How Much Do You Know About Professional Bull Riding?

True, some people do not consider rodeo a sport. But saying that rodeo competitors "aren't really athletes" is an excellent way to make bull riders very annoyed.

That probably sounds very brief to a person attending his or her first rodeo. But you can imagine how long it feels to the rider!

These are the major organizations created solely to oversee professional bull riding events. There are other organizations devoted to rodeo sports in general, including the Professional Rodeo Championship Association.

This is where the phrase "out of the chute" comes from. "Right out of the chute" means "from the get-go" or "from the very beginning."

The officials wait for the rider to nod that he is ready before opening the chute. Of course, this shouldn't take a veteran rider very long.

This form of protective gear is increasingly accepted in bull riding. No amount of psychological toughness is going to protect a rider from head trauma.

The major organizations, like the PBR, have outlawed the use of cattle prods. But some smaller events still use it, citing the thickness of the bull's skin as a reason that it's not inhumane to do so.

Touching the bull, the bull rope, or himself will disqualify a rider. The hat coming off, on the other hand, happens all the time.

This is also said to justify the use of spurs. Spurring a bull isn't necessarily as harsh as it might seem, given the thickness of the hide.

Rodeo clowns often dress and paint their faces like circus clowns. They have a critical role in keeping the riders safe after they have been thrown or leapt clear.

The bull is scored on the vigor and violence with which he tries to throw the rider. So the maximum score of 100 is 50 points for the rider's skill and 50 points for the bull's difficulty.

A rope is tied around the bull just behind its shoulders. The rider holds onto this for stability.

It's a fallacy that the flank strap constricts the bull's genitals in a painful way. But it is close to the bull's hindquarters, and irritates the bull enough to make him buck.

Spurs aren't just used in bull riding. Cowboys also use them to add extra force when they dig their heels into a mount's side, which, in general, makes a horse speed up.

The rider keeps one hand up for the entire 8 seconds of the ride. The other holds onto the rope that circles the bull's upper body.

Chaps are like loose (but tough) "sleeves" over a rider's jeans. Motorcycle riders sometimes wear them as well, in case of road accidents.

This is for the simple reason that the CBR championship is held in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It's part of a larger event called Cheyenne Frontier Days.

You can watch professional bull riding on the Fox Sports Network. This should not be confused with just "Fox," usually found lower on the dial, which is mostly entertainment programming.

The Calgary Stampede is justly famous for its rodeo, among other outdoor events. It is held in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

This is relevant to bull riding because in earlier days, steers were used instead of bulls. They weren't as aggressive in the ring, but were much easier to transport from event to event.

You'd find a "short go" in an event with multiple rounds. The highest scorers compete in the short go, and the top scorer in that is the winner overall.

"Saddle bronc" or "bareback bronc" is the sport/art of riding a bucking horse. Horses, due to their size and build, don't have the same power to throw a rider as a bull -- nor, without horns, are they as dangerous to a rider who has been thrown.

The hat serves no real purpose. It's a nod to the way the sport had its origins among real working cowboys and ranchhands. More than one rider might feel half-dressed without it!

For a bull to twist in the air with two hooves or all four off the ground is called sunfishing. Bucking broncos can do this, too.

Lane Frost died at age 25 of injuries sustained in a ride. A movie was made about his life, with Luke Perry playing the lead.

Fun fact: the PBR recognizes a "World Champion Bull" as well as a champion rider. As of 2017, a bull named Sweet Pro's Bruiser held this title.

The maximum possible score is 100. If the rider is thrown off, the score is 0.

The Bascoms introduced Brahma bull riding to rodeo, at a time when steers were commonly used instead. Earl Bascom was also a well-known cowboy painter and sculptor.

The Hall of Fame only opened in 2016. Better known is the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, which is located in Colorado, but does not specifically honor bull riding.

Bull riding is largely popular in the Western Hemisphere, of which India is not a part. Beyond that, the Hindu religion views cattle as sacred, making bull riding an obvious nonstarter.

Brazil's PBR successes go almost back to the organization's inception in 1992. More recently, Brazilian Silvano Alves won the championship in 2011, 2012 and 2014.

There are Indian rodeos (and "First Nations" rodeos in Australia), gay rodeos, and juniors bull-riding circuits. Competitors from all these groups make their way into the professional circuit.

Murray did all these things. His then-wife, Jewel, was supposed to compete on DWTS with him (or rather, "against"), but had to withdraw because of an injury. Murray and Jewel later divorced.

Animal-rights activists object to the use of the flank strap and the cattle prod, used to "incentivize" the animal to greater aggression or speed. Rodeo supporters say that a bull in pain will turn listless and won't buck, and therefore the use of those tools is clearly not inhumane.

All bull riding events must have a veterinarian on hand to provide medical care for the bulls. This is in response to criticism that bulls are mistreated in rodeo.