PUEBLO, Colo. ― This weekend during the Built Ford Tough Series DeWALT Guaranteed Tough Invitational in Idaho, a new addition to the Professional Bull Riders’ original chute clock rule will officially go into effect.
A way for the PBR to protect the wellbeing of animal athletes, this rule has always been in place, allowing judges to disqualify a rider if he is taking too long to get ready in the chute. The existing rule that allows each rider time to prepare in the chute will now be enhanced visually to ensure consistency and include a countdown clock that is controlled by the back judge.
Each rider will have 60 seconds from the time he begins to pull his rope until he nods his head to begin the ride. The chute clock will stop the countdown when the judge starts the 8-second ride clock.
Regarding disqualification the rule states, “In the event that the chute clock countdown time expires before the rider nods his head, the judge has to make a determination to disqualify either the rider or the bull at the end of the allotted time. If the bull is disqualified then the rider will receive the first available re-ride bull. If the rider is disqualified, his ride for that round is over and he will receive a no score.”
The PBR has been testing the countdown clock since the beginning of the 2014 season at Madison Square Garden in New York and feel that the system, riders and judges are now prepared and accustomed to the visual addition.
The modified rule will go into effect this weekend at the DeWALT Guaranteed Tough Invitational on April 4-5 at the Ford Idaho Center. The event’s special 15/15 Bucking Battle featuring Bushwacker, which will take place on Friday, April 4, will air on CBS Network Television on Saturday, April 5, at 3 p.m. ET.
© 2014 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.