Is it a Sport: Bull Riding?

There's a certain type of person that's into bull riding, or at least a stereotype that I picture.

The guy is sinewy -- either wiry or well-built, but never overweight -- he wears a cowboy hat, hit teeth are at least a little crooked, and he usually has a two-day beard.

Basically, I picture Tim McGraw, only uglier.

Give the man credit though, because it isn't easy to do what he does. But the question is, as always, is bull riding a sport?

Why bull riding might be considered a sport

Bull riding is definitely competitive in nature -- whether it's the Professional Bull Riders World Championship (this weekend in Vegas!) or your local roundup, bull riding contests always have a winner, and the rest are losers. And having a gold standard -- 8 seconds on the bull and a score of 100 is perfection -- certainly helps its case.

The physical fitness element of bull riding is a little trickier, as the object of the game is to stay seated. But if you've ever witnessed a bull riding event, you know just how flexible a bull rider must be to be competitive. From the looks of it, it's like getting into a car accident every time the gates open.

And while I've never ridden a bull myself, I can imagine a great deal of strength is required to maintain your grip.

Why bull riding might not be considered a sport

Bull riding is far from a mainstream activity, and while there has always been a certain element of athleticism involved in riding a bull, it seems that widespread competition has only arisen in recent years. In fact, the first official bull riding organization was developed in 1995.

Some people might have a problem with the subjectivity involved in bull riding. The score a rider received is out of 100, 50 points of which is determined by the bull he's riding on. Call it the degree of difficulty, if you want. The other 50 points are style and form points, but all 100 are determined by a panel of judges. Some sports fans are just uncomfortable when a winner can't be determined objectively.

And lastly, there is that image issue. Sports are played by athletes, right? When I look at cowboys, though, I may think a lot of things, but I usually don't think of athletes.

Final Ruling: When it's all said and done, bull riding gets the nod. In my books, it's a sport.