PBR Making Game-Changing Announcement Regarding Judging and Scoring System

An 89.9-point bull ride? And a 90.1?

Yes, they’re coming to a PBR event near you.

PBR is making a big change to its judging and scoring system. Both riders and bulls will be marked in tenth (.1) point increments versus the previous half-point (.5) increments.

The change is designed to preserve the foundation of PBR’s traditional scoring structure while enabling judges to more accurately evaluate the subtle but meaningful differences that define elite-level bull riding.

The more precise scoring format will debut with the start of the 2026 season when the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour debuts in St. Louis, MO on Dec. 6 followed by the Unleash The Beast in Manchester, NH on December 12.

The change comes following a two-year study of ride scores. VP Competition Jack Holmberg analyzed more than 15,500 outs at the premier level and found that bull performance at the top tier is exceptionally consistent. Key findings include:

• 96% of all bull scores above 19 points fall between 20.0 and 22.0, and
• 81% of those scores land within just a single point – between 20.5 and 21.5.

According to Holmberg, this data highlights two realities.

First, elite bulls perform at remarkably similar levels.

Second, judges have been effectively constrained to just three scoring “buckets” – 20.5, 21.0, and 21.5 – under the previous half-point system.

Such a narrow scoring range makes differentiating between rides extremely challenging, often resulting in ties for round placements, game outcomes, or high-marked bull honors – even when performances clearly differ, Holmberg said. The transition to .1-point increments gives judges the ability to acknowledge those differences with greater fidelity.

PBR play-by-play voice Craig Hummer is excited about the nuanced scores attached to the rides he’ll be calling in the new Unleash The Beast season on Paramount+.

“In general, there will be more texture and layering to what the fans can pay attention to now that there’s a wider range to scoring,” Hummer said.

The new system gives judges the flexibility to more precisely reflect what they see in the arena. For example:

• A bull that outperforms a 21.0 but is not quite a 21.5 can now be marked 21.2.
• A bull that is stronger than a 20.5 but a shade below a 21.0 can now be scored 20.8.

“Under the previous half-point increment system, both might have been given a 21.0, masking their distinct performances,” Holmberg said.

The same principle applies to rider scores, where dominance, exposure, control, and spurring can now be reflected with greater nuance and accuracy. The result is authentic scoring separation that rewards excellence.

Although ties and split positions can still occur, they are expected to become a lot less common.

To ensure symmetry between the two scoring components, PBR is implementing a variance cap: a rider’s score may not exceed the bull’s score by more than 3.0 points. A rider may, however, be marked any amount below the bull score based on the judge’s professional evaluation.

Combined with the .1 scoring increments, this variance system promotes consistency, fairness, and a scoring model that better aligns with real performance differences, Holmberg said.

Judges already commonly write tenths on their score sheets for their own internal evaluation. The formal adoption of .1 increments brings the sport’s official scoring in line with the way judges naturally assess rides.

“While utilizing half-point increments as the foundation of our scoring system has served us well, analytics show we can be even more precise, better differentiating ride scores,” said PBR CEO and Commissioner Sean Gleason. “These changes continue PBR’s commitment to the credibility of our competition and the accuracy of our judging system. We are giving judges the tools necessary to score rides with greater fairness, detail, and accuracy. The result will be a more accurate and trusted scoring system for the next generation of bull riding.”

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