Although bone-crunching tackles may be the norm for this time of the season, an even more dangerous sport is happening on campus – and it involves riding on the back of a bucking, 1,600-pound animal.

The ISU Rodeo Club-sponsored 44th annual Cyclone Stampede rodeo begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at the ISU Rodeo Arena, two miles south of campus on South State Avenue.

Club members are excited for the annual event to begin.

“I knew I wanted to be involved in the rodeo club before I even came to ISU,” said Chelsey Leisinger, senior in animal science and president of the ISU Rodeo Club.

Leading the 35-person group, Leisinger has been involved in horse riding, training and showing for the past 12 years.

The club hosts the Cowboy Ball in the spring and rents out its mechanical bull for various events.

The Cyclone Stampede brings in 270 contestants from the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. Iowa is part of the Great Plains division, which includes South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Fifteen schools will be represented at the event, where competitors will compete to earn points for the College National Rodeo in Bozeman, Mont., in June.

The events at the Cyclone Stampede include bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, breakaway roping, barrel racing and goat tying.

“Usually the audience loves the bull riding,” Leisinger said. “It’s the ultimate sport of human versus animal athlete.”

The bucking bulls for the event are provided by Double S Bulls Company of Sidney.

Double S owner Shad Smith rode bulls for 12 years, then decided to start up his own company to provide rodeo bulls. Red Wasp, the company’s feature bull, will be at the event. Smith hopes he will provide the bull riders with a formidable challenge.

For those who do saddle up, many consider rodeo to be one of the most fast-paced and dangerous sports in the world.

“Whenever you put horses, bulls and people in the same arena, there are going to be people in the air, upside-down – the whole works,” said Scott McClure, adviser for the ISU Rodeo Club for six years and associate professor of veterinary clinical sciences.

Although bull riding is the crowd favorite, it is not the only popular event at the rodeo. McClure enjoys watching saddle bronc, an event he used to compete in, which showcases an untamed horse trying to dislodge a rider from the saddle.

“It’s just like any other college sport – you get to witness young, upcoming talent,” McClure said. “You don’t know who the next upcoming star will be.”

While being an up-and-comer may have you risking life and limb, fans of rodeo events are drawn to the excitement – and don’t appear to be going away any time soon.

“It’s the most awesome sport on dirt,” said Amanda Eason, senior in animal science.

Although there are regulations for what contestants wear – hat, boots, long pants, collared long-sleeve shirt and vest – there is no official dress code for attendees.

However, Eason offers her own advice.

“If you’ve got a cowboy hat, sport it,” she said.