Ramona Rodeo

Shows

This year will mark the Ramona Rodeos’ 42nd show. We are proud to offer a TOP NOTCH PRCA rodeo with some of the greatest cowboys around. Our event boasts the Professional attitude with the BEST hometown hospitality you will find at a rodeo. All proceeds generated from our rodeo go right back into our BEAUTIFUL non-profit Rodeo Park. We look forward to opening our gates to you and your family and friends to enjoy our BEAUTIFUL community and our FANTASTIC hometown Rodeo experience.

Specialty Act

Rider Kiesner and Bethany Iles

Rider grew up as a 5th generation cowboy he was competing in Youth and Little Britches rodeos as far back as anyone can remember. He won his first buckle when he was just 5 years old.                                                              

He was given a Will Rodgers trick roping kit for Christmas when he was nine. Rider would push the living room furniture back and watch instructional videos over and over until he mastered each trick. He started performing locally that next summer. He than began performing in professional rodeos by the time he was eleven.                                                                                            

Rider continues to practice the cowboy skills of trick roping, gun spinning, and whip-cracking daily.                    

In the early days of rodeo was held as a competition at the many of the largest rodeos in the nation. Rider competes at the international competitions in trick roping and gun spinning.

At age 28, he has already 2X World Champion All Around Western Performer, 4X World Champion Trick Roper, and 2X World Champion Gun Spinning titles. Rider has performed all 50 states. Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Oman, Dubai, Lebanon, and France. Rider had been featured 7X NFR, 9X Cheyenne Frontier Days, Cavalia, Prairie Circuit Finals, California Circuit Finals,

Bethany started trick riding at just nine years old. Despite not being raised in a horse or rodeo family the lifestyle captivated her . At 10 she and her twin and little sister began performing at rodeos across the Midwest performing both trick and Roman riding acts.

At age 18 Bethany decided to pursue trick riding full time earning her PRCA card which had been a dream of hers. She and Rider Kiesner joined forces when she was 19 and have performed at many big events such as the Mountain state Circuit Finals, Prairie Circuit Finals, Great Lakes Circuit Finals, the American Royal in Kanas City Mo, Road to the horse and many more.

The two competed on two tv shows one being the NBC Sparten Ultimate Team Challenge the other TBS Go Big Show . Their biggest accomplishment was winning the title of 2020 PRCA Dress Act of the Year. Bethany loves the art of trick riding and aims to honor the sport and the woman that came before her.

Announcer

Bob Edmonds

With a lifetime of experience in the rodeo arena, Bob Edmonds is one of the most knowledgeable announcers in the business. Growing up in a stock contracting family, Bob learned early on the value of a good rodeo production. He has been involved in nearly every aspect of rodeo, but announcing and sharing his passion for rodeo is what Bob thoroughly enjoys.

Bob has been announcing rodeos since 2001 and he earned his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) card at the beginning of the 2006 season. His smooth, authentic and enthusiastic delivery of the rodeo events will keep even the most seasoned rodeo fan involved and entertained, all in a family friendly atmosphere.

What can I expect to see?

Events

Bareback

Riding

Bareback riding, developed in the rodeo arena many years ago, consistently produces some of the wildest action in the sport. A bareback rider begins his ride with no saddle, seated on the bronc’s back and with his feet placed above the break of the horse’s shoulder. If the cowboy’s feet are not in the correct position when the horse hits the ground on its first jump out of the chute, the cowboy has failed to “mark out” the horse properly and is disqualified. Throughout the eight second ride, the cowboy must grasp the rigging (a handhold made of leather and rawhide) with only one hand

A rider is disqualified if he touches his equipment, himself or the animal with his free hand or bucks off. The rider is judged on his control during the ride and on his spurring technique. The score also is based on the rider’s “exposure” to the strength of the horse. In addition, the horse’s performance accounts for half the potential score.

Tie-down

Roping

Like bronc riding, tie down roping is an event born on the ranches of the Old West. Sick calves were roped and tied down for medical treatment. Today, success in tie down roping depends largely on the teamwork between a cowboy and his horse. After the calf is given a head start, horse and rider give chase. The contestant ropes the calf, then dismounts and runs to the animal.

After catching and flanking the calf, the cowboy ties any three of the animal’s legs together using a “pigging string” he carries in his teeth until needed. if the calf is not standing when the contestant reaches it, the cowboy must allow the animal to stand before setting it down to tie three legs. When the cowboy completes his tie, he throws his hands in the air as a signal to judge. He then remounts and allows the rope attached to his saddle to become slack. Note how the horse is very careful in keeping the rope just right, not too much slack or too tight until the cowboy mounts up again.

The run is declared invalid if the calf kicks free of the ties within six seconds. As with any timed event, a 10 second penalty is added if the roper does not allow the calf the proper head start out into the arena ahead of him – this is known as “breaking the barrier.”

