Bulls

Bull riding is one of the rodeo events I don't understand so much. That is, most events are based on skills that a working cowboy uses (roping, steer wrestling, horse breaking) or are pure horsemanship events like pole bending or barrel racing. Bull riding, on the other hand, is something that (I'm fairly certain) originated as just a test of machismo. Also, alcohol may have been involved. I'm just saying.

Anyway, I don't understand bull riders and bull riding, although I like to watch it. It's exciting, and the bulls are the most powerful animals you'll see in rodeo - hugely muscled, strong and fast, and with a stubborn, nasty disposition - or at least, that's how it often seems. I have respect for the bravery of bull riders, but no idea what makes them do what they do.

After each bull rider rides or fails to ride, there's another event I like to watch; it's an unofficial event called "Getting the bull out of the arena." In theory it should be easy; bucking bulls are trained to run down the chutes back to the pens when the gate is opened. In practice, bulls have minds (after a fashion) of their own, and sometimes don't seem to feel like leaving. Getting a bull out of the arena can take 10 seconds or 10 minutes, and there's no way to know which until you actually try to do it. Sometimes they're violent about it, charging the pickup men and trying to hook them, threatening everyone who comes near them. Sometimes they're just obstinate: the bull will stand in the middle of the arena, with both pickup men trying to drag him out with their horses and one or more of the bullfighters poking him to get him to move.

Eventually he'll go. But before he does, an obstinate bull will bring the arena to a screeching halt for ten minutes or more.

I enjoy watching it.