This part of our guide focuses on products and retail businesses catering to rodeos.
A rodeo is a largely equestrian series of competitions in which people demonstrate their skills at bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, steer roping, and bull riding.
Rodeos, a combination of sport, tradition, and showmanship, are a significant part of U.S. Western culture. The products and retail businesses that cater to rodeos include those required or desired by rodeo contestants, livestock, and spectators.
A conspicuous aspect of rodeo culture is the distinctive Western apparel and gear, such as cowboy hats, boots, and protective gear.
Cowboy hats represent a significant aspect of Western heritage and provide riders with protection from sun, rain, and wind. Popular brands among rodeo contestants include Stetson and Resistol.
Made from leather featuring unique stitching and design, cowboy boots offer both protection and style. Justin Boots is popular among rodeo participants and enthusiasts alike.
Other elements of Western wear include jeans, shirts, and jackets designed to withstand the rigors of rodeo activities while offering a degree of showmanship.
Companies like Rodeohard and Phoenix Performance Products provide specialized protective gear for rodeo athletes, including gloves, helmets, and vests.
Rodeo equipment is built to meet the performance and safety demands of the various rodeo events. Saddles are custom-made to the specific needs and preferences of the rider and to the event, such as bronc riding or barrel racing. Billy Cook and Circle Y are well-known in the rodeo circuit as makers of custom rodeo saddles.
Quality ropes, halters, bridles, reins, and cinches are
Ropes and Tack: Quality ropes and tack, including halters, bridles, and reins, are requisite for roping events. Cactus Ropes, Classic Ropes, and Rattler Ropes are popular makers of ropes for rodeo use, while Billy Cook, Circle Y, and Classic Equine are known for tack.
Specialized chutes and gates are used to manage livestock during rodeo events. Priefert and WW Livestock Systems are among the suppliers.
Barrels and poles used in barrel racing and pole bending must be sturdy and well-built. Rodeo America is a trusted rodeo supplier.
Given the high value of rodeo livestock, animal supplies must meet specific requirements to ensure their health, welfare, and safety. High-quality feed and nutritional supplements are essential to maintaining the health of horses, bulls, steers, and other livestock. Merck Animal Health and Farnum are respected providers of veterinary supplies for rodeo animals.
Livestock used in rodeos must be transported safely and efficiently. During transport, roping steers have protective wraps around their horns to prevent injury, and trailer brands like FeatherLite and Exiss offer durable options.
It is common for rodeo fans to dress the part, favoring Western Wear. Several retail businesses cater to the larger rodeo community. Boot Barn, for example, is a leading retailer of Western footwear, apparel, and accessories, carrying a wide selection of products for rodeo participants and enthusiasts, while Cavender's is known for its extensive range of Western wear, saddles, and tack, and National Roper's Supply is another provider of rodeo gear, livestock supplies, and Western wear.
These are just a few of the products and retailers serving the rodeo circuit, including participants, fans, and others involved in the iconic Western sport.
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Located in Corsicana, Texas, Barstow is a rodeo gear manufacturer that handcrafts its equipment one item at a time. A popular model is the Barstow Pro Flex High Lift, designed to elevate riding styles. The family-owned business also produces gear for bull riding, bareback riding, and saddle bronc riding, as well as junior gear, tack, and products for stock contractors. Client testimonials, return policies, order tracking, and contacts are posted on the site.
https://www.barstowprorodeo.com/
Beginning as a single retail store in 1978, the company now has several stores and its own line of merchandise. Specializing in boots and apparel for Western and work wear, its stores carry a large selection of brands, including Ariat, Carhartt, Corral, Dan Post, Lucchese, Montana Silversmiths, Old Gringo, Resistol, Wolverine, Wrangler, and many others. An online catalog, a store locator, and a directory of brands are set forth, and its rewards program is defined.
https://www.bootbarn.com/
A leading manufacturer in the team roping and rodeo world, Cactus Ropes was founded over 25 years ago and specializes in creating high-quality ropes for ropers at all levels, from beginners to professionals. Its products include team, calf, youth, and ranch ropes, each designed to provide the perfect feel and performance for different roping styles. An introduction to the company, its products, and special offers are provided, and online shopping is enabled.
https://www.cactusropes.com/
Cavender's Western Wear has been in business for more than fifty years. It offers a range of clothing and accessories for both men and women, including Western shirts, jeans, cowboy boots, hats, belts, and work apparel. The company focuses on Western styles, from classic designs to modern twists. Its website features a store locator, contacts, career information, and an online product catalog sorted by product type, collections, and clearance items. A blog is included.
