| A few months had passed, and I met some one new. She told me how much rodeo ment to her, it was her world! She also told me how much she wanted to be with a bull rider. That was perfect for me. However we did not make it as a couple. To this very day we are the closest of friends. One day she ask me to go out with a friend of hers after a rodeo and I agreed. While at the rodeo she began to get intrested in a fellow bullrider friend of mine. After the rodeo we all went out dancin and partyin. My date wasn't very good since all she did was put down the rodeo life and say how bad I would be hurt by it. The only thing she said that was true is that "You will always have a broken heart as long as I continue to rodeo." She was defently right. My friends' date went beyond good. Four months later they married and he became very close to me. We rode the circuit together, and became as close as brothers. He was 4 years older than me and he never let me live that down. They started a nick name for me that lasts till today. "THE KID" We rode together for a while and then in October of 1992 I met another girl that hated rodeo with a passion. Like a fool I started to slow down. John and I left the circuit, and started to ride for a stock contractor. That was the worst thing that ever happened to The Kid . Shortly after we started with the contractor, my ridin partner was gored in the stomache and knocked out of rodeo for ever. That incident took alot out of me, because the bull that hurt him was supposed to be my bull to ride, but we switched at the last minute. I took about two or three months off then returned. John and Mellissa continued to travel with me. just like old times. He would scout the bulls and coach me and she would plan the rodeos. This was one of the best times in my life. It was early September in 1994 and i heard of a rodeo in San Marcos. Of course I just had to go. Everyone tried to convience me not to but I conveinced them to go. I rode my bull better than ever before. I was marked a 47 on one side and 45 on the other for a total of 92. I won the rodeo but lost a hellofa lot more. While i was sittin on the fence after my ride catchin my breath John was announced to be commin out of chute 4, and before I could stop him the gate swung open and the clock started. He was riding a very rank and dangerous bull. The bull came out and gave it hell; three seconds in to the ride John bucked off. I realized then that he was hurt and hurt bad. |