Rodeos, like so many other events have evolved over the years. For instance, in this region, during the late 1800s, they usually occured in late spring to round up livestock that were allowed to graze freely during the winter months.
In May 1874, Sylvester Daniels arrived in the Honey Lake Valley from Iowa, to spend time with his sister, Polly Parks and her family, to see if the change of climate would be beneficial to him.
Daniels kept numerous descriptive journals during his stay. When one journal was finished, he would send it back to his family in Iowa to provide them with insight of what life was like on this new frontier.
On June 18, 1874, Daniels wrote: “Jerry Leaky came here and stayed last night. He is herding stock on the other side of the valley. It seems they have a great time every spring, Rodeoing, they call it. A lot of men having stock out together, camp out, sometimes as many as 150 men. They go around from one to place another and have all the stock gathered together that are in reach. Separate each man’s stock from the rest, get them in the yard (or corral as they call every place that they yard cattle or horses). They mark all of the calves, colts and stock that has changed owners. They have their Buccaroes, men with the Lasso to catch and hold the stock while they operate with hot irons. I should like to go and see the thing done, then I could tell more about it.”