When it comes to merchandise sales, the bulls have bullied their way to the top of the Professional Bull Riders tour.

That's right. The bulls are more popular than their riders with sales of T-shirts, hats and stuffed animals to prove it.

The disparity in the sales among the PBR's 75 official licensees has narrowed from a 3-1 advantage the bulls owned at the beginning of the year.

"They [the fans] request as many stuffed animals of the bulls as they do of pictures of the riders," said Kristin Van Scoyk, the PR and marketing manager for the PBR. "But, with the popularity of Adriano Moraes and Justin McBride this year, the cowboys are pulling closer. The bull items are really popular with our women fans."

The phenomenon doesn't really surprise Cody Lambert, the organization's livestock director.

"They are the stars," Lambert said. "They [the fans] come to watch the bulls as much as the riders."

The top-selling bull merchandise is of Little Yellow Jacket and Blueberry Wine, two bulls who were retired two years ago.

DMN