best ranch skills. Today, horses are used in rodeo events as both roughstock and saddle horses. Roughstock animals are the bucking animals cowboys are scored on riding during rodeo events. The two roughstock events that use horses are bareback riding and saddle bronc riding. Horses in rodeos are also used under saddle for rodeo events including: steer wrestling, tie-down roping, steer roping, team roping, breakaway roping, goat typing, pole bending, and barrel racing. Rodeo is a very competitive industry, with levels of competition ranging from youth rodeos to high school and collegiate rodeos, and adult rodeos for both part-time and full-time cowboys and cowgirls. Racing Horse racing, or the “Sport of Kings,” in the United States is a multibillion dollar industry, Figure 10-28. The Thoroughbred breed is often seen as the ultimate racing horse. Consequently, the most notable races in the country, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, are all Thoroughbred races. Other breeds are also involved in racing, but not to the scale of the Thoroughbred. Race horses undergo a closely monitored exercise and nutrition program to ensure that they are in top physical condition before they race. While most horse races occur on a flat track with a single rider called a jockey, there are also jumping races called steeplechases, and harness racing where horses pull a small buggy called a sulky, Figure 10-29. Did You Know? The most prestigious title in the Thoroughbred racing industry is the Triple Crown. To win the Triple Crown, a horse must win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. Neale Cousland/Shutterstock.com Figure 10-28. The majority of the horse racing in the United States is done with the Thoroughbred breed. It is called the “Sport of Kings” although sultans, czars, and even Queen Elizabeth have been known to get in on the action. Kobby Dagan/Shutterstock.com Figure 10-27. Skills used to manage and give medical attention to cattle on ranches directly translate to rodeo events. Can you see the similarity between the actions of the ranch hands (left) and the team ropers (right)? David Thoresen/Shutterstock.com 546 Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.