The rider grips a thick rein attached to the horse's halter and attempt to place his feet over the horse's shoulders a split second before the animal's front hooves strike the ground. As the horse bucks, the rider bends his knees and finishes his spurring stroke with his spurs near the cantle--back of the saddle--then sweeps his boots back to the horse's shoulders as the animal's front hooves hit the ground again. Another goal is to keep the rider's toes turned out during the entire ride. A saddle bronc ride is judged on the spurring action, control of his horse, and the degree of toe turn out. The horse's bucking efforts also contribute to the score. This is a timed event requiring an eight-second ride.
Disqualification occurs if, prior to the eight-second buzzer: 1) the rider touches the animal, himself or his equipment with his free hand; 2) if either foot slips out of the stirrup; 3) if he drops the bronc rein, 4) if he fails to "mark out" at the beginning of the ride (Mark out means cowboy has his feet over the horse's shoulder until the horse's hooves hit the ground in the arena.)
Billy Etbauer has made saddle bronc riding history. In the third round of the 1999 Finals, he set an NFR record with a 90-point ride. Casey Tibbs won six world bronc riding title from 1949-1959, a record that has yet to be broken. Dan Mortensen is second on the all-time list with five. He also claims the "title" of the most money won in one year by a saddle bronc rider--$227, 378 in 1998. Brothers Robert, Billy and Dan Etbauer have used the "team" concept to qualify for the NFR 32 times. Between them they've won five world championships, picked up four NFR saddle bronc riding title and earned nearly $3.5 million.
The highest scored rides are Glen O'Neill's 95 points in Innisfail, Alberta, 1996 and Doug Vold, 95 points in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, 1979.
BAREBACK RIDING
Bareback riding, developed in the rodeo arena many years ago, consistently produces some of the wildest action in the sport. Bareback is the most physically demanding in the sport. Immense strength is placed on the arm and back, and bareback riders face more long-term injuries. Sheer strength isn't all that's required.
Barebacking riding has some of the same requirements of Bronc Riding. The bareback cowboy also begins his ride with the "mark out", his feet placed above the break of the horse's shoulder. Failure to mark out is a severe penalty of a "no time" disqualification. With one hand, the cowboy grips the rigging, a handhold made of leather and rawhide, versus the halter in bronc riding. Again, optimum-spurring action is required, beginning with the rider in control, his heels at the horse's necks. Next is sweeping of the feet, toes turned outward, to the horse's withers until the cowboy's feet are nearly touching the bareback rigging. Disqualification rules are much the same as with bronc riding
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