Long before the first bull storms out of a chute or the first cowgirl races down the arena and around three barrels, Rudy Sena's family is hard at work preparing for the Rodeo de Galisteo.

Together with a couple of dozen friends, they've been putting together the popular old-fashioned rodeo for 37 years. It takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work. And at least one thing always seems to go wrong before the rodeo opens.

A day before Saturday's opening, Sena's daughter Audra Baca was standing in the hot sun near the main concession handling last-minute details and recounting the problems.

Grills set up. Check.

Arena dragged for softness. Check.

Tables wiped off. Check.

Port-a-potties installed. Check.

The guy with the bulls and broncos. Delayed.

The livestock contractor's brother had died, and the funeral had delayed his long drive from Blanco, N.M., to Galisteo.

"Amy and I try to use the same contractors, same judges, same everything," Baca said. "But it seems like little things come up every year. Most people are very patient when there's problems, and some things you just can't plan for."

At that moment, Audra Baca's sister Amy Rogers was stuck in Albuquerque with a flat tire, a ruined rim and the second generator needed at the rodeo grounds for power. The rodeo grounds lack both running water and electricity.

"We're used to it. We were raised out here without water and power," Baca said, pointing to a small wooden shack that served as her parents' original home on the property.

A contractor friend of the family loans them a water truck every year to haul water for livestock and to wet down the grounds for dust control.

Friends and family help out wherever they can. Members of the Cowboy Church that put on the Pecos Rodeo on July 4 showed up to assist. "My sister and I just say do this, do that, and everyone pitches in," Baca said with a smile.

The work begins at 6 a.m. or earlier both days of the rodeo. On the Friday before Saturday's opening, the work goes until 9 p.m.

Baca said the family spends every weekend after Memorial Day preparing the grounds for the rodeo. They fix boards, tighten fences, paint and clean up. "We all camp out and visit. It's a lot of fun," she said.

Every year since the Senas built the original arena 37 years ago, the family has added or upgraded at least one thing. It now sports three covered spectator bleachers and a permanent concession stand, among other improvements.

So far, this year's rodeo has escaped one challenge it had last year: Rain. "Last year it rained so much we were almost afraid we couldn't have the rodeo," Baca said. "Everything started out pristine. We had just finished dragging the arena, and as we put the tractor away the clouds rolled in. It dumped 2 inches. The arena was a lake."

A lot of competitors and spectators gave up and went home. But Baca's three daughters competed anyway. "I told them the arena was still good and this is what rodeo is all about," said Baca, who was the 1989 Rodeo de Santa Fe queen.

The Galisteo Rodeo grounds are so old West it's become a popular place to film ads like Marlboro, and movies like Did You Hear About the Morgans, due out in December.

Sena has played a cowboy extra in many films and videos over the years, so it seems natural the rodeo grounds his family built from scratch should end up in them as well.

The producers usually leave behind useful items. Morgans producers left colored lights strung along the spectator stands and some picnic tables. The Marlboro production left bright red flags around the arena. And one of the productions even left a horseshoe pit.

Rodeo action continues today at the Galisteo arena beginning at 1 p.m. with bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing and the thrilling rawhide race. In that event, one team member races a horse across the arena dragging a tanned cowhide past a second team member sitting on a barrel. The barrel sitter has to leap onto the flying rawhide and then hang on for dear life during the race back.

"We really want to remind people this is a truly Western event," Baca said. "We want it to be as traditional and old-style as possible."

Contact Staci Matlock at 986-3055 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com.

IF YOU GO

What: 37th annual Rodeo de Galisteo
When: 1 p.m. today
Where: Galisteo, 23 miles southeast of Santa Fe on N.M. 41.
Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for kids 4-10; 3 and under free