Sul Ross Rodeo Parade and Competition - Archives of the Big Bend Collection

Duration: 7:01

Year Published: 1940s

Sound: sound

Description: This footage captures the annual rodeo competition at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, either in 1948 or 1949. The film begins with a parade through downtown Alpine. The festivities then move to a nearby ranch, where students compete in various events, such as bareback bronco riding, calf roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. Established in 1949, the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, or NIRA, is the sanctioning body for college rodeo, representing thousands of student athletes across more than 100 participating institutions. Sul Ross State University hosts the annual Southwest Region competition. Its teams have also gone onto win nine national championships.