He sits atop the beast, braced with one arm to engage the animal in some rhythmic battle-dance. It is far too gruesome. Danger in rodeo is an ugly state of affairs, but it makes the sport fair and makes the rodeo arena a level playing field - which is important when you play any sport. Rodeo pits man against beast in a most dangerous fashion and that makes the sport fair for all competitors. There is a difference between bull and bronco riding that is very subtle.
Bull riding is all about raw power and courage.
A rider receives a good score when he stays on a psycho bull for more than eight seconds. It's that simple. A bronco rider, on the other hand, encompasses rhythm with power and grace. He is in less danger of being thrown than a bull rider, so he needs to compensate for the lack of explosive energy that is inherent to bull riding. I'm not saying that bronco riding isn't dramatic, it is just more technical and involves certain skills that bull riding does not.