https://www.cavenders.com/
Based in Yoakum, Texas, Circle Y is a manufacturer of Western saddles and tack. Founded in 1960, the company has earned a reputation for producing high-quality, handcrafted saddles that cater to a range of Western riding disciplines, including trail riding, barrel racing, roping, cutting, and others. Besides saddles, the company offers a wide selection of tack and accessories, including breast collars, bridles, and reins. Its saddles are popular among rodeo competitors.
https://circley.com/
Headquartered in Granbury, Texas, and founded in 1996, Classic Equine is a manufacturer of equestrian products for equine athletes, offering a range of products such as saddle pads, leg protection, and travel gear. Available online through its catalog, nearby dealers can also be located by entering a zip code. Its products include boots, bits, cinches, equine caps, halters, horse blankets, saddle pads, shin guards, spurs, and automatic waterers. Informational articles and videos are included.
https://classicequine.com/
Founded by Billy Cook in 1953, Genuine Billy Cook is a well-known name in the saddles and tack industry. The company produces handcrafted saddles, each bearing the "Billy Cook Maker's Mark" as a symbol of artisanry and quality. Its saddles are made in Sulphur, Oklahoma, to the customer's exact specifications. The company offers flexible financing and takes other saddles as trade-ins. Customer testimonials are posted, and its products are featured on the website.
https://genuinebillycook.com/
Founded in 1879, Justin Boots is an American Western and equestrian footwear brand and a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. Justin Boots has a deep-rooted connection to rodeo, creating the first book designed specifically for ropers and supplying boots to countless rodeo competitors over the years. Its products are known for durability, comfort, and style, making them a favorite among cowboys and cowgirls. Stores carrying its products may be found on the website.
https://www.justinboots.com/
Founded by Marvin Priefert in 1964, Priefert is a manufacturer of rodeo and ranch equipment. The company specializes in bucking chutes, horse walkers, squeeze chutes, tractor implements, arenas, kennels, gates, and fence and fencing aids. Its full line of horse products includes stalls, round pens, walkers, and others. An overview of the company is provided, along with details of its products, product literature, career opportunities, contacts, and a dealer locator.
https://www.priefert.com/
It is manufactured by Resistol Hats, a Garland, Texas company best known for its Western (cowboy) hats, although it also makes other hats. Founded in 1927, the company produced hats worn by John Wayne, George Strait, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Ronald Reagan, and Tom Landry, and the Texas Department of Public Safety troopers wear Resistol hats as part of their uniform. The company's full selection of hats and boots, apparel, and accessories are featured on its website. A size chart is included.
https://resistol.com/
Specializing in bull riding gear and Western tack, Rodeo Hard produces a wide range of products, including helmets, vests, gloves, and durable bull ropes designed for both professional and amateur riders. Its products may be purchased online directly from Rodeo Hard, although a list of stores is also available. Bull riding and rough stock gear, youth bull riding gear, chaps and chinks, saddles, tack and supplies, team ropes, Western graphic tees, sweatshirts, and hoodies are available.
https://rodeohard.com/
The online shopping site carries gear for all rodeo events, both rough stock and timed events. Its product catalog is sorted into adult gear, youth gear, riding and tack, apparel, and sale items. Shoppers can also browse by event (bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, team roping, calf and breakaway roping, goat tying, poles and barrels, bullfighting, stock contractor and equipment). Additionally, shoppers may search by keyword. Its affiliate program is described.
https://www.rodeomart.com/
Manufactured by the John B. Stetson Company, Stetson is an American brand of hat. In 1865, John Stetson founded the company and created a hat that became symbolic of the American West. Today, Stetson creates Western hats (Classics, Premium, Felt, Straw, Youth), as well as other collections, outdoor hats, fedoras, caps, and trucker's hats, as well as men's and women's boots, shirts, outerwear, and accessories. The site also includes a section of 150 years of American heritage stories.
https://stetson.com/
The W-W Manufacturing Company has been making livestock-handling equipment since 1945, including chutes, alleys, tubs, and complete working facilities. For the rodeo industry, WW makes panels, gates, horse savers, arrow pens, mini roping chutes, team roping chutes, rodeo roping chutes, mutton bustin' chutes, and bucking chutes. The company also makes products for cattle handling, fairs and expos, boarbuster traps, and specialty products. A dealer locator and contacts are posted.
https://wwmanufacturing.com/
