Revelations from a Thankless Job: Inside PBR Judging

By: Marcus Neumeyer

Ever watch a PBR event and wonder how the judges score each ride? Curious about where the bull riding judges come from and how they are selected?

For a look into what makes for a high-scored bull ride, why some riders “go on the clock,” and how viewing a ride from the chutes is different than on TV, we went to two seasoned PBR judges at the top of their game – Allan Jordan and Royd Doyal.

Jordan, an accomplished western sports athlete, could be called the current PBR Dean of Judges.

Jordan grew up in Southern California, got his pro card for the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association) at 17, and has even tried steer wrestling. He was the PRCA’s 1977 Rookie of the Year, and actually started while also riding bulls during a 19-year professional career.

At some rodeo events, if there weren’t enough judges available, a competitor or two would be randomly drawn to judge. The spontaneous training would be put to very good use – Jordan has now judged 15 PBR World Finals.

Royd Doyal has serious rodeo chops, too. He and his father, Red Doyal, have both qualified for the NFR (National Finals Rodeo), and they are members of the Texas Rodeo Cowboys Hall of Fame.

Red, born in Amarillo, Texas, qualified to the 1968 NFR and won the fourth round with an 85-point ride. Royd has qualified to three NFRs, winning four rounds, including a ride on the 1996 Bucking Bull of the Year Red Wolf in the tenth round in 1996 for 94 points.

Royd, 48, also won two PBR premier series events and competed in five PBR World Finals, making him among only three others who have competed at PBR World Finals and still serve as a judge for PBR events. He’s judged two World Finals along with serving as a judge for ABBI (American Bucking Bull Incorporated), PRCA and many other rodeo events.

PBR.com: How are judges on both the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour and Unleash The Beast series determined and selected for the events they work?

Allan Jordan: Judges are put through a training process; they must pass a test on rules and scoring and attend a seminar where PBR officials teach procedures and go over the judgment part of being an official. Based on that, as well as the past experience judges bring to the table, PBR leadership determines which judges to send to events. Just like for the riders, the Touring Pro and Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour events are the place where a newer judge will work with more experienced colleagues. Newer judges also shadow experienced judges. .

Royd Doyal: The judging exam is an initial way for determining if judges are knowledgeable about the job. There’s a judging coordinator who assigns all judges at PBR events. He sends the most experienced judges to the Unleash The Beast events, and for Velocity or Touring Pro events tries to use guys closer to that venue or where he can spread the work to as many as possible.

PBR.com: Can the replay judge select an out for review, or are only the four judges working in the arena able to review a ride?

Allan Jordan: At regular-season events, the replay judge is one of the four judges…so the short answer is, yes. The only event where the replay judge is separate is at the PBR World Finals, and there, he can only review what is called into him for review from either judges or contestants. At all events, all slaps and loops calls are automatically reviewable.

Royd Doyal: For the most part, the replay judge or a contestant are the only ones calling for a review. As one of the regular judges, you just make the call and the contestant can challenge; for example, a slap, a foul, spurs in the rope, things like that. The replay judge automatically reviews a slap he sees, if the clock is stopped, and any ride close to the 8 seconds. The only time one of the regular judges would usually ask for a review is if the judge on the back believes he missed the start time, and the rider is in question of making the required 8-seconds.

PBR.com: Putting a rider “on the clock” inside the chutes can be controversial. What goes into the decision making of putting a rider on the 30-second clock?

Allan Jordan: The principle behind this rule is to give the bull and rider the same chance within the chutes. The integrity of the competition is protected by the judge being able to use the clock to prevent a contestant from taking advantage of the bull and, by extension, the competition itself. The longer a bull is in the chutes, the worse he’ll perform; in fairness to stock contractors, riders and fans, we want both the bull and human athletes to perform at the highest level. Making a call to put riders on the clock relies heavily on the judge’s experience to be able to read when the rider has had a fair opportunity to nod and has not done so. The judge must be able to see when the bull is truly uncooperative and has not given the rider a chance versus when the rider could have nodded but did not.

Royd Doyal: We have guidelines to make this judgement call. If a rider is deemed to be procrastinating at getting his wrap, or once he has his wrap and is not working to get in a position to call for the bull, the clock is implemented. The chute boss also has the authority to put a rider on the clock. The chute can be a pretty dangerous place so you want a rider out of there as soon as possible.

PBR.com: What do judges look for in scoring the bull during an out? Are 1- to 3-second rides harder to score for a bull?

Allan Jordan: The PBR rule book stipulates five criteria we use to score the bulls: buck, kick, spin, intensity and degree of difficulty. The best combination of the maximum number of these will score highest. It’s not more difficult with shorter rides because we are evaluating the bull on these criteria from the moment the gate opens; we simply judge what we see, however long that is.

