The horse was always a part of sporting events and competition. A horse race could occur anytime two or more horses were mounted. 
Chariot racing was popular in the ancient Greek Olympics from about 500BC to 400AD.The oldest stick and ball game became polo. Jousting, fox hunting, and horse racing all go back to Medieval Europe. In America horse racing became popular since the beginning of colonization. The passion for a good horse race carried over from the old world. The terrain was more rugged and timbered than Europe so it was difficult to race long distances in open fields. The races were typically shorter around more obstacles than the racetracks of Europe. This led to the development of a different breed of horse. The Americans needed a more versatile horse, which could turn sharper and accelerate more quickly. The Americans crossed the warm-blooded English thoroughbreds with their own strong Spanish breeds, which came to the continent with Cortez in the 16th century. These native horses were of Andalusian, Barb, or perhaps Arab origin. This cross between thoroughbred and native horse became the American Quarter Horse, known for its speed in the quarter mile and inherent cow sense. The Quarter Horse became the foundation for the American Performance horse. When crossed with the Appaloosa of the Nez Perce Indians of the Northwest, became the American Paint horse.
Later the Performance horse became the rodeo horse, hunter-jumper, reined cow horse and the western pleasure horse. Breeding became more specialized as each field evolved a list of favorite pedigrees for their particular performance horses. Ultimately the performance horse became the workhorse, the rodeo horse, and the competition horse.
The Rodeo horse flourished as the Wild West shows of the 1890s became the rodeo of the 20th century. Rodeos took place around the 4th of July. The cowboys would assemble to test their skills at riding rank horses, roping, racing, and trick riding.
In 1882, “Buffalo Bill Cody,” started his first Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska. His show featured trick riding, bronk-riding, roping, and re-enactments of the old west.
These Wild West shows became very popular, but faded after 1910, as they began to be replaced with the movie, yet the cowboy skills endured; Rodeo became hugely popular as a particularly American sport. Calf and steer roping events enabled cowboys to test their skills against neighboring ranches and at community rodeos. Roping became the tool of the cowboy to vaccinate or doctor a side cow or calf.
