Bull Riding Rules -
BR-1 Drawing roughstock at events - bucking stock must be drawn with at least one judge and/or staff member present.
BR-2 Short Go Round Stock Draw - The highest score will draw short round bull first, followed in order by the next highest placing contestants.
BR-3 Draw Back Procedure for Short Go Round - If not enough qualified rides for the short round the Judges can either call back the rider with the longest time in the long round or draw from all long round contestants.
BR-4 Bull Ride Scoring Procedure - The rider and the bull are to be scored separately. The contestant will be scored according to the degree of control exhibited over the roughstock and the bull will be scored based on the quality of the trip. Maximum score allowed is 100 total points, allowing up to 50 points for the rider and 50 points for the bull.
BR-5 Timer - Timers an/or judges stop watches are to start when any major portion of the bull breaks the plane of the bucking chute. Each ride will be timed for up to 8 seconds, or will be stopped earlier if the rider loses control and bucks off of the roughstock.
BR-6 Judges Official Scores - Judges will submit to the event secretary their scores for each ride for that performance immediately following the completion of the performance. The scores will be termed official scores when posted and/or verified by the judges and may not be changed once submitted.
BR-7 Riding Requirements - Riding must be done with one hand and loose rope, with or without hand- hold.
BR-8 Knots or Hitches - No knots or hitches to prevent the rope from falling off the bull when the contestant leaves the bull will be used.
BR-9 Bell - The rope must have a bell and must be under the belly of the bull when the contestant leaves the chute entering the arena.
BR-10 Hooking Bull Ropes or Loops with Spurs or Rowels - Hooking bull ropes or loops with spurs or rowels will result in disqualification of the ride.
BR-11 Requirements of Scoring - A contestant will receive a score if he makes a qualified ride with any part of the rope in the riding hand.
BR-12 Sharp Spurs will not be allowed in respect to the condition and care of the roughstock. - Contestants may be disqualified if sharp spurs are worn.
BR-13 Pulling Contestants Rope - No more than two (2) persons may be used to pull the contestants rope at any point.
BR-14 Disqualification of Rider - Any of the following shall disqualify a rider:
A. Being bucked off during the actual ride process
B. Touching bull, equipment, or part of own body with free hand
C. Hooking spurs by intentionally leaving the chute with equipment hooked or placed loops in the bull rope and/or placing spurs or chaps under the rope when rope is being tightened.
D. Not having a bell on bull rope.
E. When a rider has been informed that he is next to come out and is not above the bull with his glove on when previous bull leaves the arena.
F. Excessive time in bucking chute - Riders taking too long in chute before calling for bull can be disqualified at the judges discretion (Riders have a 1 minute time limit after bull is standing properly) This will be determined by both judges. Judges have the authority to
disqualify rider as well, at judge’s discretion.
BR-15 All bull riders are required to wear a protective vest.
BR-16 At no point are bull tails ever allowed to be placed under flanks
BR-17 Short Round & (2) Two Head Event Riding Requirement - When an event has a short round or is a two header the rider is required to make an honest attempt on the second bull to be eligible for the average payoff. The honest attempt will be at the Judge’s discretion.
BR-18 RE-RIDES
A. Re-rides - Event Producers / Stock Contractors have the option to use the re-rides as they see fit.
(Example- The first turn out bull may be used or they can go to the set re-ride pen. This should be pre-determined by the Judges, Producer and Stock Contractor before the events begins.)
B. Judge Shall Inform Contestant of His Options - If a re-ride is given, judge shall inform contestant of his score and an option of a re-ride. Contestant may refuse the re-ride and take the score. Contestant must notify judge immediately of his decision to accept or reject the option upon learning which bull would be used as a re-ride and the time of the re-ride. If the rider accepts the re-ride, the judge must clearly mark RR or Option on the judge sheet.
C. Discretion of Judge - Re-rides will be given at the discretion of a judge. Reasons for possible re- rides include the following: if a bull stops or fouls rider, stock contractor's equipment fails, performance of a bull is inferior. No re-ride will be given if contestants own equipment breaks.
D. Options of Contestant - If a contestant is granted a re-ride, he may take the same bull for a re- ride, provided the stock contractor is willing and a mutual agreeable time can be arranged. If a contestant opts to accept the re-ride on the same bull, he must take the markings for the re-ride, unless there is a foul or the stock contractor's equipment fail on the re-ride.
E. Inferior Bull Performance - If a bull's performance is inferior and that bull is already drawn for a contestant, that contestant must qualify on that bull before re-ride may be given. If, in the opinion of the stock contractor and judges, that bull needs to be taken out of the draw, the contestant who had him drawn will be given the designated re-ride.
F. Chute Fighting Bull - If, in the opinion of the judges, a rider makes three honest efforts on a chute fighting bull and is unable to do so, he may have a re-ride.
G. Bull Riders knocked off at the Chute, Fence, or Bull Falls - Riders who are knocked off at the chute, who are fouled or whose bull falls will be entitled to a re-ride at the discretion of the judges.
H. Flank Strap comes off the Bull - A bull rider may have the option of a re-ride, or of accepting a marking, if flank comes off the bull, providing a contestant has qualified up to the point of the flank coming off. The re-ride may be given on the same bull, if the stock contractor is willing, or a re-ride bull, is so requested by the contestant.
I. Bull Stops - If a bull stops, provided the contestant has qualified up to the point of the stop, the contestant may pull his wrap and will be awarded a re-ride. The contestant may have the option of a re-ride, or upon qualifying, of accepting a score.
J. Bull Hips Himself - If, in the opinion of the judges, a bull hips itself while leaving the chute and the cowboy declares himself by getting off as soon as this happens he will receive a re-ride.
K. Bull Injury or Bull Not Shipped - Designated Re-ride - In the case of bull injuries or bulls not shipped after the draw has been done, replacement stock should be the designated re-ride for the performance for which the injured bull was scheduled for competition.
L. More Re-rides are awarded than bulls available - If all the bulls have been used, the contestant may take his last score or be drawn-out and entry fees less the Finals Fee, The Office Fee and Stock Fee (if applicable) will be refunded. (in Long-go only).
BR-19 JUDGES & SCORING
A. All scores are not official until posted by the event secretary
B. Stop watches & judges - Each judge carries a stop watch with a latch side arena judge being the prevailing decision. The judge should stop his watch upon disqualification or the horn sounds, whichever comes first. If horn is short of 8 seconds, judge must go with horn.
C. Judges Decision is Final - Judges have the authority to have interfering individuals removed.
D. Sign & Date each judges sheet - Be descriptive about turnouts, visible injury, and doctor releases.
E. Record buck-off times & mark the bull.
BR-20 CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION
A. Drugs or alcohol are not permitted in any capacity inside or outside of the arena at Autumn Breeze Farm. Any contestant caught under the influence of drugs or alcohol at one of our events will have their roughstock or timed event score immediately disqualified and will be dismissed from the property for first offense.
B. Fighting and Horseplay. No fighting or extreme horseplaying is allowed at our farm.
C. Contestants are not allowed to make obscene gestures or curse out loud. Judges or farm representatives can deal with this on a case by case situation, which can possibly result in disqualifcation and/or being asked to leave the property.
D. Cowboy/Cowgirl Dress Code. All bull riders and barrel racers must wear a long sleeve western shirt, cowboy hat, and cowboy boots at any event put on by Autumn Breeze Farm.. Anyone helping out other cowboys behind the bucking chutes is also required to be in cowboy apparell.