Saddle Bronc

Riding

Rodeo’s “classic” event, saddle bronc riding, has roots that run deep in the history of the Old West. Ranch hands would often gather and compete among themselves to see who could display the best style while riding untrained horses. It was from this early competition that today’s event was born. Each rider has a small saddle on the horse and must begin his ride out of the chute with his feet over the bronc’s shoulder to give the horse the advantage. A rider who synchronizes his spurring action with the animal’s bucking efforts will receive a high score. Other factors considered in the scoring are the cowboy’s control throughout the ride, the length of his spurring stroke and how hard the horse bucks.

Disqualification results if, prior to the buzzer which sounds after eight seconds, the rider touches the animal, himself or his equipment with his free hand; if either foot slips out of a stirrup; if he drops the bronc rein; if he fails to have his feet in the proper “mark out” position at the beginning of the ride; or he bucks off.

Steer

Wrestling

Wrestling a steer requires more than brute strength. The successful steer wrestler, or bulldogger, is strong to be sure, but he also understands the principles of leverage. The steer wrestler on horseback starts behind a barrier, and begins his chase after the steer has been given a head start. If the bulldogger leaves too soon and breaks the barrier, he receives a 10 second penalty. The steer wrestler is assisted by a hazer, another cowboy on horseback tasked with keeping the steer running in a straight line.
When the bull dogger’s horse pulls even with the steer, he eases down the right side of the horse and reaches for the steer’s horns and pushes down with his left hand in a effort to tip the steer over.

After the catch by the horns, the steer wrestler must either bring the steer to a stop or change the direction of the animal’s body before the throw or he is disqualified. The clock stops when the steer is on his side with all four legs pointing the same direction.

Bull

Riding

Unlike the other rough stock contestants, bull riders are not required to spur with their feet. No wonder… It’s usually impressive enough just to remain seated for eight seconds on an animal that may weigh more than a ton and is as quick as he is big. Upper body control and strong legs are cowboy essential to riding bulls. The rider tries to remain forward “over his hand” at all times. Leaning back could cause him to be whipped forward when the bull bucks. Judges watch for good body position and other factors, including use of the free arm and spurring action. Although not required, spurring will add points to a rider’s score.

As in all the riding events, half of the score in bull riding is determined by the contestant’s performance and the other half is based on the animal’s effort.
A bull rider will be disqualified for touching the animal, himself or his equipment with his free hand or bucking off.

Team

Roping

Team roping is unique in that two cowboys work together for a shared time. The first cowboy, known as the “header”, ropes the steer either by the horns, around the steer’s neck, or “half head” which is roping one horn and the neck. After this catch is made, the header wraps his rope around the saddle horn, commonly known as dallying, and turns the steer in a wide arc to the left.

The second cowboy is known as the “heeler”. He trails along beside the steer until the header turns the steer to the left, then moves in behind the steer and attempts to rope the both of the steer’s back feet.
If he only manages to rope one hind foot, the team receives a five-second penalty. The time is stopped when both cowboys horses are facing each other.

Barrel

Racing

In barrel racing, the contestant and her horse enter the arena at full speed. As they start the pre-set pattern of three barrels, the horse and rider trigger an electronic eye that starts the clock ticking… dirt flies and hearts pound as rider and horse race against the clock. The racer rides a cloverleaf pattern around the three barrels strategically positioned in the arena, and then the pair sprint back out of the arena at full speed, once again tripping the electronic eye and stopping the clock as the Barrel Racer leaves.
The contestant and her horse can touch or even move the barrels, but the racer receives a five second penalty for each barrel that is actually overturned. With the margin of victory measured in hundredths of seconds, knocking over one barrel spells disaster.

Mutton

Bustin'

Mutton busting is an exhibition "event" held at rodeos similar to bull riding or bronc riding, in which children ride or race sheep. In the event, a sheep is held still, either in a small chute or by an adult handler while a child is placed on top in a riding position. Once the child is seated atop the sheep, the sheep is released and usually starts to run in an attempt to get the child off. Often small prizes or ribbons are given out to the children who can stay on the longest. There are no set rules for mutton busting, no national organization, and most events are organized at the local level.

At the Rodeo
Cowboys & Cowgirls

Why Compete?

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association PRCA Rodeo contestants compete in multiple rodeos throughout the annual rodeo season to earn performance points to qualify for a contestant berth at the state level Finals rodeo, such as the California Finals Rodeo  and to ultimately be invited to compete at the National Finals Rodeo.

Location

Fred Grand Arena / ROCC Site
421 Aqua Lane
Ramona, CA 92065

Mailing

Ramona Rodeo
PO Box 1555
Ramona, CA 92065

Resources

© Ramona Rodeo | Photo Credit to Reed Settle PRCA Photographer