Professional Championship Bull Riding – 630-386-5373 for tickets and information – Bull Riding Tour

Welcome to Professional Championship Bull Riders – we are the home of the nation’s premier Bull Riding Tour. Come and see the toughest cowboys take on the biggest bulls in a challenge of strength and resilience. The PCB Bull Riding Tour showcases the top rodeo athletes from all around the country as they compete for the winning ride!

Bull Riding Tour

Experience the action November 2 and 3 when the PCB Bull Riding Tour will appear at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Purchase tickets now and join us for a celebration of the original extreme sport!

Bull riding is among the most recognized and exciting rodeo events where riders compete to maintain their balance on a bucking bull for a particular amount time – usually eight seconds. Viewed as probably the most dangerous of the rodeo sports, competing on the Bull Riding Tour calls for flexibility, balance, coordination and a lot courage to compete.

Bull Riding Tour – Scoring and Technique

In a bull riding event, contestants try to ride a bull for eight seconds while gripping a braided rope usually made from nylon that’s wrapped around the bull’s chest. A weighted cow bell that is connected to the rope pulls it free after the ride is over. With no stirrups, bridle or a saddle is use, the rider’s grip arm must absorb the major force of the bull’s bucking, twisting and jumping. Riders will typically wrap a section of the rope around their hand and wrist and sits with arms bent until the bull is released and leaps out of the chute. Riders are not required to spur, although spurring may result in a better score. A rider is disqualified if his free hand contacts the rider’s body, equipment or the bull, or if he’s thrown off the bull before the eight second whistle blows. Riders are scored on their skill and technique and the bulls are scored on difficulty. These two scores are then combined and the rider with the highest total points is declared as the winner.

Riders and bulls are typically matched up at random before the competition starts. However, there are some cases where ranked competitors on the Bull Riding Tour are permitted to select a bull to ride. After mounting the bull, the rider grips the flat braided rope and – once secured – signals that he is ready and the ride begins. Arenas are generally safeguarded by six or seven foot high fencing to protect spectators from the bucking bulls.

Bull Riding Tour – The Equipment

On the Bull Riding Tour, cowboys use equipment that helps them avoid injuries and stay safe, while protecting the bulls from injury too:

Bull Rope − Considered as the key piece of equipment in Bull Riding, the bull rope is usually tied around the bull’s midsection just behind its front legs. It is typically manufactured from Nylon, grass and other materials. A handle is braided at the center of the bull rope which is stiffened by leather.

One side of the rope that’s tied to the bull is tied with an adjustable knot to allow for adjustments according to the bull’s size. The other side of the rope usually is flat braided and coated with rosin to keep it from slipping through and burning the rider’s hand.

The handle is partly made of leather and is the only support the rider has during a ride. A cow bell is attached to the knot which permits the rope to fall off the bull after the rider dismounts.

Chaps – Aside from cowboy hats, chaps are probably the most recognized part of bull rider’s gear. Chaps are made mostly of leather and will often display a sponsor’s name. Regardless of how may look chaps are an essential part of the rider’s safety gear and provides valuable protection for a rider’s thighs and lower legs against the animals hooves and horns.

Gloves – On the PCB Bull Riding Tour, riders generally use just one glove on their grip hand for protection during a ride. These gloves are usually made of leather and are useful for preventing rope burns. The gloves also help the riders get a better grip.

Cowboy hats or helmets – Often the flashiest part of a bull rider’s equipment is the iconic cowboy hat. It’s used mainly to give protection against head injuries. For extra protection, some riders choose to wear helmets and a protective mask too. Some Bull Riding Tour contestants prefer cowboy hats over a helmet because the helmet may affect their balance during the bull ride.

Boots – Many cowboy boots are designed specifically for bull riding, featuring spurs that help maintain balance.

Protective vests − Vests worn by the bull riders safeguards against blows to the body and torso from the bucking bull’s hooves and horns.

Flank strap – this is basically a rope that’s tied to the bull’s flanks. It is mostly used for encouraging the bull to use its back legs during a ride. Tying the flank strap allows the animals to buck more without risk of injury. If the flank strap is tied incorrectly, a bull rider can request another ride if the bull doesn’t buck sufficiently.

The Colorful History of Bull Riding

Bull riding’s origins go back to competitions of ranch and horsemanship abilities that were developed on the haciendas of Mexico. Bull Riding Tour was initially a version of bull fighting where the riders would ride the bull until it collapsed. It later transformed into a rodeo event where the rider simply rode the bull until it grew tired and stopped kicking and bucking. By the middle 1800s, charreada-style competitions gained popularity in the Southwestern U.S., especially in Texas and California. By 1852, the Lone Star Fair was held in Texas, becoming the first-ever organized event in that region to host charreada-style bull fighting. Bull Riding was also featured and drew attention from news outlets as far away as New Orleans. During this time period, Wild West shows started to feature steer riding in their acts because as steers are easier to manage than bulls.

Though bull riding was certainly a successful exhibition event, it still didn’t have a uniform set of standardized rules. However, that changed in 1936 with the founding of the Cowboy’s Turtle Association. The group was established after cowboys of the era rebelled against a promoter’s treatment of cowboys during a rodeo. Among the protesting cowboys was Dick Griffith, who won four-consecutive Bull Riding Tour championships. This organization helped boost the popularity and public awareness of rodeo and bull riding. In 1945, the name was changed to the Rodeo Cowboy’s Association, and then later became the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association in 1975.

Another pivotal year in the evolution of Bull Riding Tour was in 1992, when bull riders separated their sport from the conventional rodeo scene and founded their own organization and governing body.

About PCB – Bull Riding Tour

PCB is all about presenting the best in western lifestyle events. We feature the best cowboys and cowgirls as they battle with 2,000 pound bucking bulls for top prize money. Our Bull Riding Tour organization is truly one-of-a-kind – our mission is to present outstanding, affordable entertainment for fans of bull riding and barrel racing in an exciting environment suitable for all ages.