How to Build a Practice Bull Dummy

Eight seconds might seem like a blink of an eye under normal circumstances, but if you are attempting to ride a 1-ton twisting, spinning, bucking bull, it can feel like a lifetime. Bull riding is a challenging endeavor for any athlete, and it can be difficult to get enough quality practice which actually simulates a real bull, without risking the body to ride the real thing. Although commercial manufacturers offer many styles of dummies, the cost can be prohibitive. Bull riders can build their own to save costs, whether a simple rope barrel dummy, or a more elaborate dummy according to Allan Jordan, a former bull rider and teacher with Leffew Bull Riding Schools.

Things You'll Need

  • 55-gallon barrel
  • Hammer
  • 4 posts
  • Post hole driver
  • Concrete
  • Rope
  • 4 large springs, similar to trampoline springs
  • 4-inch channel iron
  • Measuring tape
  • Cutting torch
  • Welder
  • Car hub
  • 3 car springs
  • 5/8-inch channel iron
  • 6 U-bolts
  • Bull rope
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Instructions

  1. Simple Rope Barrel

    • 1

      Hammer the sides of a 55-gallon barrel in slightly, to create a flat surface which imitates the sides of the bull.

    • 2

      Drive four posts into the ground in a rectangular pattern. Posts can be wooden or metal, but must be stout enough to hold the weight of the rider and the barrel. Posts should be at least 3 feet deep.

    • 3

      Attach ropes to the posts. This can be accomplished by drilling holes through the posts and running the ropes through the holes. Attach the springs to each rope.

    • 4

      Lift the barrel at least 3 feet off the ground and attach the springs to each corner of the barrel, centering the barrel between the posts.

    • 5

      Secure your bull rope around the barrel and begin practice. With this type of dummy, you need help to get the barrel moving, so ask a friend or two to pull on the ropes, creating motion for practice.

    Barrel with Car Springs

    • 6

      Weld the channel iron into a frame approximately 4-by-6 feet. Include two cross braces in the middle, leaving just enough space between the braces for the car hub.

    • 7

      Weld the car hub between the two braces.The lug bolts can go either up or down, but down is best.

    • 8

      Attach the three car springs to the hub in a rectangular pattern using three U-bolts. The springs should be of equal length and about the same amount of wear. Place two springs toward the back of your dummy and one in the front; this simulates the kick of the hindquarters of the bull and the dropping action of the front end. The hub turns as the barrel is ridden, simulating the final element of a bull's bucking motion: spin.

    • 9

      Use the final three U-bolts to connect the 5/8-inch channel iron plate to the springs, covering the springs entirely.

    • 10

      Weld the barrel to the channel iron plate. Center the wight of the barrel over the plate so your dummy is balanced. Place your bull rope around the middle of the barrel and begin practice; unlike a rope dummy, you do not need help to get your dummy moving.