Behind the Scenes at the 2000 NFR:

We draw the first TWO pens on Wednesday afternoon.  After that we draw one pen at a time after each performance until after the last Friday’s perf when we again draw TWO pens.

We go through the 100 bulls… it takes 6 and 2/3 performances…. then we bring back what we think are the best 45.   5 of the 15 bulls out the 7^th perf will have been out once already.

Every bull that goes to the NFR must be bucked. 

If a bull is in the rerides he isn’t considered used.    The event reps sets 3 rerides per performance.  If the rep isn’t entered, he can set the reride order.  If he is entered the judges draw the order.   No one knows the order except the chute bosses and the judges (and the event rep if he isn’t entered).

The first time through the 100 bulls, if a reride bull doesn’t get used he’ll be bucked in another perf.

Examples:  The rerides for the A TEAM will likely be bulls that will be bucked in the 5^th performance. The Big E rerides will probably get bucked in the 4^th perf.   Unless they are holding them back due to an injury, every bull will get bucked by the seventh performance.

A bull that gets bucked can’t be bucked the following performance without the stock contractor’s and chute bosses’ permission.  

It takes two of the four judges to award a reride option. At the NFR I always ask the judges to offer a reride option for non performance if they can’t mark a bull an 18. Some agree and some don’t. It takes only one judge to disqualify a guy.  The guys on the back of the chutes also can.

If you doctors release you have to sit out at least two go rounds.

The Likely Line-up of Pens:

• 1st Perf:    A Team    
• 2^nd Perf:    Big E’s 
• 3^rd Perf:     Gassy spinners
• 4^th Perf:     Linebackers
• 5^th Perf:     Semi Rank
• 6^th perf:     Street Punks
• 7^th Perf:     Spin City
• 8^th Perf:     ?
• 9^th Perf:     ?
• 10^th Perf:   A Team II

Or it might be Gassy Spinners, A Team, Big E’s.   A lot depends on the ground conditions and what kind of shape some of the bulls are in.   If some of the big name bulls had a hard time getting to Las Vegas (weatherwise), we sometimes will hold their pen of bulls until later.   Ranker, more athletic bulls have more problems with loose ground.   Some of those solid spinners could do their thing on ice rinks (and some of them actually do).

Since many rodeo committees are in town for the convention which runs Monday-Friday before the rodeo starts, we try to get the best bulls out on the first weekend.   Many of them fly out on Sunday. 

Bulls come off feed and water around 1-2 P.M. each day except for the last performance which is a matinee.

Bulls get exercised every other day.

Some bulls haven’t been bucked in a couple of months and it usually shows.

Every year some bulls have to be tipped when they arrive.  The fine is $100 per head to the stock contractor.

Every stock contractor must submit specific feeding instructions (alfalfa, grass hay, grain, etc…. and how much of each).  The NFR/PRCA supplies all the feed and does the feeding.

Stock contractors get somewhere around $3,500-$4,000 per head whether their bulls gets bucked once or twice.  They also get a trucking allowance for EACH animal they send to the NFR.   Like the contestants the contractors get a comp room.  I’m thinking they only get one comp rodeo ticket no matter how many head they have there.

Bulls must carry the stock contractor’s brand when they come to the NFR.  This has dissolved more than one only on-paper partnership right before the NFR—several times.  

The owner (hopefully) of the bull that the high marked ride was on in each performance gets a buckle (even though looking down most won’t be able to ever see it). 

Each perf the owners of the three highest marked bulls (could have been ridden or not) earn cash awards (think it is $750, $500, $250).  They use the judge’s scores (total all four animal scores). 

I’m thinking that the people who supply the grand entry horses (all the contestants are required to ride except injured people, the first few bareback riders out that performance, or contestants (usually bull riders) whose lack of horsemanship skills puts everyone else in great danger)—get one ticket per horse, per performance.

Bull fighters cannot turn bulls back.  Why?  I suppose that someone is worried that a bull fighter and stock contractor might conspire to take a bull away from a guy’s hand.  Or perhaps a bull fighter might get blamed for a bull not bucking… or causing a guy to buck off.   The only problem I have is that the bull fighters have to stay glued to the chutes until the wreck happens or the whistle blows.   Unless the wreck is in close to the chutes— they often are late.   At regular rodeos they are already moving  when a guy starts to get out of shape.  At the NFR they can’t.  

Fortunately we have had excellent protection guys…. but they have to have a good set of wheels.   Guys get sore and the bulls get ranker and wrecks are inevitable and sometimes you can see them happening 3-4 seconds before they finally crash.   At the NFR, all the bullfighters can do is try to mark where the plane went down… then it’s SEARCH and rescue.