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Wild cow milking is a
Though the specifics can vary depending on the rodeo, the general rules for wild cow milking are:
* Each team commonly consists of two, three, or more individuals. Ranch rodeo teams usually have four members.
*Competitions may include 
The sport is known for being unpredictable, and for being both entertaining (to the spectators) and dangerous (for the participants), with participants often getting trampled by the cow or tripped up by the rope.
Wild cow milking is a rodeo
Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...
event seen at mainstream and ranch rodeo A ranch rodeo is a traditional type of rodeo in which teams of cowboys or cowgirls from different ranch
A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice o ...
s. A team-based competition, the goal is to catch and milk a "wild" cow
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...
(a semi-feral
A semi-feral animal lives predominantly in a feral state but has some contact and experience with humans. This may be because it was born in a domesticated state and then reverted to life in wild conditions, or it may be an animal that grew up in ...
animal that is not used to being milked by people, usually of a beef cattle
Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production (as distinguished from dairy cattle, used for milk production). The meat of mature or almost mature cattle is mostly known as beef.
In beef production there are three main stages: cow-calf operat ...
breed) in as short a time as possible. The competition dates back at least to the early 20th century, with competitions at the Cheyenne Frontier Days
Cheyenne Frontier Days is an outdoor rodeo and western celebration in the United States, held annually since 1897 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It bills itself as the "World's Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration." The event, claimed to be one of ...
rodeo photographed as far back as 1924.
Rules
Though the specifics can vary depending on the rodeo, the general rules for wild cow milking are:
* Each team commonly consists of two, three, or more individuals. Ranch rodeo teams usually have four members.
*Competitions may include cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...
s on horses. If so, one or two team members are on horseback; the others are on foot. Other events have all team members afoot.
*One individual (occasionally two), called the "mugger," is tasked with holding the animal's head. Another, the "milker," generally the fastest person on the team, attempts to milk the cow. Some teams have an "anchor man," whose primary duty is to hold onto the rope that restrains the cow.
*Some competitions place the cows in the bucking
Bucking is a movement performed by an animal in which it lowers its head and raises its hindquarters into the air while kicking out with the hind legs. It is most commonly seen in herbivores such as equines, cattle, deer, goats, and sheep. Most r ...
chutes and all teams compete at once. Each cow is already wearing a halter
A halter or headcollar is headgear that is used to lead or tie up livestock and, occasionally, other animals; it fits behind the ears (behind the poll), and around the muzzle. To handle the animal, usually a lead rope is attached. On smaller ...
with a long lead rope
A lead, lead line, lead rope (US) or head collar rope (UK), is used to lead an animal such as a horse. Usually, it is attached to a halter. The lead may be integral to the halter or, more often, separate. When separate, it is attached to t ...
, or a lasso
A lasso ( or ), also called lariat, riata, or reata (all from Castilian, la reata 're-tied rope'), is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the Spanish an ...
around its neck. A team member, usually the anchor man, is given the rope of their cow prior to the opening of the chutes.
*Other competitions require the contestants to rope their cow.
*Ranch rodeo competitions generally have only one or two teams compete at a time, and the timer starts when the cow crosses the steer roping
Steer roping, also known as steer tripping or steer jerking, is a rodeo event that features a steer and one mounted cowboy.
Technique
The steer roper starts behind a "barrier" - a taut rope fastened with an easily broken string which is fastened ...
line. Team members cannot cross the start line before the cow does without incurring a time penalty. A cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...
on horseback will try to rope the cow. If they miss once, the roper can try again; but there is a two-loop limit for roping attempts.
* Once the cow is roped, the team members on foot will try to hold the cow still so it can be milked. The rope must be taken off the saddle
The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not kno ...
horn before milking starts. Usually, the roper must also dismount, and is often the person who starts milking the cow.
* The cow is milked into a bottle; usually an empty soda bottle.
* One of the team members runs (on foot) with the bottle to the judge. The timer stops when they cross the line to reach the judge.
* The judge will verify that the task has been completed by pouring the milk out of the bottle. If no milk comes out of the bottle, the team is disqualified.
* There is a time limit, usually of two minutes; if the task is not completed within the time limit, the team is disqualified.
* The fastest time wins.
The sport is known for being unpredictable, and for being both entertaining (to the spectators) and dangerous (for the participants), with participants often getting trampled by the cow or tripped up by the rope.
References
{{Rodeo Rodeo-affiliated events