Contributed photo by Leo Gozum
MANILA, Philippines—Four hundred cowboys from across the country are set to join the 20th Rodeo National Finals to be held in Masbate from April 9 to 14 this year.
Events—including bull riding, casting down of large cattle, two person and four person carambola, steer wrestling from horseback or bulldogging, lassoing from horseback, cattle wrestling on foot, whip cracking and load carrying—will be held at the Masbate Grand Rodeo Arena.
The five-day rodeo will feature 250 heads of cattles and 30 bulls. Events are divided into two categories: professional and student.
The participating teams are coming from Benguet State University, Isabella State University, Central Luzon State University, Oriental Mindoro Rodeo Team, UPLB rascals rodeo team, La Salle-Araneta rodeo team,
Central Bicol State University, DEBESMSCAT, South Western University, Bohol Island State University, Bohol Los Masoneros, Siquijor rodeo team, Visayas State University, Negros Oriental State University, Xavier University, Impasug-ong rodeo team,
Libona rodeo team, Zubiri Brothers rodeo team, Mindanao State University, Central Mindanao University, Balud cowboys, BAI rodeo team, Cuervo Berde rodeo team, MG rodeo team, and Wellard rodeo team.
Another highlight of the activity is the Cattle Drive, which re-enacts how the locals in the olden days would drive a herd of cattle from ranches to the pier to be brought to Manila.
The National Rodeo Finals is the core event of the Rodeo Festival 2013, organized annually by the Rodeo Masbateño Inc.
Masbate has the only fixed arena in the country solely for rodeo complete with grandstand, rodeo corral, stockyard, rodeo chute, bull riding chute, roping chute and lights for the night rodeo.