Welcome to the most exciting eight seconds in the bull riding sporting world! Professional Championship Bull Riders and Professional Championship Barrel Racers presents thrilling competitions like no other! Come and experience the nation’s fastest growing extreme sport – featuring the best cowboys and cowgirls from all across the country vying for prize money on the biggest, toughest bucking bulls around!

Bull Riding

Professional Championship Bull Riding is a form of entertainment for all ages that is simply one of a kind: great athletes, amazing animals and a high energy atmosphere featuring great music and attractions. Established in 2005, Professional Championship Bull Riders presents action-packed events at major venues throughout Chicagoland and the nation. Our goal is to showcase the best in Bull Riding for extreme sports fans everywhere!

Check back here with us often to stay updated on new PCB events!

If you are a newcomer to Professional Championship Bull Riders, here’s a few quick fun facts about the most thrilling eight seconds in sports!

*To complete an official, qualified ride, the competitor must remain on the bull for eight seconds. The clock stops the moment the rider’s hand comes out of the rope, when the rider contacts the ground, or when the rider’s free arm makes contact with the bull.
*The bulls are competing for scores too – not just the riders! The bulls are awarded points based upon how difficult they are to ride. This applies even if the rider is bucked off.
*Rodeo clowns are a big part of the overall entertainment factor in Bull Riding. But they also play a very essential role out there in the arena: it’s their job is to protect the bull riders from getting trampled and suffering an injury.
*The bulls that compete in Professional Bull Riding events are very well cared for – they are only permitted to travel a maximum of ten hours each day, and are rested for at least 12 hours before they can travel again.
*One of the meanest, hardest bucking bulls to ever be ridden was named Red Rock. The massive bull, who threw over 300 riders while he was competing in the 1980s, was never successfully ridden for a full eight seconds! Famous Bull Riding champ Lane Frost finally remained on top of Red Rock for eight seconds, but not until after the bull had retired from fulltime competition.

The Bull’s Equipment

A rope made of soft cotton, known as a flank strap, is simply tied around the animal’s flank – which is the animal’s midsection toward the rear. The purpose of the flank strap is to motivate the bull into using its back legs in a bucking motion, which results in a real test of the rider’s ability to maintain the ride. If in the event the flank strap is not applied properly, the rider has the option to request another ride because the bull’s bucking motion won’t be at full capacity if the strap is too loose or too tight. The flank strap is normally put on the bull by an event official or associate.

Bull Riding – In the Arena

Arenas used for professional Bull Riding can differ sometimes in size and shape. Some arenas are specific to rodeo sports and only for related events. Other arenas are more general event locations that serve as host to other sports as well. Typically common to all the Bull Riding arenas used is a large area that allows the bulls and bull riders sufficient room to operate. The area is usually about six to seven feet high to safeguard the audience. There are usually exits located at each corner of the arena to allow a way for the riders to move out of the way swiftly. Riders may also hop onto the fencing to avoid hazards. One end of the arena is where the bucking chutes are found – which is where the bulls are released. There’s also another designated chute where the animals exit.

Bull Riding Gear

Bull Riding involves the use of some key equipment to maximize the ride while also keeping riders safe to avoid injury to themselves and the animals. The main piece of equipment used is, naturally, the bull rope, which is a braided rope made from polypropylene and grass. A sturdy handle is braided right into the rope’s center. On one side of the rope, there’s a knot that can be adjusted to accommodate the size of the bull. The other side of the rope is typically a flattened braid that’s coated with rosin to prevent it from sliding through the rider’s grip. Lastly, a metallic bell is attached to the knot directly under the bull – which fans can hear clanking during the ride. Along with the sound the bell makes, it also adds some weight to the rope, permitting it to fall off after the rider gets off the bull. Chaps are probably the most recognizable item the bull riders wear, with their unique coloring adding some classic western style to the event. Bull Riding chaps are usually made from leather and serve to protect the rider’s legs during the ride.
Protective vests are another important piece of safety equipment in Bull Riding. Most riders wear vests made out of a tough, impact-resistant foam that helps to disperse the shocks and jolts dished out by the bulls, which is critical to reducing pain and risk of injuries.

Leather gloves are essential for prevention of rope burns. The glove has to be well-secured to the rider’s hand because the bulls exert so much force the glove could easily be pulled off during the ride. Riders often apply rosin to their glove to allow for extra grip. Of course, boots and spurs are also a big part of the rider’s competitive gear. The spurs help keep the rider on balance, and can be used to encourage the animal into bucking during the ride, which can help win more points. Note that the bulls are not harmed by the spurs – their hides are very tough! Of course, cowboy hats are worn by many riders, while others can choose to wear protective helmets for extra safety.

Bull Riding – A Colorful History

The riding of bulls has historical roots in competitions dating as long ago as the ancient Minoan cultures. Bull Riding also has significant roots in Mexican horse and ranching contests. During the 1500s, a contest developed that was originally viewed as a version of bull fighting, where riders actually rode a bull until it collapsed. The competition changed into a form where the bull was only ridden until it ceased bucking. By the 1800s, these competitions became more and more popular in the Texas and California cattle communities.

Many early members of the Texas rangers, who were required to be knowledgeable horsemen, learned some of the techniques applied in Bull Riding competitions. In fact, it was a former Texas ranger named H. L. Kinney who researchers believe may have hosted one of the first organized bullfights and riding contests in the southwestern U.S. in 1852. Around that same era, Wild West Shows started to add steer riding to their events. Additionally, rodeos emerged as tournaments between neighboring ranches in the American West. Although the site of the first official rodeo is uncertain, early rodeos were held in Colorado and Wyoming.

Come join us at our next Bull Riding event – it’s great entertainment at low pricing!