care for the animals when they are not at rodeos. Other necessary equipment includes:
- A heavy-duty truck and a specially designed stock trailer for safe transport.
- Portable steel pens and gates for holding stock at venues.
- Troughs and feeders for providing water and feed on the road.
Secure Rodeo Contracts
The primary pathway to professional rodeo is through membership in organizations like the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) or the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). These associations sanction events and have specific requirements for contractors, which may include a minimum number of animals and posting a bond. Joining these groups provides access to a network of official rodeos.
New contractors start by supplying stock to smaller, local, or regional rodeos to build a track record. This allows them to demonstrate the quality of their animals and their operational reliability. A contractor’s reputation is built on the performance of their stock; animals that buck consistently and provide a fair challenge for contestants are in demand.
Success in securing contracts hinges on networking. Attending rodeo conventions, industry meetings, and other events provides opportunities to connect with the rodeo committees who make hiring decisions. Building strong relationships and a reputation for professionalism and high-quality stock are necessary to land contracts for larger, more prestigious rodeos.
Uphold Animal Welfare and Safety Standards
A stock contractor’s primary responsibility is the health and well-being of their animals, which are treated as professional athletes. This duty involves providing excellent year-round care. This includes high-quality nutrition tailored to their athletic needs and consistent veterinary services for vaccinations, health screenings, and injury treatment.
Transporting animals to and from events must prioritize their welfare. This means using well-ventilated, clean trailers that give each animal adequate space, and ensuring they have access to food and water during long journeys. Adherence to industry-wide animal welfare guidelines, such as those set by the PRCA, is standard practice.
The care extends beyond an animal’s active career. Many top-performing bulls and horses are retired to breeding programs, where their valuable genetics can be passed on to the next generation. Animals that are not used for breeding are often retired to pasture on the contractor’s ranch, living out their natural lives in a low-stress environment.