EATON — What is bareback bronc riding?

The 8-second bareback ride is confusing because sometimes a cowboys’ wild spurring appears to be simply showing off, while in fact the rhythm of a man’s legs on his horse is all that keeps the rigging (a handhold on the sursingle) from being torn out of his hand, according to Broken Horn Rodeo officials.

“The bareback rider throws his feet forward in time with the horse’s humps, and at the same time this motion keeps his seat close to his riding hand,” organizers said in a press release. “He’s well aware that once he slips away from the handhold he is on the launching pad. The further back he gets on a high kicking horse the more trouble he gets into. A cowboy who has his riding arm straightened invariably winds up having his clenched riding hand jerked open.”

According to the release, rules require the rider’s dulled spurs be over the break of the horse’s shoulders when the animal lands the first jump out of the chute — some bareback horses wheel out almost as quickly as the gate can be jerked open and the cowboy has a hard time keeping that outside foot where it is required to be.

It continues, “The judges are looking for thee horse that gives the rider the most trouble for the full 8 seconds. Onlookers when hearing the score often are mystified because the bronc who threw a spectacular ride, bucking and jumping, perhaps several times, wasn’t marked higher by the judges. They failed to take into consideration that for some of the 8 seconds the horse, in the judges’ opinion, wasn’t difficult to stay on.”

Join the International Professional Rodeo Association, World Championship Rodeo, at the Preble County Fairgrounds, on Aug. 1, at 7 p.m. Watch this rodeo, seven events, and see the cowboys and cowgirls of the IPRA compete for $4,000 in added prize money.

Kids should start practicing for the stick horse race, as there will be competition in two age groups, 5 and under, and ages 6 to 9.

For more information, contact Broken Horn Rodeo at 937-392-4608 or email [email protected]. Call in date for entries is July 25 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., 1-800-639-9002. No entry is needed for stick horse races. Locals and permit holders are accepted. Must call in to enter.

(This is the second installment in a series introducing the basics on rodeo competition leading up to thefirst ever world rodeo championship, IPRA which will be held at the Preble County Fair in August.)