Royd Doyal: In applying the 5-criteria system, most judges have enough experience to see a bull for a very short time – usually one to three jumps. They evaluate the bull with the assumption he will continue to perform in the same manner he was at the time of the buck off, up to the 8-second parameter, if the contestant were still on the bull. Experience is important to be able to evaluate animals like that.

PBR.com: What do judges look for in comparing ride score to bull score? Does spurring the bull help increase their score?

Allan Jordan: The rider’s score is tied to the score of the bull he is riding. The amount of control the rider displays, sometimes through spurring (extending his legs; this does not hurt the bull), which gives the bulls a higher chance to buck the rider off, determines whether the score is above or below the bull but, when done correctly, shows complete dominance of the bull which can be rewarded through the score.

PBR.com: Is it true a good ride automatically gets scored a certain number of points above the bull’s score?

Royd Doyal: The rider’s score is based off the bull score, then precisely adjusted for the amount of control, or lack thereof, and also other factors such as spurring. Usually, if a rider is in complete control the whole ride, he is one to 1.5 points over the bull. The 1.5 comes into play when a rider completely dominates the bull. You could say he rides like he knows what the bull is going to do before the bull does it. If a rider spurs a bull he can get even more points if he spurs while in control, and the amount of extra points he gets is determined how hard, how long, and how far the leg comes away for the bull because it adds exposure to the ride and gives the bull a better chance to buck off the rider.

PBR.com: Can you be more specific with examples of how spurring and rider control might affect a ride score?

Royd Doyal: A rider who spurs for a long time, with authority, could get anywhere from two to three points over the bull. A typical ride could be 22-point ride on a 21-point bull. That is a 43 which makes an 86-point ride. If a rider spurs the same type bull, he could be a 23-point ride on a 21-point bull. That is a 44, which results in an 88-point ride. In the same aspect if a rider struggles or is out of control, his score will reflect as being even with the bull or even under the bull. The longer the rider is out of control, the more his score is under the bull. If a rider struggles, but does not get out of some type of control, he could be a 21-point ride on a 21-point bull, resulting in a 42, or an 84-point ride. Then we have a rider completely out of control, but without disqualifying himself, for let’s say three seconds of the ride. He could be marked considerably under the bull – example being, rider 18 points, bull 21 points. That would have the rider’s score 39, or a 78-point ride. Good judges have to be able to notice these things and put them together to evaluate which ride is the best.

PBR.com: Re-rides can be confusing to new fans. Is there a point limit that automatically triggers a re-ride option for a bull who does not foul the rider throughout the 8-second ride?

Allan Jordan: By PBR rules, if a bull earns a score less than 19 points, the rider automatically receives a re-ride. This number is due to the PBR’s high standards for their bulls and is the level at which a bull is considered inferior to those standards, again as determined through their possession of the five criteria mentioned above. There is also a rule that gives judges the discretion to award a re-ride option if the bull meets its performance threshold but in a style not consistent with the general expectations of a PBR bucking bull.

Royd Doyal: One factor here is the PBR believes if a rider can’t be at least 80 points on his bull, he does not have a fair opportunity to win. Any bull 19 points or higher is considered good enough. If a bull is 19.5 and a rider rides in control, he is 20.5 ride, therefore giving him an 80-point ride. Now a contestant could have an uncontrolled ride on a 19.5 bull and not be 80. This would look like perhaps, a 19-point ride on a 19.5-point bull is 38.5 or a 77-point ride.

PBR.com: Is there anything you would like fans to know from a judge’s perspective that they might be overlooking while they watch an event?

Royd Doyal: Whether in person or watching on TV, fans get to see the replays and hear the arena announcer or TV commentators. But the judges only get to watch it live one time and have to evaluate the bull, rider, and anything that might cause a possible disqualification. Once the ride is over, the judge has to put the rider and bull score onto the scoring pad so it gets sent to TV, as well as writing them down on the judge’s sheets. There’s a lot happening in a brief amount of time.

Allan Jordan: A few things are important to remember. First, the point of view from a certain angle plays a big role in judging. A ride looks different from the back of the chutes than from the arena level. It looks different if the bull is bucking right at you or away from you. What fans see from the seats or from television is not the same as what the judges are seeing.

I hope that fans understand how important consistency and fairness are to the judges at all times. Every judge makes that a priority.

The PBR has a high level of accountability built into their judging program. I personally thrive on that feedback to my job as I believe my fellow PBR judges do as well.

Finally, fans are fans and judges are judges. Fans are supposed to pick their favorites and see the competition through that framework. But judges treat every rider and bull the same through apply the rule book to every ride.

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