rodeo1

RODEO: BROKEN HEARTS, BROKEN BONES AND FOOLISH PRIDE

    Rodeo has been my life, savior, wife and family for years. It has taken so much from me; like my closest and only real friends, I could ever have. It has broken bones pulled and even ripped muscles. It has caused pain in places it is unconceivable to consider. It has caused me to lose women, kids, and friends. Although through it all I would never consider walking away from the best life a man could ever dream of.

     It all started to really be strong one dark April night in 1991 when a girl i was seeing told me that a man could have all the money and fame in the world if he could ride the unrideable horse. Well I thought that I would show off and try to ride the unridable horse; needless to say i got my butt whooped. My butt was not the only thing that was whooped; then and there RODEO became the first priority in my life.

     The strange thing about rodeo is that after your first go, you know if it is for you or not! You may think "Why the hell did I do that?" or, "I'll never quit." Regardless you know you tried.

     Back to the subject; I fell deeply in love. The broncs were such a thrill and challenge. I rode broncs that tryed everything but die on me. Bareback was my thrill. I guess its that helpless feelin of being latched to an animal that wanted me off his back, shoot I don't know what it was! All i knew is that i would kill to feel that way again. After two, three or even more hospital bills; I decided it was time to stop ridin broncs. One reason was I hurt really bad and the other is they are mean. I came up with the easiest way to quit.

The decision on how to get over the fact that I was done with bareback was the easiest decision that I ever made; the answer I was ready to move up to the real bad boys of rodeo.... BULLS!! Bulls, now thats were the word FUN leaves and "TOTAL BLISS" begins.

    It took alot of work, try, and effort to stay on a bull for the ETERNITY of 8 seconds. I rode about 20 or so times before that magical ride when I rode until the 8 second buzzer for the first time. That same ride is when I realized what the phraze HELL ON HOOVES meant. He tore me up.

When I stumbled back behind the chutes, it was then I realized that i was a bull rider. Hurt but extremely proud. The feelin was unmatchable even to this very day.