Bulls, Broncs Outperform Pokes on Day 1 | News, Sports, Jobs

Kari Gibb/MDN On Monday, July 22, the North Dakota State Fair Arena hosted preliminary rounds of bull and bronc riding, which continue today.

The North Dakota State Fair (NDSF) kicked off on Monday, July 22, with the Bull and Bronc Riding portion of the week-long rodeo events at the NDSF arena.

Cowboys from all over the Midwest and Western United States competed in the preliminary rounds, along with several riders from Canada.

Cowboys must all ride the full eight seconds to receive a qualifying ride score and advance to the finals on day two.

For a score, the rider gets points for style and technique and the animal gets points for style, technique and difficulty. The combination of the two scores – rider and animal – determines the classification for the final.

Riders and animals are paired for each round of rides by drawing lots. Depending on the circuit, riders and animals get two or three rides in the preliminary rounds and two or three rides in the final.

In the bulls after one round, two scores of 75 and in the broncs, a top score of 82 and a score of 76 in second place.

In addition to the riders and animals, there are dozens of cowboys who operate the slides and gates, provide security in the arena on horseback, and the rodeo clowns.

Should riders be injured, there will be emergency services on site. There will also be a veterinarian present to ensure the safety of the animals.

The second day of riding, including the finals, takes place today starting at 7 p.m., and the Ranch Rodeo events begin Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the arena.