The sport of rodeo today arose out of the real life working practices of cattle ranching families in Spain, Mexico, and later in the United States, Canada, South America and Australia.
Early rodeo-like affairs of the 1820's and 1830's were informal events in the western United States and northern Mexico with cowboys and Vaqueros testing their work skills against one another.
Following the American Civil War, early rodeo competitions emerged with the first being held in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1872, but Prescott, Arizona claims the distinction of holding the first professional rodeo when it charged admission and awarded trophies in 1888. Between 1890 and 1910, rodeo became a public entertainment, sometimes combining Wild West Shows featuring individuals such as Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley, and other charismatic stars. By 1910, several major rodeos were established in western North America, including the Calgary Stampede, the Pendleton Round-Up, and the Cheyenne Frontier Days.