Abstract: A gripping assembly which may be used to enable a rider to grip onto a beast such as for buck jumping. The gripping assembly has an elongate pad [11] forming a yoke to be held on the back of a beast and a handle [16] disposed centrally thereon and which is resiliently biased to an upstanding attitude. A retaining aperture [13, 14] is provided at each end of the elongate pad [11] through which a rope tackle [50] passes to extend about the body of a beast to secure the pad [11] to the beast. An eye [17] is formed on the free end of the handle [16] to enable a tail of the rope tackle to be secured thereto whereby tension in the rope tackle pulls the handle toward the yoke. The tackle has a free tail portion which may be grasped with the handle to form a releasable connection for the rope tackle [50].