Thousands of pounds of living, breathing bull will get your heart pounding. But what's that on his back? Where's the cowboy?
It's lighter weight to prevent injuries in training.
It is this: a mechanical bull rider used by bucking bull breeders to train 2-year-old bulls without the weight of a man.
"So when they have riders on 'em they'll know when they kick up like that the guy with come off. So that's what we're teaching them," Cindy Rosser of Raises Bucking Bulls said.
It's controlled remotely for just 4 second training rides, not the 8 of professional competition.
Rosser raises and breeds bucking bulls. This weekend she and other stock contractor's bulls will compete here with mechanical riders
While professional bull riders ride grown up bulls.
Mark Lopes of Marysville, California is looking forward to his ride. "If you go make a good bull ride somewhere and the crowd goes nuts, it's a good feeling."
Despite the risks he's been on the PBR circuit for the past 7 years.
Mark Lopes, It's the want to do it, the desire to do it, to go ride, is worth it, it's worth the risk."
Tim O'Connel is the guy that keeps bulls off the bull riders. "It's not released until we push the button." And he believes mechanical training is good for the rider and the bulls.
"It gives them a release like: OK, I did good. And they trot off with head held high, confident. That's what we want," O'Connell said.
Who knew there was a bucking bull school of higher learning? Do they do this naturally?
"Yeah. They're bred to buck. The little red bull was by Hoodini who was one of the greatest sires of bucking bulls," Cindy Rosser said.
And this Sunday you can see both of these contenders here at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds.
