A superstition is the belief that an ominous supernatural force has a powerful cause and effect relationship; even though there usually is not credible evidence of a linkage. Sports are full of superstitions, from athletes who perform a specific routine before every game to those who consider certain items to be lucky, or worse, unlucky. Rodeo is no different. There are numerous superstitions that the human athletes of the sport will unwaveringly perform before a rodeo. When your sport is known as the toughest sport on dirt, the more luck you have on your side, the better. Here, I will describe and try to explain some of the more common superstitions that surround the sport of rodeo, and the extremes the competitors will go to in order not to negatively tempt fate.
The first, and probably most well-known, superstition is that it is bad luck to put your hat on the bed, especially if it is done by someone else because the hat owner knows better. A hat on the bed could possibly lead to serious injury or death. This belief comes from the association of sleep with death, the eternal sleep, and the dangerous lifestyle of a rodeo contestant. The superstition is so powerful that the competitor may as well draw out, or drop out in layman's terms, of the rodeo that day because the cards are stacked against them. However, there are a few rituals that can be done to reverse the bad luck of the 'hat-on-the-bed.' The rituals vary depending on how much you believe in the superstition. It is sad that this can be reversed by spitting in the hat, throwing the hat on the ground to knock the bad luck out of it, or stomping the hat. Personally, I have known people to actually go buy a new hat and not wear the hat that was on the bed ever again.
It is unclear where the bill's unlucky reputation comes from, but legend has it that mobsters used to tuck $50 bills in the jacket pockets of victims they buried in the desert. Bugsy Siegel had three on him when he was snuffed out by the mob. The 50 dollar bill is designed with two main features to look for in avoiding counterfeit bills. Below are the features to look for when taking these bills. The fist thing to look for is the security strip. You can only see it when a light source is behind the bill. To view this, hold your bill up to a.
Staying with superstitions about the hat, it is another superstition that you should never rest your hat on any surface the same way it rests on your head. In other words, the hat should always be set down on its crown and not the brim. This superstition is said to hold any good luck in the hat, and it releases into the person wearing the hat when it is on their head. If the hat is laid down on its brim, the good luck in the hat is said to escape from the hat into thin air. This is also the correct way to lay a hat to keep it from losing its shape. The crown of the hat is more sturdy and less likely to bend; whereas, the brim of the hat is softer and more flexible and can become flattened and bent out of shape by resting it on flat surfaces.
There is no other article of a cowboy or cowgirl's attire that is more telling than their hat. People that truly live the Western lifestyle can look at someone's hat and know if they are a bull rider, rancher, or a stockbroker. The characteristics of a hat such as shape, material, wear, cleanliness, and color are details that are often used to judge what someone does, or sometimes used to judge the person wearing the hat. A hat's crown and brim can be shaped in a variety of styles by using a steamer. The creases in the crown are how people categorize the hat wearer. For instance, the bull rider style has a low-profile square-shaped crown, almost like a brick was placed on top, with the brim turned up in a 45-degree angle. The most popular shape of a hat is the cattleman's crease, which has a crease straight down the center of the crown with less prominent dent-like creases on each side of the main crease; the cattleman's crease is also the dressiest of the cowboy hat creases. Someone who does not live the Western lifestyle is more likely to wear the hat creased how it was purchased off the shelf. Thus, resulting in a generic looking hat. Even before they speak, a cowboy or cowgirl's hat tells a story about who they are.
A key component for success to most rodeo competitors is their horse, or horses. Most rodeo horses are treated like royalty; they have a strict schedule for feeding, getting new shoes on, getting their vitamins/medicines, and getting their veterinary check-ups, etc. Most rodeo competitors also have special magnetic blankets they put on their horses that keep them from getting sore after they run or when being hauled. There are also shipping boots that have magnets made into them that are beneficial to the horse's legs. Some competitors even put special gel-filled shoes on the horse's feet when traveling, or being stalled, that give the horses a sort of cushion to stand on; this reduces impact on the horse's joints and helps to prevent muscle soreness while travelling. So, with so much consideration taken to make sure the animal athletes are comfortable and taken care of, we see that the horse is vital to the human athlete. Therefore, there must be a superstition about the horse itself. Well, there is. It is said to be bad luck to change a horse's name. The name a horse has when you buy it is the name you are supposed to use, no matter if you like it or not. If a horse's name is changed, that will only result in bad luck.
Money can be the subject of rodeo superstition, as well. For instance, fifty-dollar bills are said to be unlucky. When a rodeo competitor receives a fifty-dollar bill, they will most likely not accept the bill and request that they be given change in different bills. It is also said to be bad luck for a competitor to carry change in their pocket when they compete in a rodeo. If they do, that is all they money that they will win. Unlike other professional athletes, professional rodeo contestants do not have a set salary. There is no paycheck unless it is won. Therefore, success is tied to winning.
