RodeoGuy
London, ON
Male, 23
I live my life 8-seconds at a time as an adrenaline junkie that goes event to event, matching up against some of the rankest bulls in the world in an 8-second battle for supremacy.
There's some prestige that goes with the profession and it does set us above the average person I guess, haha. Our version of the "groupie" or "puck bunny" is the "buckle bunny" and there are lots of those to go around. Also, we're kind of like the Rockstars of the Rodeo...add to that that we're in a different city almost every weekend and sometimes every night...it does make it pretty ... fun ;)
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We try to stay off those... but, being in a bar and guys being guys... The people running them won't let you wear your boots, so you have nothing to grip with. You try to hold on, but with your feet slipping all over the place, your going to get thrown pretty quickly. If they let us wear boots, we'd kick holes in them, haha. There are some similarities in the drop and spin, but the plastic ones in bars are pretty novelty. The best simulator is a "Bucking Barrel", there are a few different high-end models around, and even the traditional method of a drum hung by four ropes is a great way to get balance, reaction and feet movements down.
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The big-big ones... Rodeo Houston: the 2011 winner got $61,000 Calgary Stampede: the 2011 winner got about $116,000 (there is a final bonus round for $100,000 to the winner) PBR Built Ford Tough Series: the winner of the Madison Square Gardens event got about $40,000
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Luckily I haven't hit that point yet. It's always about getting good enough to get back on some bulls. As soon as the injury happens, we question ourselves, "how long until I'm back." Because we have to be winning to be earning, we have to ride through the pain. There have been guys who have had their bull riding spurs plastered into their cast so they can still ride. It's so important to make it to a tour finals, that's where the big money is, and any time off not only means no money coming in, but also a few drops in the qualification standings.
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There is no other feeling in the world... it is the biggest rush a guy can take. Adrenaline courses through your veins, your heart races, and you get so amped up to call for the gate. The power of the bull is astounding. And hearing the buzzer and the crowd cheer as you're still riding is pretty incredible as well. Financially... it can be pretty amazing when you're winning, especially at the larger events and on the bigger tours. But I don't know of any guy that does it for the money. It's mostly about the rush.
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Fortunately I don't personally know anyone that has died, and with the advancement of the protective gear, fatalities have dropped, but it does happen. I know a lot of guys that are permanently scarred or messed up from the sport, though. The introduction of the protective vest, that's made of kevlar and is similar to what law enforcement people wear, has been good for our sport. It's designed to take away impact of hooves stomping on you, or a horn trying to impale you. Also, when you land on your back or chest, it disperses the impact. One of the most infamous tragedies in our sport would be the death of the World Champion Lane Frost. After a successful 8-second ride, he jumped off and landed in the mud. The bull "Takin' Care of Business" charged into his side and broke a bunch of ribs. As Lane tried to escape, he fell and the broken ribs punctured his heart. This tragedy was one of the main steps in the design of the vest. He would most likely be alive today. I think statistically 2-3 deaths are reported a year due to injuries sustained in the activity.
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Ha ha. That'd be cool. Kinda not my thing, but I definitely have an appreciation for the challenge. Bulls, regardless of breeding (the Mexican Fighting Bull is purebred; bucking bulls are cross-bred, usually Brahma and Semmental, Watusi, Angus, etc.) are very unpredictable and can wreak mass havoc. They're fascinating to try and understand.
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