Podcast Summary: American History Hit

Episode: "Rodeo: An All American History?"

Host: Don Wildman
Guest: Dr. Tracy Hanschu, Assistant Professor of History, Eastern Oregon University
Date: February 19, 2026

Main Theme

This episode explores the vibrant, complex, and sometimes mythologized history of rodeo in America. Host Don Wildman and historian Dr. Tracy Hanschu dig into the origins, evolution, and social significance of the rodeo—questioning whether this spectacle is truly "All American," tracing its multicultural roots, charting its rise as big business, and foregrounding the diverse people (especially women and people of color) who shaped the sport.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Definition of Rodeo

[04:12–08:18]

• Definition and Structure:

  • Modern rodeo is divided into timed events (calf roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, team/breakaway roping) and judged bucking events (bull, saddle bronc, and bareback bronc riding).
  • Timed: Fastest wins; Judged: Scores given by sanctioned judges, including scores for rider and animal.
  • "Today's rodeo is, in some cases, an extreme sport, and it kind of brings part of ranching life in the Old West onto the stage for all of the fans today, which there are millions globally." – Dr. Hanschu [04:12]

• Spanish and Mexican Roots:

  • Rodeo comes from the Spanish “rodeo,” meaning roundup.
  • Early competitions began between vaqueros (Spanish cowboys) in the 1500s–1600s through the Mexican and then American era.
  • "It started with one cowboy or vaquero at that time, vaquero challenging another to rope faster than other vaqueros." – Dr. Hanschu [06:32]

2. Transition to Public Spectacle

[08:18–11:37]

• From Private Contest to Audience Events:

  • Initial competitions were ranch-to-ranch contests with no audience.
  • 1869: Deer Trail, CO—one of the first audience rodeos (not ticketed).
  • 1882: North Platte, NE—overlaps with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show era.
  • 1883: Pecos, TX—first recorded ticketed rodeo; emergence of "Wild West" shows.
  • Big city shows in the early 1900s drew tens of thousands; e.g., Chicago’s Columbian Exhibition (1893), Madison Square Garden, Boston Garden.

• Parallel Development with the Cattle Industry:

  • As the cattle frontier was commercialized, open range replaced by fencing reduced the everyday need for cowboy skills, prompting the rise of rodeo as entertainment.

3. Codification, Standardization, and Scandal

[13:51–15:51]

• Golden Age of Sport (1920s):

  • Rodeo’s popularity soared with broader trends in 1920s consumer culture and nostalgia for the West.
  • 1929: Rodeo Association of America (producers) established standardized rules and champions system.
  • 1936: Formation of the Cowboy Turtle Association—first cowboy "union."
  • Early “Wild Bunch” (1915) created first uniform roping rules.

• Scandals:

  • Producers (“bloomers”) sometimes absconded with entry fees and prize money, stranding competitors.

  "They would take all the entry fees and all the ticket money, and then the last event, on the last day, they would take all of the money, including the prize money, and run and leave those contestants stranded." – Dr. Hanschu [15:18]

4. Diversity and Discrimination in Rodeo

[16:44–19:58]

• Early Diversity:

  • Early 1900s saw mixed-race contests (white, Black, Native riders), but as the sport professionalized, racism excluded many competitors of color.
  • 1911: At the Pendleton Roundup, audience forced recognition for Black cowboy George Fletcher after judges favored a white rider despite a tie.
  • 1920s: Rising racism led to de facto color barriers, parallel Black and Native rodeos.
  • Black and Native rodeos like the Bill Pickett Rodeo still thrive.

• Women in Rodeo:

  • Women participated from the beginning but were progressively sidelined; 1948 saw the founding of the Girls Rodeo Association (now Women's Professional Cowgirl Association) out of exclusion.

  "Professional rodeos never had rules that exclude anyone. But racism ramps up. ... So a lot of Black cowboys would experience going to the rodeo, they had paid their entry fee and then were not allowed into the back area..." – Dr. Hanschu [17:24]

5. The Role and Impact of Women

[21:25–26:41]

• Early Pioneers:

  • Lucille Mulhall (Oklahoma) competed against men, produced her own rodeos and vaudeville; influential in changing dress and safety standards for female contestants.
  • Annie Oakley—demonstrated that women could participate and remain "feminine," easing social anxieties.

