Bull riding is a rodeo sport where a rider attempts to stay mounted on a bucking bull for a set duration, typically eight seconds, while the bull tries to dislodge them [1] [2]. This challenging sport is often referred to as "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports" due to its inherent risks [1].

According to www.iAsk.Ai - Ask AI:

The origins of bull riding can be traced back to ancient Minoan culture, with direct roots in Mexican equestrian and ranching contests known as charreada [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]. During the 18th century, Mexican bullfights included riding a bull until it stopped bucking, a practice vividly described by Jesuit priest Rafael Landivar in 1782 [1] [8]. Frances Erskine Inglis, 1st Marquise of Calderón de la Barca, also documented bull riding in Mexico in her 1843 book, "Life in Mexico" [1] [9]. By the mid-19th century, charreada competitions were popular on Texas and California cattle ranches, influencing American ranching culture [1] [6] [10]. The first Anglo-American organized bullfight and jaripeo competition in the Southwest is thought to have been staged by H. L. Kinney in 1852 [1] [6]. While bullfighting and prize fighting were banned in Texas in 1891, steer riding became a feature in Wild West Shows [1] [6]. The sport gained significant popularity when bulls replaced steers as the mount of choice, with the first known rodeo to use Brahma bulls occurring in Columbia, Mississippi, in 1935 [1] [11] [12].

A pivotal moment for modern bull riding was the founding of the Cowboys' Turtle Association (CTA) in 1936, which evolved into the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) in 1945 and eventually the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 1975 [1] [13]. In 1992, twenty rodeo bull riders formed the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) organization, which focuses solely on bull riding and has become the premier organization for the sport [1] [2] [14]. The PBR's major league tour, known as the Unleash the Beast Series since 2018, was previously the Bud Light Cup Series (1994-2002) and the Built Ford Tough Series (2003-2017) [1] [13] [15]. The PBR World Finals, the organization's championship event, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, for nearly 30 years and has been in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex since 2022 [1]. The 2025 PBR Camping World Team Series Championship is scheduled for Las Vegas in October [16].

Rules and Scoring

To receive a score, the rider must stay on the bull for eight seconds with one hand gripped on a bull rope [1] [2] [17]. Touching the bull or themselves with the free hand, or failing to reach the eight-second mark, results in a no-score ride [1] [17]. Scoring varies slightly between organizations like the PRCA and PBR, but generally, a perfect score is 100 points [1].

In the PRCA, a ride is scored from 0-100 points, with two judges scoring the bull's effort (0-25 points each) and two judges scoring the rider's performance (0-25 points each). The two scores are added for a total [1] [18] [19]. In the PBR, up to 50 points are awarded for the rider and 50 points for the bull. Four judges award up to 25 points each for the rider's performance, and four judges award up to 25 points each for the bull's effort. All scores are combined and then divided in half for the official score [1] [17]. Judges, who are often former bull riders, look for constant control and rhythm from the rider, deducting points for being off balance [1] [17]. For the bull, judges assess agility, power, speed, and bucking difficulty [1] [17]. Bulls that provide a harder ride generally receive more points [1] [17].

Riders may be offered a re-ride if the bull performs poorly, stumbles, or runs into a fence [1]. In some PBR elimination events, if both riders fail to reach eight seconds, the one who lasts longer advances [1].

Equipment

Bull riders use specialized equipment for both function and safety:

• Bull rope: A braided rope with a handle, tied behind the bull's forelegs. It has an adjustable knot and a tail often coated with rosin for grip. A bell is attached to the knot [1].
• Chaps: Typically made of leather, they provide protection for the rider's legs and thighs [1].
• Protective vest: Made of high-density foam covered with ballistic material like Spectra and then leather, it disperses shock to reduce injury [1]. The use of protective vests became mandatory for all contestants by 1996, inspired by Cody Lambert after the fatal injury of Lane Frost in 1989 [1].
• Glove: A leather glove is worn to prevent rope burn and is often rosined for additional grip [1].
• Boots: Cowboy boots with blunted and loosely locked spurs help the rider maintain balance and can be used to spur the bull for style points [1]. The spurs do not harm the bull due to its thick hide [1].
• Mouthguard: Optional at the professional level, many riders wear them [1].
• Headgear: While cowboy hats were traditional, protective headgear has become increasingly common. Charlie Sampson was an early adopter of a lacrosse helmet after a severe injury in 1983 [1]. By the early 2010s, bull riding-specific helmets were manufactured, and in 2013, the PBR mandated helmets for all contestants born on or after October 15, 1994 [1]. Research suggests helmets significantly reduce head and facial injuries [1] [20] [21]. Mandatory protective headgear, often ice hockey-style helmets, is required for competitors under 18 [1] [22].

Bulls also have equipment:

• Flank strap: A soft cotton rope tied around the bull's flank, just in front of the hind legs, to encourage bucking [1] [23]. It is not tied around the bull's testicles [1].

Animal Welfare

The use of flank straps, electric cattle prods, and spurs in bull riding is a subject of debate between animal rights organizations and enthusiasts [1]. Supporters argue that flank straps do not harm the bull and are anatomically impossible to place over the testicles, and that there's an economic incentive to keep valuable breeding bulls healthy [1]. While cattle prods were historically used to encourage bulls out of chutes, they are not allowed by major associations like the PBR [1] [24]. Modern rodeo rules strictly regulate spurs, requiring them to have non-fixed, unsharpened rowels, and they are considered a common tool in other equestrian disciplines [1] [24].

Global Reach

Bull riding is popular in many countries beyond the United States, including Canada, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand [1]. Many of these countries follow rules similar to the PBR [1].

In North America, riders often start in high school or junior rodeos before moving to college rodeo circuits or semi-professional associations like the Southern Extreme Bull Riding Association (SEBRA) or the Professional Championship Bull Riders Tour (PCB) [1] [25] [26]. Mexico has its own sanctioning body, La Federación Mexicana de Rodeo, and a prestigious stand-alone bull riding organization called Cuernos Chuecos [1].

Australia hosts approximately 200 rodeos and bushmen's carnivals annually, with bull riding as a featured event [1] [27]. Organizations like the Australian Bushmen's Campdraft & Rodeo Association (ABCRA) and the Australian Professional Bull Riders Association (APBA) govern the sport [1] [28]. New Zealand also has about 30 rodeos each summer that include bull riding [1] [29].

Professional bull riders can earn over $100,000 annually in organizations like the PBR or PRCA [1].

Answer Provided by iAsk.ai – Ask AI.