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Bronc Riding
Bronc riding is a competitive event in which a rider
tries to ride a
bucking horse for eight seconds. If the rider makes the eight
second time, he will receive a score for his riding skills and the horse will
receive a score for its bucking skills. The two scores are added together with
the highest total score being the winner. While bronc riding is competed in by
men far more commonly than women, there are women bronc riders. A brief overview
of some of the differences in the rules for men's and women's bronc riding can be
found at the end of this article.
Saddle Bronc Riding And Bareback Bronc Riding
In rodeo there are two types of bronc riding: Saddle bronc
riding and bareback bronc riding. In saddle bronc riding contestants compete
using a specially designed
bronc
riding saddle, and the bronc wears a halter with a
rein called a "hack rein" held by the contestant. In bareback bronc riding the
contestants ride the horse bareback instead of with a saddle and hold onto a
"bareback rigging," a special piece of equipment designed for the event.
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Above: Photo of a saddle bronc
riding saddle. |
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Above: Photo of a bareback bronc
riding rigging. |
Note: There is also a type of bronc riding known as ranch bronc riding. Ranch
bronc riding is associated with ranch rodeo, a type of rodeo where contestants
compete in teams from ranches instead of as individuals as in a "regular" rodeo.
We have more information about ranch bronc
riding here.
We have lots of pictures of saddle bronc
riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding, and more.
Scoring
If a bronc rider makes a qualified ride on a bronc for
eight seconds he and the bronc are eligible to receive a score from the judges.
There are two judges, and at the end of a qualified ride their scores are added
together to arrive at the total score. Each judge can score the bronc from 1–25 points
(for a total of 50 points possible for the bronc) and
the rider from 1–25 points (for a total of 50 points possible for the
rider). Therefore, the total number of points possible that can be awarded is
100.
Bronc Riding - The Difference Between Men And Women
The rules for
bronc riding for men and women are
different. Below is a brief overview of some of the differences.
- Men can compete in
saddle bronc riding and bareback bronc riding.
- Women compete in bareback bronc riding only.
- Men must make a qualified ride on a bronc for eight seconds before being
eligible for a score from the judges.
- Women must make a qualified ride on a bronc for six seconds before
being eligible for a score from the judges.
- Men are allowed to hold on with one hand only in the bareback rigging.
- Women are allowed to hold on with one hand or two hands (there are
one-handed and two-handed bareback riggings), but how a woman starts is how
she must finish. In other words, if a woman starts a ride with one hand
she must finish with the same one hand. If she starts the ride with two hands she
must finish with two hands.
- Men compete under the "mark out" rule. This means that in order to make
a qualified ride and be eligible for a score from the judges they must have
both spurs in front of and touching the break of the bronc's shoulders when
the horse leaves the chute, and both spurs must still be in that position
when the bronc's front feet hit the ground for the first time. This is
called "marking a horse out." If men fail to mark a horse out with one
or both feet they will receive a no score.
- Women also compete under the mark out rule. However, if a woman
fails to mark a horse out she will have five points for each side not
marked out deducted from her score instead of receiving a no score. You can see
more information on the mark out rule here.
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