Bull riding is one of the most popular and exciting events in the sport of rodeo. The risks are high but so are the rewards for the very best riders. In recent years, top bull riders have seen their earnings skyrocket into the millions of dollars thanks to bigger prize money and lucrative sponsorship deals.
What are the top bull riding competitions?
There are a few major events and tours that make up the highest levels of professional bull riding competition:
- Professional Bull Riders (PBR) tour – This is widely considered the top bull riding organization in the world. The PBR holds over 300 events per year on its tours across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Australia. The season-ending PBR World Finals offers a $1 million bonus to the event winner and season champion bull rider.
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit – The PRCA sanctions rodeos across North America, including bull riding events with large prize money. The PRCA National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is often called the “Super Bowl of Rodeo” and has nearly $10 million in payouts.
- Championship Bull Riding (CBR) – This organization holds events primarily in the southern United States. It has a season-ending World Finals event with over $2 million in total prize money.
Winning a world championship through the PBR or PRCA is considered the pinnacle achievement in bull riding. But collecting consistent earnings through these tours, along with income from other events, sponsorships and licensing deals is how the top riders make their millions.
How much do PBR events pay?
The Professional Bull Riders organization holds five different touring pro divisions, each with varying payouts:
- Unleash the Beast – This is the elite tour of the PBR featuring the top 35 riders at premier venues. Each event has a total purse of at least $300,000. First place typically wins $50,000 – $150,000 per event.
- Velocity Tour – Featuring riders ranked #36-100 and up-and-comers, these events have total purses around $200,000. First place pays $30,000 – $70,000.
- Touring Pro Division – Entry-level tour with total event purses of $50,000 – $100,000. First place wins $10,000 – $20,000.
- Challenger Series – Part-time and beginning riders competing for $5,000 – $20,000 purses.
- Futurity Series – Riders under 21 years old competing in developmental events with purses up to $200,000 for major events.
The end-of-year PBR World Finals has the richest payouts. The total purse is $2.5 million, with the 2022 winner taking home $1 million.
How much do PRCA rodeos pay for bull riding?
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) sanctioned rodeos can range in size and payouts. Here are some typical payouts:
- Major rodeos – Events like the Calgary Stampede and National Western Stock Show have total purses up to $100,000 for bull riding. First place wins $20,000 or more.
- Mid-size rodeos – These can pay out $3,000 – $15,000 for first place in bull riding.
- Smaller local rodeos – Purses may only be a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Then there is the PRCA National Finals Rodeo (NFR), which has nearly $10 million in total payouts. The 2022 NFR bull riding event winner took home over $260,000.
How much does a top PBR bull rider make?
The very elite professional bull riders in the PBR’s Unleash the Beast tour can earn $1 million or more per year through competition winnings and bonuses alone. For example:
- 2022 PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen earned over $1.65 million in his championship season.
- Two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood has won over $3.2 million during his career already.
- Three-time World Champion Silvano Alves holds the PBR record with career earnings over $7.5 million.
But it’s the endorsements and sponsorships that allow the top PBR stars to boost their income into the multi-million dollar range. Elite riders like Jess Lockwood, J.B. Mauney and others are reported to make between $3-5 million per year from deals with brands like Ford, Wrangler, Monster Energy and more.
How much does a top PRCA bull rider make?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exact earnings in the PRCA since there are so many rodeos and bull riding events across North America. But the very top riders can potentially earn $500,000 or more per year between winnings and sponsors. For example:
- Five-time NFR average bull riding winner Sage Kimzey has earned over $1.7 million during his PRCA career already.
- 2022 NFR average winner Stetson Wright took home over $540,000 in earnings that season.
- Three-time world champion bull rider J.W. Harris has total career earnings of over $3 million.
However, lower ranked PRCA members likely earn far less from rodeo winnings, often supplementing their income with other jobs. Making a steady living exclusively off PRCA bull riding requires great skill and consistency near the top level.
Who are the highest paid bull riders?
Based on total career earnings, here are some of the wealthiest professional bull riders:
Rider | Career Earnings |
---|---|
Adriano Moraes | $5.9 million |
Silvano Alves | $7.6 million |
Justin McBride | $5.5 million |
Chris Shivers | $3.9 million |
J.B. Mauney | $7.1 million |
Robson Palermo | $3.6 million |
Brazilian rider Adriano Moraes has been one of the most dominant bull riders across the PBR and PRCA for over two decades, earning nearly $6 million. Silvano Alves holds the PBR record with $7.6 million in career winnings. Americans like Justin McBride, J.B. Mauney and Chris Shivers also established themselves among the sport’s financial elite throughout the 2000s.
