Pole bending is a

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...

timed event that features a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...

and one mounted rider, running a weaving or serpentine path around six poles arranged in a line. This event is usually seen in

youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood (Maturity (psychological), maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as bei ...

and

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

rodeos,

4-H 4-H is a U.S.-based network of youth organizations whose mission is "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development". Its name is a reference to the occurrence of the initial letter H four times ...

events,

American Quarter Horse Association The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), based in Amarillo, Texas, United States, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse. The association sanctions many ...

Paint Paint is a material or mixture that, when applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer. As art, this is used to create an image or images known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are ...

and

Appaloosa The Appaloosa is an American horse breed best known for its colorful spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's co ...

sanctioned shows, as well as in many

gymkhana Gymkhana () (, , , , ) is a British Raj term which originally referred to a place of assembly. The meaning then altered to denote a place where skill-based contests were held. "Gymkhana" is an Anglo-Indian expression, which is derived from the ...

or O-Mok-See events.

Nez Perce Stake Race

The Nez Perce Stake Race is a type of pole bending race which is also a

match race A match race is a race between two competitors, going head-to-head. In sailboat racing it is differentiated from a fleet race, which almost always involves three or more competitors competing against each other, and team racing where teams cons ...

: two horses race on identical courses laid out side-by-side, with the loser eliminated and the winner moving up the brackets to race the other winners. It is not a timed event. It is one of five game classes approved for horse club shows by the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC). The ApHC rules state that racing competition is traditional to the

Nez Perce The Nez Perce (; autonym in Nez Perce language: , meaning 'we, the people') are an Indigenous people of the Plateau who still live on a fraction of the lands on the southeastern Columbia River Plateau in the Pacific Northwest. This region h ...

Native American people.ApHC rulebook, rule 730, and "History", p. 11
/ref> However, it is unclear if this particular competition is derived from any traditional competition.

References

External links

Pole Bending Event Information
From Pro Rodeo Online * National Pole Bending Association (2009). Retrieved from http://www.polebending.org. * Smith, Ken. (2009, July 15). Ken and Pat Smith, Sunrise West Quarter Horses, LLC. Retrieved from http://www.sunrisewest.com/help.html
National Little Britches Rodeo AssociationNational High School Rodeo Association
{{Rodeo Western-style riding Rodeo-affiliated events Mounted games de:Westernreiten#Pole Bending