In 2005, U. of Oklahoma Press published a volume celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), showcasing a selection of the Museum's holdings. This volume follows in the footsteps of that earlier work but differs in that it focuses exclusively on the rodeo. The first part is an abundantly illustrated history describing the sport from the first recorded competition in 1869--which brought the skills and activities of American cowboys and their Spanish-Mexican antecedents into the arena--to its current status as a commercialized entertainment business. The second section is a portfolio featuring full-page photos of items from the Museum's collection including saddles, trophy plaques, other types of awards, costumes, and artwork. The book has been lovingly prepared and beautifully designed and is produced in an oversize format: 9.75x12". Rattenbury is curator of history at the Museum; photos are by Ed Muno. Eight-time world champion cowboy Larry Mahan provides a brief foreword. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)