Rodeo fills the Grandstand at Fair

The RoughERodeo came to Pickaway County on Monday night, and it did not disappoint.

Luke & Lindsey Elton, the owners of the rodeo promotions company, spoke about wanting their rodeo to be family-friendly, something that would entertain all ages so the entire family could attend together.

First up was the bull riding, and it certainly had everyone’s attention. There’s nothing like watching a 150-pound man fighting for balance and control atop 1,800 pounds of hostility, even if it is for only 8 seconds.

The Eltons brought in a Professional Bull Rider, Marcus Mast, to meet with the crowd before the event and provide an inside look at the sport. Mast, 29, stands 5’ 5” and weighs 155 pounds. He grew up on a small dairy farm in Middlebury, Indiana. He has won 10 events in his career and is ranked #69 in the world.

While many of his PBR colleagues started early, riding sheep, Mast’s first ride happened when he was 16 years old. A friend of his who had learned to ride bulls told him about Van Wert, where on Saturday nights from November to the end of April, they held novice events. Mast said he wanted to try it, too.

Surprisingly, he said that he has never been on a mechanical bull. “I was told to stay off of them to avoid bad habits. They don’t mimic the true movement of a bull. They buck up and then kind of backup and go forward again. A real bull doesn’t do that, or, well, at least not very often.”

For practice, they put together a drop barrel, something like a barrel attached to a teeter-totter. The barrel is positioned in front of the pivot point so that the barrel moves away from the rider as it falls. It feels more like a real bull when he kicks.

Mast is wiry, but not muscle-bound. Evidently, bullriding has more to do with balance than strength.

“I mean, you’ve got to be strong enough to keep your hand on the rope, but staying on top will get you a full ride and style points,” he explained.

Each ride is scored by the judges with 100 points being the maximum score. But you only win points if you ride the full 8 seconds. When asked what was the longest time he had ever ridden a bull, he responded, “Eight seconds. After that, it doesn’t matter.”

Style points are earned by staying on top of the bull and demonstrating that you are in control. The bull riders wear spurs to poke the sides of the bull, an act of bravado that impresses the judges. It is also done because the bull is also being judged and the bull rider earns points when the bull bucks harder. The rider can earn up to 50 points based on how aggressive the bull is, and up to 50 points for the bull rider’s style and control.

The PBR has created a Team Series, with 8 teams each having 10 bull riders. In 2023, as a member of the Kansas City Outlaws, Marcus Mast rode the bull Hoka Hey for a full ride and earned 90 points, his best ride ever. The ride can be found on YouTube.

Mast practices his balance by walking tightropes and riding horses bareback. He also practices standing on one leg with both eyes closed, an exercise that is also used during concussion protocols to ensure the rider is not hurt.

At PBR rodeo events today, all bull riders must wear a protective vest, but only those born after October 15, 1994, are required to wear a helmet. But the helmets don’t prevent all concussions, according to Dr. Tandy Freeman, PBR’s longtime medical team leader. New helmets, designed specifically for rodeo, are replacing the hockey helmets previously used in the hopes of further reducing head injuries.

CBS Sports and its partner network, Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media cable station will broadcast upcoming PBR events, both the individual and the team series.