Rules

Bull riding has become an extremely popular sport in America. It attracts the attention of many fans for a variety of reasons. It is tough, gritty, and dangerous and brings us back to a simpler time. The sport is rooted in history. It has all of the elements many fans are looking in a sport.

A bull rider certainly stands to profit from bull riding. However, it is a dangerous sport. It accounted for the majority of injuries when paired with other rodeo events. It is not difficult to imagine why there are numerous injuries. Riders are attempting to ride a powerful beast and the bull is not to happy to play along.

The rider is required to have one hand on and one hand off of the bull. The rider wears various pieces of equipment with safety in mind. When the rider mounts the bull, he attempts to get a good grip on a rope attached to the bull. The rider is required a wear a glove due to the force the bull will unleash once they start. When the rider signals that he is ready, the game is on!

Once the gates of the chute are opened, the bull immediately begins trying to get the rider off of his back. They jump, jerk, kick and gyrate in a furious attempt to remove the rider. While this is going on, the rider is trying to stay on the bull while keeping in mind he needs to earn points. Extra points are awarded for style and technique, but the rider must stay on for 8 seconds. If the rider is able to do so, the ride ends after 8 seconds. Points are not awarded for anything that happens after the 8 seconds. The rider is able to get off of the bull after the buzzer signifies the end of the ride.

Scores range from 0 to 100 points. The rider is scored on a 50 point scale and the bull is scored on a 50 point scale. Many times professional riders score anywhere from 75 to 85 points. A 90 is considered well above average. However, even professional riders sometimes earn a zero. This is due to them having to stay on for a minimum of 8 seconds.