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Bull riding is one of rodeo’s most dangerous and thrilling events, demanding extreme physical strength, sharp mental focus, and pure courage. Like bareback and saddle bronc riders, bull riders may use only one hand to stay aboard for the full eight-second ride. If the rider touches the bull or himself with his free hand, he earns no score. Unlike other roughstock events, however, bull riders are not required to mark out their animals.
While spurring can boost a rider’s score, success in bull riding is judged primarily on the cowboy’s ability to stay on the powerful, twisting bull for the entire eight seconds. A great ride can score in the 90s, and only once in PRCA history has a perfect 100-point ride been recorded.
Scoring works just like in other roughstock events: two judges award up to 25 points each for the rider’s performance and 25 points each for the bull’s performance, with a combined maximum of 100 points representing a flawless ride.
To ride, competitors use a bull rope and rosin. The bull rope — a thickly braided rope with a cowbell attached — wraps around the bull and the rider’s hand. The cowbell acts as a weight to release the rope when the ride ends. The rosin, a sticky substance, helps the rider maintain a solid grip during the intense struggle between man and beast.
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385 Mendenhall Lane
Benton, Pa. 17814
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