Bull Riding - The Longest 8 Seconds of Your Life

A 2000 pound bovine and 150 pound human seem like an unlikely duo. But when you're talking about some of the hardest working athletes in professional sports today, it's a match made in heaven. Bull riding is quickly becoming one of America's most popular sports, but it's much more complicated that it may appear on the surface.

Bull riding is a sport steeped in cowboy tradition. In times long past, cowboys engaged in activities at the end of a long, hard day working the range as a way to let off some steam, and show their superior skills. These tests of skill eventually grew into events attended by townspeople interested in watching these skillful masters ride the powerful bulls. Bull riding and other rodeo events continued to be well-attended, even as the 19^th century came to a close, and cowboys strove to keep their traditions alive. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) was formed in 1936, and has been the basis of all professional rodeo events, for nearly 100 years. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is a much younger organization, but draws cowboys from all over the world with it's large purses and tough competition.

Riding a bull is much more complicated than simply hopping on the back of a one ton behemoth and hoping you don't fall off. The bull rope is secured behind the bull's shoulder's, and the cowboy places his gloved hand inside a loop in the bull rope. The rope is tightened, and the cowboy wraps the excess length of rope around his hand, further locking himself onto the bull. The cowboy sits on the bull, the chute opens, and the bull explodes with massive force into the arena, where he will buck, spin, and turn in an effort to unseat the cowboy. The rider is required to stay mounted for 8 seconds in order to receive a score, and both the cowboy's skill and the bull's bucking ability receive a score. Both the cowboy and the bull must be true athletes in order to be competitive, and both halves of the event receive the best and most technologically advanced treatment in order to stay on top of the game.

Both the PRCA and the PBR offer huge prizes to attract the cowboys, and new champions are crowned at the end of a year of competition. These organizations are the most highly regarded in the world of bull riding, as they not only offer large purses, but have stringent safety rules that ensure the cowboys and the bulls are well-cared for, before, during and after a ride. Cowboys are required to wear safety vests while riding, due to a number of injuries, and the tragic death of Lane Frost while completing a ride. There are always trained medical professionals available for both the human and the bovine counterparts, and any injury or possible injury is attended to immediately. Bull riding is an inherently dangerous sport, but there are measures in place to make sure everyone comes out alive.

Fans pack stadiums, grandstands and event centers by the thousands to watch man take on beast in the contest known as bull riding. Some people may call it dangerous, some people may look down on it, but for the cowboy who is brave enough to climb aboard 200 pounds of muscle, it's the best adrenaline rush 8 seconds can buy.