Once a sport for people of a rural lifestyle, joining rodeo circuit is now open to anyone. To open the door, all you need is a competitive nature, a love of horses, and high excitement sports.

Joining rodeo circuit - where do I start?

Google is a pretty good place to start when it comes to finding rodeo associations. It's best to start small and meet locally. When you're starting out, you have to decide how far you're willing to travel to participate in events.

There's everything from local gymkhanas to national level events. Your association can help you find a circuit (a group of events) that fits your time limitations and budget. As you and your horse's skill grow, you'll probably find your circuit evolving with you.

As with all things, there is paperwork. First up, you'll need insurance. Rodeo is a tough sport with fast-paced, high-impact, events, where injuries can and do happen. Most rodeo associations have group policies that you get in on via your membership fees, but having your own on top of that is never a bad idea.

You have an association, you have insurance, you have lessons, and hopefully you'll have a horse. It's time to get out there and ride.

Love, live, learn and experience the wonder of joining rodeo circuit.