This Weekend in New York, It's the Running of the Bulls

New York City is home to many kinds of events and things to do--everything from ballet to boxing, classical music to competitive sports, world-class restaurants to whirling on an ice-skating rink.
But ever thought of New York as a venue for professional bull riding?
Nope, neither had we. But that hasn’t stopped the Professional Bull Riding Competition from setting up shop in Madison Square Garden this weekend--the last day to catch the action is today.
The 2010 Professional Bull Riders Madison Square Garden Invitational hosts the top 40 bull riders in the country--along with the fiercest 2,000 pound bulls--and 700 tons of dirt.
Want to sound like you know what you’re talking about? Riders can earn a possible 100 points--they’re scored during the ride –or “out”--for such factors as control and good body position.
The bull’s performance determines the additional 50 points, believe it or not. Those points are given for factors like “kick on the back end” (we’re quoting here), spin, and direction changes. Who knew?
The current defending (human) champ is Kody Lostroh, but the bulls have fans as well—diehard supporters often sport belt buckles with the names of the bull champs, or, yes, even stuffed animals resembling championship bulls, complete with names like Voodoo Child and Code Blue. Well.
The event takes place at 1 pm today; Madison Square Garden is located on 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets. Call (212 465-6741.