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There are several sports that tout themselves as "Extreme" but only one fits that description, that's bull riding! Most bull riders start when they are very young, around six or seven years old. They are "Mutton Busters", they ride sheep with a rope hand hold and a desire to be the next PBR star. A strong desire! Sheep are not the easiest animals for a young'un to ride, they come out of the chute fast and don't slow down, they don't buck much, but they do go fast. The next step to the PBR goal is to ride calves. The calf is rigged in the chute like a bull, they are rigged with a hand rope and a flank strap, that's the strap around the rear of the animal. The rider by this time, around nine or so, should also be rigged, that is he should be wearing a helmet and a protective vest. A calf usually will buck a little but they are mostly unpredictable. They may buck a little, a lot or none at all, they may just run. They rider will hang on for dear life and try to make six seconds, the length of a calf ride. After a few years of riding calves they move up to steers. The steers usually weigh about seven hundred to eight hundred pounds and are a lot harder to ride that anything that the youngster has ridden before. As the difficulty of the ride has increased also has the risk of being injured increased. After six or seven years of riding sheep and calves muscle strains and sprains and maybe a big bruise or two, maybe even a broken bone has occurred. Now with steers the riding is harder and the risk is greater. The helmet and the vest are very important for the safety of the rider and the best that the family can afford should be purchased.

One of the best ways to move up to bulls is through the National High School Rodeo Association. I can only speak for Texas but the Texas High School Rodeo Association is well organized and has many opportunities for the young bull rider to move up to bulls from good stock contractors and good judges and other arena personnel. Now they are close to the "Big Time". The bulls at this stage are in the 1000 to 1400 pound range. The bull in the chute is fully rigged with a properly rigged flank strap and the hand rope by this time has become second nature to pull and wrap with the help of a couple of fellow riders. The gate is opened and the bull is out and bucking hard and turning back and giving it's all and the rider is trying to hang on with his hand and grip with his legs and try to keep his balance with a heavy bull trying his hardest to buck him off. It eight seconds of explosion on the dirt!

If the aspiring rider has started with sheep at age six and has ridden for ten to twelve years he is pretty well committed to bull riding. The opportunity to ride in events sponsored by one of a multitude of bull riding associations and rodeo associations is available. A rider has the opportunity t win a little money and learn what being on the road is like he's also been banged up and maybe broke up. If he's on the road full time he sleeps in cheap motels or in his truck. He eats as cheaply as he can because he's got to buy gasoline or diesel for the truck he mostly lives in. If he is a good,solid rider and can pick the right "shows" and can "Make Eight" with high points for his rides, he may be able to go to the PBR.

Bull riders ride because they love what they do, it's in the blood and it is who they are. If they win money it's usually just enough to break even and they know it getting in to it. If they get hurt, that's just part of what they do and they accept the risk. They know that it is not "if they get hurt, it's when they get hurt." They important thing is that they have become and will remain Bullriders.

Learn more about this author, Mike Louviere.
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