Cowboy U

The show has several weeks of contests (called "boot camp") to determine who will go to the final rodeo, and who will be going home. Recurring competitions throughout the series include the seven rings of fire, calf scrambling, cow dodging, firearm competitions, steer wrestling, driving a horse and wagon, buckboard wagon shooting, pig chasing, barrel racing, wild cow riding, bull riding, and various eating contests that (most recently) have included Rocky Mountain Oysters.

At the campfire, Rocco announces who has worked the hardest over the past few days and announces the reward. The winner gets a special reward, like a warm bubble bath, instead of the daily cold showers.

Once during each season, Rocco will show up at the bunkhouse and ask the contestants to decide who has done the least over the past few days. After they decide, the unlucky person has to do a special chore, like shoveling out horse barns.

Every few days at the campfire, someone who is just not getting the job done is eliminated. They say goodbye to the other contestants, get their stuff loaded on the back of a truck, and they leave the ranch. Only four of the contestants not eliminated get to participate in the rodeo and have a chance at winning all-around cowboy and walk away with a check for $25,000.

After boot camp, the city slickers go out on the trail for a two-day ride to gather cattle and bring them back to the ranch. Everyone works hard to escape the final elimination and make it to the next day's rodeo.

Rodeo day is finally here, and the city slickers will put all they've learned at Cowboy U to the test. They will compete in barrel racing, steer wrestling, wagon racing and shooting and bull riding. One person will be named the all-around cowboy and walk away with a check for $25,000.

There were ten contestants competing in Cowboy U Season 3.[2] The ten contestants were composed of five couples teams.