“We’re considered by some to be the fastest growing extreme sport,” said Angela Hiatt, the public relations manager of Professional Bull Riders Inc.
Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is hosting The Rocky Boots Invitational tomorrow and Sunday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.
The Rocky Boots Invitational is an event featured in the current professional bull riding season, which is called the Built Ford Tough Series. The Rocky Boots Invitational is the last event of the bull riding season before the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals are held in Las Vegas.
The Rocky Boots Invitational is one of the major stops on the Built Ford Tough Series tour. Riders find it important because it is their last chance to qualify for the finals in Las Vegas. Competing in the event are 45 bull riders, all hoping for a chance to go to the finals.
Tomorrow night is round one of the event. The 45 bull riders will compete against each other, and try to capture the judges’ attention. At PBR matches, three judges give each rider a score for his or her performance. Also, the three judges give the bull a score, based on how difficult he is to ride. The judges are pleased when a rider tries to ride a strong and rowdy bull.
“It’s like a rock and roll concert,” Hiatt said about The Rocky Boots Invitational. “We have a great crowd in Columbus.” Every year, Columbus usually hosts some sort of PBR show.
Bull riding is a sport that few people dare to try. The dangers are extremely evident and scare off many people from the sport. “A man who weighs 200 pounds is going up against a huge bull,” Hiatt said of the dangers of bull riding. “You can even lose your life.”
Professional bull riding began as a rodeo event, but over the years has become a legitimate sport. PBR has had a lot to do with the success of professional bull riding. According to their website, pbrnow.com, PBR was formed by professional bull riders in 1992. Their mission was to turn bull riding into a legitimate sport.
In addition to PBR making the sport popular, NBC and OLN (the Outdoor Life Network) have contributed by broadcasting bull riding events.
“All of the bull riders are putting it on the line,” Hiatt said, describing the high stakes of bull riding. Risking their lives is something these athletes are willing to do for their sport.
There are many bull riding events across the country. In addition to the Built Ford Tough Series, professional bull riding has other major tours. Some of the other tours include the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Challenge Tour, the Enterprise tour and the Humps and Horns Tour.
The Humps and Horns Tour is exclusively for first time contestants and could be the doorway to a life of bull riding.
One million people attend PBR events throughout the year, and 100 million watch the events on television.
According to Hiatt, The Rocky Boots Invitational is a “reasonably priced event.” Ticket prices range from $10 to $100. The event will air on OLN this weekend.