How much do bull riders earn compared to other rodeo events?
Bull riding is one of rodeo’s most popular and lucrative events. For example, while the 2022 NFR saddle bronc average winner took home around $140,000, bull riding paid over $260,000 to its average winner. Across all rodeo events, bull riding consistently offers some of the highest payouts.
However, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and bareback riding can also pay six-figure prizes to their winners as well. Overall, the calf roping events offer the next highest earning potential behind bull riding.
Do bull riders earn more than NFL, NBA or MLB players?
The superstar bull riders are certainly very well paid, especially relative to the selective field of elite riders. But their earnings generally do not match up to the major professional team sports in the United States.
For example, the average salary for an NFL player in 2022 was about $2.7 million. The NBA average was around $8.5 million. Even the MLB average sat at approximately $4.4 million. So while PBR champions like Jess Lockwood can earn $3-5 million per year, that level of income is more comparable to a middle-tier player in the major leagues.
The brand value and huge fan followings of the NFL, NBA and MLB allow their star athletes to negotiate massive contracts that well exceed what even the most popular bull riders could earn. Fame brings big money in individual sports, but nothing matches the revenue machines that are the major team leagues.
Do bull riders get paid if they don’t ride the full 8 seconds?
In order to receive a score and prize money, bull riders must stay on their bull for the full 8 seconds during a ride. A rider who gets thrown off or touches the bull with their free hand before the time limit is up will receive a no score.
However, there are usually appearance fees or smaller payouts for unqualified rides. For example, at PBR events, riders are guaranteed at least $1,500 for making a ride attempt. There are also often bonuses for making it to 4 or 6 seconds. So even getting thrown early or not finishing the ride, a bull rider will take home something.
Do bull riders only make money from competitions?
While competition winnings make up the bulk of top bull riders’ earnings, there are other income sources as well, including:
- Sponsorships – Elite bull riders can earn millions from major brand endorsements and licensing deals.
- Merchandise – Top riders also sell their own signature merchandise and receive royalties.
- Speaking/appearances – Some former riders and champions earn income from public speaking gigs, corporate appearances, autograph signings, etc.
Bull riding competitions are the main but not sole income stream for professional riders. They work to build their personal brand value to maximize their income potential inside and outside the arena.
How much do stock contractors providing the bulls make?
The bucking bulls are the real stars of the sport, and the elite bulls can be worth over $500,000. Top stock contractors who supply these bulls to major events can earn quite a bit of money as well. For example:
- Julio Moreno Stock Contractor of the Year Kent Cox reported over $1 million in stock contractor earnings in 2021.
- Julio Moreno’s livestock company, which provides many PBR bulls, is estimated to be worth over $5 million.
- Chad Berger, owner of some of the rankest bulls, is one of the richest contractors with a net worth estimated at $10 million.
Many former bull riders actually transition into the contractor side of the business. They breed bucking bulls on ranches and rent them out for events. With the right bull genetics, this can become quite a lucrative business.
Do bull riders get retirement pensions?
There is no formal retirement pension system for bull riders in organizations like the PBR and PRCA. Especially with the injury risk, most riders have short careers of just 5-10 years in the top levels of the sport.
Some of the ways riders can provide for retirement are:
- Saving and investing earnings during their peak competitive years.
- Building income streams outside the arena through sponsorships, merchandising, etc.
- Transitioning into related roles like stock contracting, training, broadcasting.
- Joining associations like the RMEF (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation) which offer benefits and pensions to members.
But with no set pension, bull riders have to be smart with their money to ensure an income after retiring from the physically grueling sport.
How do bull riders get paid?
The payment structure can vary across different bull riding associations and events. Some typical payment methods include:
- Check/Direct deposit – Riders are directly paid prize money via check or bank transfer after an event.
- Year-end payouts – Rankings earnings may be distributed in one larger year-end check.
- On-site payouts – Some rodeos immediately pay out cash winnings on-site after rides.
Riders are independent contractors responsible for paying their own taxes and expenses. Foreign riders must arrange any required visas or work permits to compete and earn money from U.S. events.
Conclusion
Bull riding is an intense, dangerous and tremendously entertaining sport. It offers a small group of elite competitors the chance to earn millions of dollars through competition winnings and endorsements. The very top riders in associations like the PBR and PRCA take home $1 million or more per year during their peak. While short careers make it difficult to build long-term wealth, the financial rewards can be great for those who conquer the rankest bulls.