Brian christopher gambler net worth. Colors can also be an issue with rodeo competitors. Well, actually one color, yellow. It is a rodeo superstition that it is bad luck to wear yellow in the arena during a performance. This superstition is said to have stemmed from the frontier days when someone who was considered to be a coward was referred to as 'yellow bellied.' No rodeo competitor wants to be considered a coward in the arena. How old to gamble in a casino. So, yellow clothing is off the table. Some people will go so far as to not buy anything yellow for their wardrobe, whether or not it is to be worn in the arena or just in everyday activities. On the other hand, some people in the rodeo world believe it to be good luck to wear mismatched socks. Generally, the mismatched sock superstition is limited to the cowgirls of rodeo.
Superstitious rodeo competitors believe it is good luck to find a feather. More specifically, it is good luck to find a feather inside the arena. The meaning behind this is that there are angels there to watch over them. The angels will drop a feather out of their wings to let the contestant know that they are there, and that the arena will be safe for that performance. Although it is good luck to find a feather in the arena, it's even considered good luck to find a feather anywhere on the rodeo grounds. Some rodeo contestants even have leather feathers they keep on their saddle as good luck tokens. Coinciding with the angel/feather superstition, it is also a rodeo superstition to always ride with a cross. Crosses can be in the form of jewelry, or as a decoration on the saddle, just like the feathers.
Rough stock events of the rodeo include: saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and bull riding. Competitors in these events are known as 'roughies'; roughies have superstitions all their own. For instance, saddle bronc riders believe it is good luck to mount their horse, then put their right foot in the stirrup first. After a particularly good ride, bronc riders will tie some hair from that horse's mane into his bronc rein. By doing this, the rider carries the good luck of that horse and ride on with him on his future rides. Some bull riders like to wear their spurs loose until right before they climb in the chute to get on the bull. Other bull riders like to put their protective vests on only right before they ride. Although these may only be rituals that are personal to certain riders, they are certain things that the riders do exactly the same every time, and technically following the same ritual exactly can be a superstition within itself.
It is also a well-known superstition to shave before a rodeo performance. This superstition started with the men of rodeo, but has spread to the female competitors, too. Shaving before a competition is said to increase your chances of winning because whoever does this is taking the time to look nice for lady luck. When a competitor has lady luck on their side, a trip to the pay window is in their future!
As strange as it may sound, there are superstitions about certain foods, too. Seriously superstitious competitors will not eat popcorn or peanuts while they are at a rodeo. This may sound strange, but it is because there is a high risk of choking while eating these snacks. Some people believe that if you eat these foods on the day of a competition, there is a good chance that you will 'choke' in the arena. Eating chicken on rodeo day is also a no-no. Even though it may be self-explanatory, the reason for not eating chicken is that it could possibly cause the contestant to be chicken when it comes time to perform. On the other hand, eating a hotdog on rodeo day is said to be good luck. As for the reason that hotdogs are good luck, no one can actually find a reason why, but the superstition has been passed along from generations before so the competitors continue eating hotdogs before their performances.
50.00 Dollar Bill
Rodeo, and the contestants themselves, are surrounded by superstitions, rituals, or simply habits. There are too many superstitions to list because each region of the country has different beliefs and traditions that have been passed down from generations before. The superstitions in this essay are some of the more common superstitions that are common knowledge among the different rodeo circles. Now, I will tell you a few of the superstitions that are not as well-known as the ones previously mentioned. It shouldn't come as a surprise that rodeo has a superstition about black cats. Black cats have been tied to bad luck for centuries, literally. Black cats have been connected to witches, and therefore are a symbol of evil spirits and bad omens. Rodeo contestants also find it to be bad luck to read their horoscope on the day of a rodeo. Reading the horoscope is tied to the tempting of luck that fate has already pre-destined for that competitor. One last superstition for rodeo contestants is that one should never kick a paper cup that has been thrown down on the arena grounds. Caesars casino fan page. Horses are easily spooked by things blowing around on the ground, and spooked horses can be dangerous, even deadly. So, most competitors will go out of their way to pick up any paper cups that may be on the ground and dispose of them properly.
Is A 50 Dollar Bill Bad Luck
Deep down, the rodeo athletes may know that these superstitions, or rituals, don't really affect their performance, but once the idea that these actions might affect their performance has gotten into their heads they choose to do them anyway, because there is little downside to it. It is more the fact of being in control of your actions and choosing whether or not to tempt fate.
