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Bull riding is a dangerous, exciting sport in which a cowboy tries to hang onto a twisting, jumping, bucking bovine that can weigh almost 2,000 pounds. That's a solid ton of muscle and meanness, and the eight-second required riding time can seem like an eternity.

Some of the prizes and cash offered for the winners are amazing, so each bull rider does everything he can to outscore his opponents. Staying on the bull for eight seconds is just part of the equation. Riders are also judged on how they ride the beast, and the bull is scored on his performance, as well.

For a typical bull riding competition, there are two judges who view the bull and rider from different sides. Each judge gives the cowboy from 1-25 points, for a total of up to 50. The rider is rated on his style, his movement, and his rhythm. The cowboy must stay in perfect rhythm with the bull and make it obvious that he is anticipating the bull's next move in order to get a high score. Vigorous spurring of the animal and leg movements will also add some points. Chaps can help here. If the leather chaps are loose-fitting at the ends, they will enhance the appearance of the cowboy's movements, adding action to the spurring.

If the rider makes a brilliant ride but comes off the bull after 7.9 seconds, the resulting score is zero. If the cowboy touches the bull or himself with his free hand, he's disqualified, so he has to keep that arm high over his head for the entire ride. By moving the arm back and forth, the rider can get style points, especially if it's in rhythm with the bull. Full, loose-fitting sleeves with snug wristbands can enhance the movement of the cowboy's free arm.

The same two judges who score the rider also judge the bull. Like the cowboy, the bull receives up to 25 points per judge. The bull is judged on how difficult it is to ride. Taken into consideration are how hard and fast the bull bucks, how often in changes direction, and how many spins it makes. Kicking its hind legs, rolling, and dropping its front end will gain extra points. For this reason, the rider hopes he draws a good (or bad, as the case may be) bull. Usually, it's just the luck of the draw as to which cowboy gets which bull, but in a few rodeos, the cowboys get to choose their bulls. In professional rodeos, bulls and cowboys are matched randomly by computer and are posted a few days prior to the event.

Sometimes a good cowboy draws a bull that's easy to stay on but just doesn't buck much. No matter how well

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