Brief by Central Staff
Rodeos – July 2004 – Colorado Central Magazine
It’s rodeo season, and thousands of people in Central Colorado will go to arenas to cheer on their favorite cowboys in the demanding and dangerous sport of bull-riding.
Or perhaps the fans will be cheering for the livestock, according to a story in the May 25 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
As the Journal put it, “Competitive bull-riding, a staple of the Old West, has a new set of stars: the bulls, some of which these days are more famous than their riders.”
That’s just fine with Professional Bullriders, Inc., which promotes the events from its headquarters in Colorado Springs. “Our philosophy is that there are two athletes in every ride,” said Randy Bernard, the CEO.
Not just athletes, but celebrities. Top bulls now have their own rankings, statistics, and sponsorships, as well as lines of stuffed animals, figurines, and T-shirts.
Bulls find it difficult to provide autographs, but their handlers are usually glad to oblige, and there are bulls that give hoofprints.
The growing popularity of bull-riding may have something to do with the growing popularity of extreme sports in general. As for the rise in the number of bull fans, the Journal reported that “many female fans, who account for about half of ticket sales, cheer for the bull, not the rider.”