  "Lucille Mulhall... was roping against the men there. ... She beat all of the men who jumped into the arena and tried to start ripping her clothes off because they didn't believe she was a woman..." – Dr. Hanschu [23:19]

• Changing Gender Roles:

  • Rodeo cowgirls managed their own careers, competed post-marriage, arranged for children’s schooling on the road, and contributed to broader social change regarding women’s independence and professional sports.

  "Rodeo's the first professional sport for women." – Dr. Hanschu [26:41]

6. Safety, Spectacle, and Modern Evolution

[19:58–28:11]

• Equipment improvements for rider safety (e.g., protective vests after Lane Frost's death, bull horn blunting, masks after injuries).

• Modern resurgence attributed to media (Cowboy Channel, Cowgirl Channel), pop culture, fashion, and international reach.

  "I would say there's a resurgence of rodeo in part because of media. ... And so that they can reach millions of viewers there." – Dr. Hanschu [26:57]

7. Rodeo’s Legacy, Meaning & International Spread

[28:11–31:59]

• Rodeo seen as a "living history," perpetuating American individualism and the cowboy as a national icon.

• International popularity includes tours to the UK (e.g., London Rodeo, 1924), Europe, Australia, South America, and beyond.

• Animal rights protests have accompanied its global spread.

  "It kind of perpetuates that idea of American individualism and a part of the American character, because the cowboy is one of the most recognized American icons from the West." – Dr. Hanschu [28:23]

8. Personal Reflections and Favorite Events

[31:59–33:22]

• Dr. Hanschu’s favorite event is the Native American relay races at the Pendleton Roundup.

• She enjoys team roping, relating to family connections.

  "My new favorite is again a local interest. ... The relay races and there is a separate circuit for Native Americans. On this relay race, they ride bareback. It's very fast. So it's kind of the horse race that I like." – Dr. Hanschu [32:04]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Don Wildman’s vivid introduction:
  "The stands are packed, music blaring, air thick with hay, barbecue, smoke and manure... the gate opens and eight seconds of spine buckling, rump rollicking chaos ensues." [00:35]
• On Rodeo’s multicultural origin:
  "It started with one cowboy or vaquero at that time, vaquero challenging another to rope faster than other vaqueros." – Dr. Hanschu [06:32]
• On gender, spectacle, and social change:
  "Rodeo cowgirls at that time were able to manage their own careers and they continued competing after they married and had children." – Dr. Hanschu [26:15]
• On rodeo as American myth:
  "People go and see what they think was a part of the Western frontier, even though it's quite different than it was before it was so commercialized." – Dr. Hanschu [28:15]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:35] – Don Wildman’s sensory, energizing introduction to the rodeo scene
• [04:12] – Dr. Hanschu defines modern rodeo and its categories
• [06:32] – Spanish origins of rodeo and competition
• [08:18] – Transition to public, ticketed events; early rodeos and Wild West shows
• [13:51] – Golden age of rodeo, standardization, and early athlete organizing
• [16:44] – Diversity/racism in rodeo; Pendleton Roundup story
• [19:02] – Women’s historical exclusion and resurgence in rodeo
• [23:19] – Lucille Mulhall’s legendary victory and challenge to gender norms
• [26:41] – Rodeo as the first professional sport for women
• [28:11] – Rodeo’s cultural legacy and symbolism
• [29:40] – International spread (London Rodeo, UK royalty)
• [32:04] – Dr. Hanschu’s favorite events and local traditions

Conclusion

The episode offers a lively, nuanced perspective on rodeo—not merely as an "all-American" pastime, but as a multicultural, evolving spectacle tracing its lineage from Spanish colonial North America, through Wild West mythmaking, to modern professional sport and global phenomenon. With sharp insights from Dr. Tracy Hanschu, listeners gain new appreciation for rodeo’s social complexities, diverse pioneers, and enduring hold on American and international imaginations.