A rope, connected to the reverse bungee on the crane, is attatched to an upper body shoulder harness behind the rider's head, before, or while the rider gets on the bull in the shute. Judge has the control button. During the bull ride, as soon as the rider's head gets within 1 foot of the bull's back (to avoid a horn hook up) the judge hits the control button and the rider safely ejects skyward. For riders harbouring a death wish the item need not be used at all, or, alternatively, the rope can be quickly configured into a noose in the shute and hidden with a bandana.-- yikes!!!, Jan 01 2008 Welcome, [yikes!!!].
How much slack is in the bungee? I only ask because, if there's a lot, then it may get tangled in something and may take too long to take up in an emergency and, if not, then you may suffer from premature extraction and find yourself on the ground behind the bull just as you were getting into your stride.
Also, sp. attachment-- pertinax, Jan 01 2008 attatchment looks kinda right though.-- po, Jan 01 2008 Oh no, The speling police! Answers: uptake = whipcord quick, no slack in the bungee, but not sufficient to provide balance to the rider.-- yikes!!!, Jan 01 2008 Far too sensible. Why watch rodeo if not to see people getting their mullets stomped on?
Now if you'd have suggested that the entire arena contain powerful fans (mechanical, not strong spectators) and the rider was given a parachute, I might be more inclined to watch the 'sport'.-- marklar, Jan 02 2008 Okeedokee (sp?).
So, we've got a bungee that stays taut (but not too taut) wherever in the arena the bull goes. How?-- pertinax, Jan 02 2008 [pertinax], the new design of rodeo arena is concave and, underneath all the sand and sawdust, reflective. After the riders have competed, a Zamboni-type device reveals the underlying mirror and all gather round for a solar BBQ.-- 4whom, Jan 02 2008 The crane is above the centre of the arena. At the edge of the arena the rope is going to be more taut, but not sufficiently taut to provide balance to the rider. This is achieved by the lower end of the rope being very elastic bungee cord, for the stretch over that distance. This idea would work and could actually make a sport out of an otherwise highly dangerous activity, as virtually all injuries occur down in the bull zone while the rider comes off, or is on the ground. The only real difference would be that riders would have to be bungeed upward before there was any chance of a potential hookup between the cord and the bull, meaning that an upright style of riding would have to be employed to avoid disqualification, and the impossible recovery ride would be no more. It also places huge responsibility on a second person for a happy ending, as with a rope attatched to a rider, things could become very sticky if a mistake was made. It's unlikely to ever be introduced, except maybe a bullriding school with a small arena teaching the basics may see the sense in keeping it's students in one piece. Also, as indicated above, the idea IS far far too sensible and non-gladiatorial. Riding skill is not largely what bullriding is about, despite the balance and reaction required that makes it probably the ultimate rough riding skill. Some folks just love the crash and bash as with the football codes.-- yikes!!!, Jan 02 2008 ok, what about if the rider was dressed like a medieval knight and the safety operator holds a junkyard electro-magnet above him.
disclaimer: not suitable for use with mechanical bulls.-- marklar, Jan 02 2008 It's really too bad that the scoring is done so quickly. It would be so nice to dangle the bullrider - "in suspense", as it were - while his marks are totted up. Then, if he's good enough, the crane could take him for a quick "victory lap" or two around the arena.
They use (or did 30 years ago, anyway) this same system for training gymnasts. (Except no victory laps.)<later edit>Yep, "overhead travelling spotting rigs" are still used in gymnastics training, and have also been adapted for high diving and aerial skiing acrobatics.-- lurch, Jan 02 2008 A similar mechanism was mentioned in the annos of my Monster Boarding, and Gnarly Surf Plough ideas. Seems fair enough to me. [+]-- theleopard, Jan 02 2008 Hmmmm..... Martin-Baker might be able to help out with this one.-- 8th of 7, Jan 02 2008 random, halfbakery