What is the Most Popular Event in Rodeo? Bull riding is widely considered the most popular and exciting event in rodeo because of its risk, unpredictability, and high adrenaline levels for both competitors and spectators. It is often reserved as the final event to maximize crowd excitement. Explore its thrilling rules, scoring, history and safety. Get statistics about its growing fan base and the psychology behind its appeal.
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The Unstoppable Rise of Bull Riding: More Than a Sport, It’s a Phenomenon
The popularity of bull riding is not just anecdotal. It is backed by impressive growth metrics and a powerful cultural moment. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) League, essentially the NFL of bull riding, has experienced a massive surge in interest.
- Explosive Growth: The PBR has seen a 23 percent increase in ticket sales between 2022 and 2023, with 38 events sold out and more than 1 million fans attending events in a single year.
- Mainstream Media Presence: In 2023, PBR events on CBS attracted 31 million viewers, leading to new media rights deals for expanded coverage.
- Cultural Zeitgeist: Bull riding is riding a wave of popularity in Western culture, fueled by phenomena like the hit TV series Yellowstone, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, and Western fashion trends, making the cowboy hat a symbol of cool rather than a regional novelty.
- Objective: A rider must attempt to remain on the back of a powerful bull for eight seconds, using a flat braided rope around the bull’s chest and holding it with only one hand.
- Scoring: The ride is judged out of a possible 100 points, with half the score coming from the rider’s effort and the other half from the difficulty of bucking the bull.
- Danger: Known as “the most dangerous eight seconds in sports,” it requires immense courage, balance, quick reflexes, and mental toughness.
- Popularity: Bull riding has become so popular that it has its own independent, major professional league, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), which holds its own world finals and attracts a significant global audience.
From Ranch Work to Global Stage: The History and Evolution of Bull Riding
Rodeo traces its roots to the informal competitions held in the 19th century between Spanish vaqueros and North American cowboys, who tested their skills after the round-up. Although early rodeos featured a mix of ranch-based events, bull riding always held a special place as the most dangerous and dramatic.
The modern era saw a revolution in 1992 with the formation of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). A group of bull riders broke away from the traditional rodeo circuit to form an organization dedicated solely to their sport, which allowed them to market it and develop it for mainstream audiences. This move has played a major role in making bull riding a standalone global sport, with events now held in large non-traditional markets such as New York’s Barclays Center, where more than 10,000 spectators gather to watch the spectacle of “dirt, leather, and cow dung.”
The Rulebook of Courage: Scoring, Rules, and Penalties
The basics of bull riding are easy to understand, which is a key factor in its wide appeal.
The 100-Point Scoring System
When a rider successfully completes an eight-second ride, they are awarded a score out of 100 points, which is decided as follows:
- 50 points for the rider: Based on control, rhythm, and style while accelerating and maintaining form against the bull’s power.
- 50 points for the bull: Based on the animal’s strength, speed, change of direction, and difficulty of riding. A high-scoring bull can help the rider achieve a higher overall score, as the animal is viewed as a “dancing partner” in the performance.
A score in the 90s is considered exceptional and often wins rounds at premier events.
Common Penalties and Disqualifications
- Slapping: If the rider slaps the bull or himself with his free hand, this results in a penalty, usually a deduction of points.
- Use of sharp devices: Any use of sharp devices to aid in catching is illegal and results in immediate disqualification.
- Failure to reach 8 seconds: The most common “penalty” is simply not blowing the whistle, which results in no score.
Safety in the Spotlight: Protecting Cowboys and Animal Welfare
The inherent danger of bull riding is undeniable. Riders routinely face the risk of serious injury from the 1,500- to 2,000-pound animals. The sport has developed comprehensive safety protocols to address these risks.
- Bullfighters: Formerly known as rodeo clowns, these highly trained athletes are dedicated to distracting the bull and distracting it from the fallen rider, preventing potential attacks and injuries.
- Protective gear: Modern riders wear protective vests, helmets, and mouthguards as standard equipment to minimize injury from impacts and kicks.
- Animal welfare: The sport faces scrutiny from animal rights advocates. In response, organizations like the PBR emphasize animal care, stating that bull injuries are rare, with a career-ending injury occurring about once every 5,000 rides. They note that only two bulls have been euthanized due to competition injuries since 2006. Bulls are valuable athletes, and their health is paramount to the sport.
Case Study: PBR’s Barclays Center Debut
In August 2025, the PBR opened at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, a testament to its growing appeal. The arena floor was covered in 750 tons of dirt, transforming a large urban venue into a rodeo ground. The event attracted both established fans and brand new ones, with one first-time attendee noting, “You don’t have to know anything about any of the bull riders… we were screaming the whole time.” This underscores the event’s accessibility and raw excitement.
Expert Opinion: The Psychology of the Spectator
Dr. Sherman Lee, a professor of psychology, explains that the tolerance of rodeo, unlike other animal-based entertainment, is tied to cultural identity. “If I’m going to go somewhere like SeaWorld, and they’re closed, that’s not part of my cultural identity… It’s not my profession,” Lee explains. Rodeo is difficult to fight because it’s so deeply rooted in people’s roots and history.
Philip Tedeschi, an expert on human-animal relations, added that normalization plays a role from childhood. When children are socialized through events like “mutton busting” and see riders “making a lot of money and being stars,” it reinforces a cultural identity by taming an animal.
Frequently Asked Questions for What is the Most Popular Event in Rodeo?
Q1: How long does a rider have to stay on the bull?
A: The rider must stay on for a full eight seconds for the ride to be scored.
Q2: What is a perfect score in bull riding?
A: A perfect score is 100 points, with 50 points coming from the rider’s performance and 50 points from the bull’s performance.
Q3: Are the bulls treated humanely?
A: Rodeo organizations say bulls are very valuable and receive exceptional care because they are essential to the sport. They claim that the injury rate for the animals is low and that these athletes are bred for booking.
Q4: What makes a bull “good” for riding?
A: A top-quality bucking bull is one that is powerful, athletic, and unpredictable. Their bucking is a natural behavior, and their performance is tracked statistically, with a “bovine champion” crowned each year.
Q5: Why is bull riding considered the most popular rodeo event?
A: It combines a simple goal with extreme danger and high stakes. The direct, visual confrontation between a lone shepherd and a powerful animal creates a dramatic, easily understood spectacle that resonates deeply with the audience.
The Undisputed Champion of the Chutes
Bull riding’s position as the most iconic event in rodeo is no accident. It’s the result of a perfect storm: a simple eight-second rule, a vivid and dramatic narrative of man versus beast, a deep connection to American cultural identity, and a modern business model that has successfully marketed its raw intensity to a global audience. As the sport continues to expand into new cities and capture the imagination of millions, the eight-second ride remains the ultimate test of courage, skill, and heart, ensuring its reign as king of the rodeo arena for years to come.
