More great wisdom from the World Champ Cody Custer. This time re: Brazilian Ropes:
From Cody Custer………
There has been talk about the Brazilian style rope not hurting bulls. It may not be the rope itself but how much rope is being pulled into the bull that is the issue. American style ropes pull down on the bull riders index finger knuckle first so after you get the rope so tight it begins to hurt the bull riders hand. If you are tough you can pull a very tight rope but there still comes a point when the rope pulls tight enough to hurt your knuckle. Brazilian style ropes, because they pull from the other side never tighten on the index finger knuckle and because of the block never tighten not the pinky finger side either. I’ve seen time and again when a bulls begins to lay down in the chute how easily your hand will come out of a Brazilian style rope because there is very little pressure on the hand no matter how tight the rope itself has been pulled. Claims that the ropes don’t hurt bulls are all based on how hard the rope is pulled. I have witnessed many many times bulls being pulled so tight that you could see it hurt them. I’ve been around animals my whole life and know them pretty well.
I personally have no problem with a guy keeping his score, that is his business and his alone, my question is why is there a certain guys (who ride with Brazilian Ropes) who are offered rerides so often and other guys (who ride with Brazilian Ropes) that seldom ever get rerides? It’s because some are trying to gain advantage over the bulls while others aren’t. There are a lot of guys who ride with Brazilian ropes who are being honorable with them and others who are using then without honor. Using dishonest measures to gain advantage is not a new thing and neither did a guy using a Brazilian style rope invent doing it that way. The guy using the rope is the one who should be held accountable if he disrespects the animals as well as his fellow riders, whom he is also gaining unfair advantage over.
I also have heard people say that the PBR is against Brazilians and change rules to try to keep them from winning. Not true, you can’t keep them from winning and anyone who thinks that is not thinking logically. The Brazilians are here to overcome poverty for their families (dirt floors, shacks to live in, working for little pay) and many have done so and many will continue to do so. They work hard to be on top of the game, unfortunately there are some (a lot) who will do whatever it takes to get the money, including pull the rope as tight as you can and sit in the chute as long as you can. It all started long before the Brazilians who are riding now got here. Bull Riding has been the biggest thing in my life and continues to be something I love dearly. I like and admire a lot of the Brazilian riders. They just don’t have to pull the rope so tight to overcome poverty.
