That sounds like an infinitesimal amount of time-even the most elite Olympic sprinters can't cover 100 meters in less than nine seconds-but those eight seconds stretch out when the animal can jump and spin at such a rapid clip, creating a distinct frame of time fraught with drama as the man and animal strive to outperform each other.Įzekiel Mitchell is unmistakable in his signature all-blue leather vest and chaps.

In order to register a score, the rider must stay on the bull for eight seconds. At the rider's signal, the gate is opened and the bull is set loose, leaping and spinning in an attempt to dislodge the man on its back.įor their part, the rider must stay on the bull’s back without using their off-arm to touch the creature to steady themselves, holding the appendage extended out to the side for balance. Each ride begins in a narrow gated steel chute, where the rider mounts the bull and straps in using a bull rope, a length of braided rope with a leather handle that they’ll grip to keep their purchase on the animal’s back. These bulls are world-class athletes too, of a sort they’re specially bred and trained to buck, and given similar resources and care a high-level pro baller might spend on their body. That means these athletes approach their training and physical preparation differently, especially given the unique demands and structure of the sport.įor those uninitiated, it’s not enough that the bulls are generally displeased with the human inclination to mount the backs of big four-legged creatures. All of the rider's focus is on the 1,500-plus-pound horned animal they’re tasked with riding. They match up against each other in rankings, to be sure-but the real contest that plays out on the dirt of a PBR arena isn’t against another person. Pro bull riders, however, face a different challenge. These rivals might take different approaches to their sports and their training, but when it comes time to play, there’s not much separating the people on the field striving for victory. Most athletes match up against opponents who aren't much different themselves, whether they play team games like football or compete in individual disciplines like boxing.

Raising bulls for bull riding