The principles of bull riding are quite simple. A rider mounts a bull gripping a leather rope, and after he fastens the rope the rider announces hes ready. The bucking chute (a small enclosement which opens at the front) is opened and the bull storms out. The following few seconds are vital, the rider must attempt to stay on the bull for as long as he can while only touching the bull with one hand. His other hand must remain free for the duration of the ride.

The bull, as a prey animal, is wary of having something on its back. Thinking it may be in danger, as if attacked by a lion or similar predator it runs about at high speed, bucking wildly. This process continues for a number of seconds until the rider loses his balance and falls off the animal or is simply thrown off the bulls back by the sheer force the animal exerts. Each bull is given an individual name, and around 75 bulls, each judged to be of good strength, health, agility and age are selected to perform.

The scoring system is also quite simplistic. As two athletes are involved in the game (the bull and the rider), each athlete is awarded points ranging from 0-50. Scores of zero are quite common as a lot of riders lose control of the animal almost immediately after the bull rages out of the bucking chute. However, many experienced professionals are able to gain scores of 75 or more. A score above 80 is considered excellent, and a score in the 90s exceptional.

It is believed that rodeo was born in 1864 when two groups of cowboys from neighboring ranches met in Deer Trail, Colo., to settle an argument over who was the best at performing everyday ranching tasks.

That gathering is considered to be the first rodeo and it started the evolution of the true American sport.

Through these daily chores, the sport of rodeo evolved. It can be said that rodeo is the only sport derived from an industry, and probably the only one that ever will.

Todays professional rodeo cowboy is a bit different from his 1800s predecessor, but the ideals and showmanship of long ago are still valued by todays competitors.

A cowboys standing in the rodeo community is still dependent on his skill with a rope or his ability to ride a bucking animal. The cowboy code still dictates that a man help his fellow competitors, even though they might be competing for the same paycheck.

And while some things have changed since those early days, most of the changes have been for the better.

Now the cowboy travels much of the time in custom-made rigs or flies from one rodeo to another either by commercial airline or charter plane.

Marketing and business acumen have become as crucial as roping, wrestling or riding skills. Cowboys are competing for more money then ever before.

Even if a PRCA member doesnt have the inclination to spend more than 200 days a year on the road in search of a berth in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – the sports Super Bowl – he can participate in rodeos close to home each year.

Many of these "weekend warriors and those chasing world titles take their wives and children along whenever possible; helping to keep the sport close to its family-oriented roots.

Rodeo
Calgary Stampede	Houston Livestock Show
NFR National Finals Rodeo	Pro Bull Riders Finals