Professional Bull Riding Rules

In 1992, Professional Bull Riders, Inc. or PBR was started by a group of 20 bull riders in Pueblo, Colorado. Today the PBR has expanded to Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Australia has more than 1,200 bull riders who compete in more than 300 events each year. The PBR sets rules that determine the scoring for each bull ride. Cowboys accumulate points in hopes of qualifying for the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas each year.

  1. Rider Scoring

    • In order to receive a score, the rider must stay on the bull for eight seconds. The ride is over when the rider falls, his hand slips out of the rope or he touches the bull with his free hand. The rider should show that he is in control of the ride and able to react to the bull.

    Scoring the Bull

    • Each rider is randomly assigned a bull. This is called the draw. The judges will score the bull based upon how tough he is to ride. The judges will look for the bull to spin, change directions or drop the front shoulder. If the bull stumbles or does not perform well, the rider may be granted a re-ride on a different bull.

    Determining Final Score

    • Both the rider and the bull are scored from 1 to 25 by a total of four judges, with 1 a low score and 25 a high score. These scores are added up and divided by two to give the rider a score between 0 and 100. If the rider fails to stay on for eight seconds, he will receive a score of 0.

    Bonus Points

    • The final score for each ride in an event determines which cowboy will win that event. Points are accumulated throughout the season and riders also have the opportunity to earn bonus points that help them advance to the World Finals. The accumulated points are important in crowning the season champion.

      The top 10 riders in each go round may earn up to 100 extra points. The top 10 riders in the event can earn up to 300 extra points. In the World Finals, the top 10 riders in each go round earn up to 400 points, and the top 10 in the final point standing earn up to 2,500 bonus points.