Question 1

What are the rules for a bareback bronc rigging?

Accepted Answer

A one-handed rigging with a flat leather or suede body. The handhold must be continuous and solid, not exceeding 8 inches in length, and covered by at least 3 inches of securely fastened suede. Maximum width is 10 inches at the handhold and 6 inches at the D-ring. No fiberglass or metal is permitted in the handhold itself. It attaches with a non-metallic cinch strap of mohair or hemp, and D-rings are the only hardware. Failing an equipment inspection is a disqualification and, in some associations, carries a fine and an ineligibility period.

Question 2

How is bareback bronc riding scored?

Accepted Answer

Two judges each award 0 to 25 points for the rider and 0 to 25 points for the horse, adding to a maximum of 100. Rider points come from spurring technique, how far the toes stay turned out, continuity of the spurring stroke, control, and willingness to take what the horse brings. Horse points come from power, height, direction change, and difficulty.

Question 3

What is the mark-out rule in bareback bronc riding?

Accepted Answer

Leaving the chute, both spurs must be touching the horse above the point of the shoulders and must remain there until the horse's front feet hit the ground after the first jump. Both spurs must qualify. Under PRCA rules, missing the mark-out is an automatic disqualification. The IPRA folded foot position at the moment the front feet touch the ground into the judges' 25 points as of 2024, eliminating the automatic no score.

Question 4

How is bareback bronc riding different from saddle bronc?

Accepted Answer

There is no saddle, no stirrups and no rein. The only contact points are the rigging hand, the spurs, and the rider's body. The spurring style is also visibly different: the rider pulls his knees up and rolls his spurs up the horse's shoulders as the horse rises, then straightens his legs and returns the spurs over the shoulder point in anticipation of the next jump. The completeness and timing of that stroke — the lick — is what judges reward.

Question 5

What disqualifies a bareback bronc rider?

Accepted Answer

Being bucked off before the whistle, touching the horse or your own body with the free arm, and failing an equipment inspection on the rigging or the spur rowels. Rowels must be free spinning, dull and humane. Under PRCA rules, failing to mark out is also a disqualification.

Question 6

Why do bareback bronc riders have short careers?

Accepted Answer

Bareback bronc riders take more physical punishment than anyone else in rodeo. The cumulative load falls on the elbow, shoulder, neck, back and hand of the riding arm, and it accumulates rather than resolving between rodeos. Conditioning, injury management and recovery are not peripheral to this event — they are the difference between a five-year career and a fifteen-year one.

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