Bull riding

Bull riding is an intense rodeo sport centered on a test of balance and strength.

A rider attempts to stay mounted on a bucking bull for a specific amount of time. The animal tries to throw the rider off by kicking, spinning, and twisting. This sport is famously described as "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports." It requires immense skill from both the human and the animal. The goal is to demonstrate control while the bull shows its power.

The mechanism of a professional ride follows a strict sequence of events.

First, the rider and bull are matched together. The rider sits in a bucking chute, which is a small enclosure. When the chute opens, the bull storms into the arena. The rider must grip a flat, braided rope with only one hand. They must keep their other hand free for the entire ride. If the rider touches the bull or themselves with that free hand, the ride receives no score. A buzzer sounds once the rider successfully reaches the eight-second mark.

Scoring is a complex process involving multiple judges.

In the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), a perfect score is 100 points. The scoring system is split between the athlete and the animal. Two judges award up to 25 points for the bull's effort, strength, and agility. Two other judges award up to 25 points for the rider's performance. These two scores are added together for a total. While a perfect 100 is possible, most professional riders score between the mid-70s and high 80s. Scores of zero are common if the rider falls early.

Competitions often use a multi-round format called "go-rounds."

These events usually span two or three nights. A rider typically gets to ride one bull each night. After the first or second go-round, the top 20 riders advance to a final round. This final round is known as the "short go" or the championship round. The rider with the highest total points from all rounds wins the event. If a bull falls or an interference occurs, a rider may ask for a "reride" on a different bull.

Bull riding has deep historical roots that trace back to ancient Minoan culture.

Its direct ancestors are the Mexican traditions known as charreada. These contests focused on ranching and equestrian skills. In 1782, the priest Rafael Landivar described riders using spears to manage bulls. By 1839, Frances Erskine Inglis wrote about the incredible skill of Mexican riders in her book, *Life in Mexico*. In the mid-19th century, these traditions moved to cattle ranches in Texas and California. H. L. Kinney staged what is considered the first organized Anglo-American bullfight in 1852.

As the sport evolved, it moved away from different types of blood sports.

In 1891, the Texas legislature banned certain types of bullfighting. During this time, Wild West Shows began using steers instead of bulls. Steers were easier to transport and handle than bulls. However, the sport changed again in the 1930s. In 1935, the first rodeo to use Brahma bulls was produced in Mississippi. This era helped transition bull riding back into the high-energy competitive sport seen today.

Today, bull riding is a global phenomenon with many professional organizations.

The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is a major governing body. The PBR has held its World Finals in Las Vegas for nearly 30 years. Since 2022, the event has moved to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The sport is also popular in many other nations, including Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Mexico. Each bull is a professional athlete too, identified by a unique name and a brand number. To ensure safety, the tips of the bulls' horns are often shaved and filed down.