Finally, a sport I understand! If you stay on the bull, you get points and can win; if you fall off, you lose (and get bruised). I was thrilled to have the chance to sit on a real live "Bramer" bull(which in the rest of the world is a Brahma bull). My new hobby ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) Did you know the hair on a Bramer's hump feels just like fine steel wool? A person can have a lot of fun in Texas!
Jane, You look great there, just don't drag him with your spurs. The ride won't last long. You only have to do it for 8 seconds (which in bull riding is a lifetime).
Spurs? I was busy petting him, telling him he was a good boy, and trying to make friends! If only they had let me bring him home with me . . . .
Nice pic... Wasn't he angry with all that "red" around??? Ok... but what happens after those long 8 seconds???
..............calinromania asked, "Ok... but what happens after those long 8 seconds???" Answer, Then you have to get off!
Cal, You also have to run like crazy to get to the side of the arena AND up and over the fence. There is a little incentive, too. The bull keeps chasing you until you are out of the arena. Hopefully the clowns and pick up rider are doing their jobs to rescue you or distract the bull. I don't think this is a sport I will participate in anytime soon. Jane you are the brave one here. I'm a chicken compared to you, I guess. No way, No how am I getting on a bull. Even for a picture unless maybe it was sedated
Cute photo! Cal, bulls are color blind so the red doesn't affect them. In the bull fighting arena it's the flapping of the cape that sets them off since those bulls are bred to be aggressive. In a bull riding event, it is the strap that is tied around their 'nether' region that makes them buck, it irritates them and they are trying to kick it off.
The strap around the bull that the rider hangs onto is just behind the bull's shoulders. There is a "suicide wrap" that the riders sometimes use that helps them stay on, or helps them get trampled when they fall off and their hand stays in the strap. There are "bad bulls" that just naturally hate humans sitting on them, and when they get them tossed off make sure that particular human never dares do it again! The "clowns" mentioned are the really brave ones in the arena. They have loose clothing so the bull can't tell which is shirt and which is person; they distract the bull from the fallen rider; and instead of 8 seconds, they are in the arena for the whole event. A rider faces three bulls, if he is lucky enough to ride his first two and go to the final round. The clowns face every bull that gets into the arena for all three rounds. They are very athletic in spite of having suffered multiple fractures of almost every bone. I'll gladly sit on a bull, but I'd never dare be a "clown."
Hehehe, yup. I kinda guessed most of these things... but there's something i never knew. The loose clothes. We don't have this "sport" over here but I've seen it a lot on TV.
many years ago one of my customer set up rodeos all over usa. I would see the bull run and ram head against barn walls. and bigger then my Jeep. And riders pratice-then go sit on pillow. And now you know -where term Bull Legged Cowboy came from.
