But the rides keep piling up, so today I'm looking at what Brazilian riders do that other riders, from other countries, don't seem to do, or don't do as much.
1. The bull rope. Early in the year, we heard a lot about other riders switching to the Brazilian rope, lately not so much. The most successful American rider to use one is Austin Meier and he says he's been using one since he was a kid. Click here to see a demonstration of the differences in the ropes. Some say it's possible to pull the Brazilian rope tighter than a standard rope; others say it is not.
2. Brazilian riders have a tendency to be very careful about their chute preparations. Adriano Moraes once said something like: "We are more particular about getting things the way we want them." Some suggest that this is due to the differences between the bucking bulls commonly used in Brazil and the hotter tempers of the American-raised bulls. From time to time, however, controversy arises over who takes how long in the chutes and what should be done about it.
3. Although, as I said at the start, the PBR is not a team sport, there is a team-like quality to the camaraderie among these men who share a language and a homeland. Lately I have become more and more convinced that this is playing an important factor in determination, focus, and success. When any of their compatriots does well, they all seem to rejoice. They get pumped up as individuals, but also as a group. They feed on each others' successes in ways that I don't see as much in other riders. Of all the items on this list, I think this might be the most important.
4. Adriano Moraes acts as a coach of this unofficial team and it can't hurt to have a three-time world champion giving you advice from the sidelines. I have no doubt that Adriano would do the same for any rider of any nationality who asked for his advice. There are also numerous former bull riders who would be happy to do the same if asked. If I were a rider, I'd be asking.
5. The last point is that Brazilian riders appear to have stronger arms, but maybe it just appears that way because they roll up their riding arm shirt sleeve to the bicep. I wonder if there is something about rolling up the sleeve that supports the bicep and makes it effectively stronger? (I doubt it, but I'm not ruling anything out...)
I've questioned others about Brazilian riding success and have gotten some comments that surprised me. The one I got most often was something I hadn't even thought of. Most Brazilian bull riders come to this country and have the opportunity to make more money than they ever would be able to make in their own. Some of them come from poverty. Because they are isolated by the language barrier they are not as distracted as other riders might be. The language barrier allows them to focus. Other comments mentioned a serious commitment to physical conditioning and training.
What it comes down to, they say, is the whole "fire in the belly" thing. They don't just come to play. They come to win.
