RODEO'S A True Test of Necessay Skills or Just Plain Cruelty?  

The rodeo is a combination of skills (of the man and the horse) and cruelty to some of the animals. The horses and bulls which are ridden are not comfortable. That is why they buck to remove the rider and restraints they have. Some of the calves which are roped and hogtied are damaged in the process.

The rider and horses, though, are excellent examples of skills learned for the sport.

There are many skills in rodeo that are necessary. Roping a calf, is important, on the ranch we rope the calves to brand and castrate them. The reason this is timed is that it's important that you can do this quickly as there are many more calves waiting.
Bronc riding is partially necessary, it's important to be able to stay on a bucking horse while breaking them. I don't think raking them with spurs is necessary and obviously the restraint isn't. Those 2 are just to make it "sport".
Barrel racing is just fun and to test the horse and rider.

I love to go to Rodeo's. I have gone to quite a few. The only thing I hate are spurs. There is no reason for that, and it is inhumane and cruel. Also, the calf roping, that is mean, as it is for show now. Other than that, it's fun to watch, and a lot of these people did come from ranches to learn these skills. It's all a money business, the breeders and the riders.

I don't think that rodeo is to cruel to animals. But here in Portugal they don't do rodeos but they do bull fightings that are very cruel to animals.
I guess I wouldn't mind to watch a rodeo, but I wouldn't be able to see a bull fight, it's just unfair to the animal.

Having never been to a Rodeo and only watching scenes from them in the cinema my opinion is not really worth much but I think it must be an art and a skill which is something one learns from experience in the working day.
I do think that skilled riders that work for a living on horses must love there animals to be able to get them to do the things that are needed to rope a steer or such like.
I would be very much opposed to any sort of cruelty to the horses or cattle in the process though.
But like everything else there must be some guys who don't treat them right.
I am also always aware that in American films the rider seems to be part of the horse but in English films the rider seems so stiff and awkward.
Watching the guys who ride for the old 'Pony Express'!!

Sorry I seem to have gone off the point...!!

Most of not all rodeos in the US have people fromn the Society for the Prevention of Crulity of Animals there to make sure that the amimals are treated right. In the prairie where there are a lot of animals bred there are also cactus that are harder on the animals that spurs are. No I am not in favor of spurs but I do not believe that spurs hurt the animals as much as you think that they do. Plus for the small amount of discomfort that they are put through they are treated almost like royality the rest of the time. They have to treat the animals right for them to perform in the rodeos.