Professional Bull Riding Championships: Dang, what a ride!

Surrounded by a sea of denim, boots, big belt buckles, and cowboy hats at the 2010 Professional Bull Riding (PBR) Championship held at the Pala Casino from June 21-22, I couldn’t help but think, “Dang, I’m definitely out of my element.”

However, this does not mean that I didn’t have a great time. The event was filled with laughs, cheers, and gasps from nearly every audience member that watched these tough cowboys hang on for dear life as the bulls (aptly called “animal athletes”) did their best to fling them from their backs.

As one would expect from a homegrown US event such as the PBR Championship, the event started off with a salute and tribute to our US armed forces, complete with 20 US Marines catching an American Flag that was flown in via parachute. The audience was peppered with families of military men and women, so you could tell that the tribute was much appreciated.

Once the event began, I couldn’t help but get riled up with everyone else as the bulls began to fight against the cowboys who were trying to climb onto their backs. The announcer said that the last place a cowboy wants to be is in that 3’x8’ pen with an angry bull, and it was evident by the way the bulls bucked and reared that it was the last place they wanted to be as well. The cowboys had to be pulled off of the bulls at times before they were even released from their pen, leaving everyone pensive, waiting to see what sort of action would occur once the bull was released.

While waiting for the bulls to leap from their pens, the emcee and rodeo clowns’ banter back and forth kept everyone entertained and laughing, while music kept the crowd cheering and in high spirits.

It was hardly disappointing when the bull flew out of the pen. The bulls each had their own spin and dance moves they used to buck off the riders. Each rider had a hand tied down tightly to the bull with the loose hide flattened out to allow for extra hold.

Most riders didn’t last for long; they were tossed like rag dolls and had to bolt from where they landed to make sure they didn’t get stomped on. The crowd would get on its feet for a better peek at a bull that tossed its rider a little too close under its hooves, and would scream when the bull would charge. For riders unceremoniously tossed, a half-hearted applause was given by the audience, which was already impatiently watching the next pen to see what type of bull was being prepped for the next rider.

When the cowboys were able to find their groove on the back of their bulls, it didn’t matter if you had never been to a PBR event before. Everyone whooped, hollered and cheered the cowboy on, rising to their feet in excitement. If the cowboys lasted the required eight seconds (which must seem like an eternity to them), they were judged on how well they held on, and how high the bull jumped and bucked. The top 10 scores moved on to the finals for a chance at either $20,000 or $14,000, depending on the day. With awards like that, I could almost understand why someone would dare face a furious bull for a few seconds.

In true Pala Casino fashion, the food and drink options were vast. There was traditional barbecue fare available, but at jumbo sizes (I couldn’t make a dent in my foot-and-a-half hot dog or pile of fries). If a spectator went without their Western garb, there were stands sporting cowboy (and cowgirl) duds, including the large belt buckles. First time attendees such as myself could learn about the various riders and the bulls just by listening to old pros who have been attending rodeos and bull riding events for years.

The highlight of the event for me was the “bull poker,” in which four brave men played poker at a small folding table with a bull racing around, charging at them. It was no surprise to anyone that the brave souls were Marines (I don’t think the bulls had much of an effect on these men).

Though I doubt I’ll be getting on the back of a bull any time soon, I can guarantee that I’ll be back to the next PBR event at Pala. The laughs that came from this genuine Western event made it worth every penny spent.

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