FlyingHBuckingBulls
01-03-2008, 01:08 PM
In light of the "Adriano v. Gnash Thread".....here's my take on this. This may be long.....so if you will indulge me, I'd appreciate it.
First off.......and I'm definitely not an armchair bulllrider by any means, but I wonder how many people who are actually in the business have been on the back of an animal that bucks. Not just cattle, but broncs as well.
I didn't grow up on a big sprawling ranch, or have parents that were well versed in livestock, but what got me interested in this started way back in the late 70's and early 80's. I was in our FFA chapter here in Fort Bend county (Rosenberg, TX) and we started a high school rodeo team. Always intrigued with the roughstock, I bought a hand woven grass bull rope and a pair of old Bob Blackwood spurs that I still have today, and learned the only way I knew how........just get on and try.
We had no one to teach us, in fact the only school I can remember going on then was Gary Leffew's....but sunny California was a long way from Texas. To make it even worse......my parents didn't want me to do it, but I couldn't stand it....I had to try, this was my chance to be a rodeo cowboy, albiet on a junior level. We practiced on a mechanical bull at a beer joint called the Wounded Armadillo......:cheers: My parents wouldn't give me any money for gear or entry fees, so I lugged feed sacks all summer long to be able to buy a rope. Sadly enough.....the gear I ended up with as described above, was from a friend whose older brother owned it and sold it as he was given a "guest of the state of Texas" sentence for a couple of years and wasn't going to use it anymore. I never had any chaps because they were too much, so I just went as Ty Murray calls it....old school. Believe it or not, I actually covered the first bull I ever got on which was probably the worse thing that could have ever happened. All I remember was calling for the gate, and my gritting my jaws together so hard that I thought my teeth were going to rattle out. Some kind of way.....I heard the buzzer and just jumped off not having a clue that there was actually a "proper" way to get off. My first score.......a whopping 72.....:cigar:
What I'm trying to get at is that was then and this is now. I continued to rodeo through high school and believe it or not, the most powerful animal I ever got on was a bareback bronc someone turned out in an open show. From what I learned over the few years I piddled in high school rodeo, open shows and bullriding jackpots, was that bull riding was more balance than anything. I never dreamed the power that a bareback horse could unleash until I ate about 3lbs. of arena dirt at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds one night...:omg:
Point being, until you feel a bull in a chute slam and pin your legs, or get a horn up the wazoo which is a whole nother story.....then it's one thing to talk about a man whose been World Champion three times and the decision he makes.
Back then, motorcycle riders and football players wore helmets......and police officers and military men wore vests. When you showed up at an arena, the draw was out of hat and written in pencil next to your name and number, and at that level.......bulls had brands, not names. Donnie Gay was the man and on the bovine side.....a bull named Oscar. Miles Hare was the star "rodeo clown" and since then, I've had the privelage of meeting them both. In my opinion, Donnie gay's name should always be mentioned in "the best ever" discussions.
A man named Smokey Davis who owned Rafter D Rodeo Company was the one who supplied most of the stock (God rest his soul) and he was a tough old codger. When you got on his stock.....there wasn't any repulling or 4x4's in the chute....he called the gate for you, but it made us learn and I respected him and his sons both.
What I'm trying to say is some of you will recognize these names and places, my point being, that was then this is now. Sticking your head in the pay window getting a check for $180.00 is nothing compared to $30,000. Do I believe in this "pick your posion".......no, I still believe in the luck of the draw. But the absolute thing I'm NOT gonna do is question what Adriano, Justin, Kody, J.B., Brendon or any of these bull riders do. They are week in and week out getting on some of the rankest bulls in the history of this sport, something I personally could never relate to.
Through my partner......I've been fortunate enough to get behind the scenes and meet the cowboys and more importantly for me, some of the stock contractors. I had the pleasure of attending the "Bull Bed & Breakfast" at Moreno's Flying U last year and breaking bread with all the "big" names. What I learned...... they all answered my questions and are all get up and put your jeans and boots on and "work a day" guys. They all care for thier stock and want them to perform each and every time......but sometimes it just don't work out that way!!!
I've met and had the occasion to socialize with most of the bull riders, and I've met Adriano. He's a nice guy who has three......I said "3" gold buckles, so as far as Im concerned........nuff said :beatdeadhorse:
Bottom line is the PBR is what it is, and the cowboys are making what they can of it...and I don't balme them one bit. Who in God's great name would have thought a bull rider could make upwards to half a million bucks in a season and cap it off by hard work and staying healthy, and the average......a million dollar bonus!!
Sure.....everybody has and is entitled to an opinion here, but the internet is the internet. It's one thing to say not only Adriano or any of them would or should do this, or he does this.......but the way I see it......it's not for me to judge. If it landed in my lap with this format.......I'd go with the bull that going to put my head in the pay window. When it's all said and done.....it will be forgotten by the next Friday night.
As far as my participation in the bull business since I've spilled my guts....I'm half owner in a half sister to Moody Blues. Yea.........she's my "one and only" foundation cow. Through live cover and ET.....we now have babies on the ground sired by Alley Cat, Wrangler Rivets and Werewolf.....and I'm waiting patiently to see if one them will buck. I live on 5 acres outside of Rosenberg where I'm in the process of prepping my place to hold two cows (my future herd......:D) It's my ambition to hopefully buy a nice hefier from Bob Wilfong and one from the Rafter 7. But in a nutshell........like my signature says:
Right now......I just want one that bucks......good Lord willing that'll happen!!!
Until then.....I'm gonna sit back and enjoy the PBR, the CBR and the PRCA and love every minute of it.
Whatever these cowboys say or do is just part of the big picture and I'm loving every minute of it.......:pop:
First off.......and I'm definitely not an armchair bulllrider by any means, but I wonder how many people who are actually in the business have been on the back of an animal that bucks. Not just cattle, but broncs as well.
I didn't grow up on a big sprawling ranch, or have parents that were well versed in livestock, but what got me interested in this started way back in the late 70's and early 80's. I was in our FFA chapter here in Fort Bend county (Rosenberg, TX) and we started a high school rodeo team. Always intrigued with the roughstock, I bought a hand woven grass bull rope and a pair of old Bob Blackwood spurs that I still have today, and learned the only way I knew how........just get on and try.
We had no one to teach us, in fact the only school I can remember going on then was Gary Leffew's....but sunny California was a long way from Texas. To make it even worse......my parents didn't want me to do it, but I couldn't stand it....I had to try, this was my chance to be a rodeo cowboy, albiet on a junior level. We practiced on a mechanical bull at a beer joint called the Wounded Armadillo......:cheers: My parents wouldn't give me any money for gear or entry fees, so I lugged feed sacks all summer long to be able to buy a rope. Sadly enough.....the gear I ended up with as described above, was from a friend whose older brother owned it and sold it as he was given a "guest of the state of Texas" sentence for a couple of years and wasn't going to use it anymore. I never had any chaps because they were too much, so I just went as Ty Murray calls it....old school. Believe it or not, I actually covered the first bull I ever got on which was probably the worse thing that could have ever happened. All I remember was calling for the gate, and my gritting my jaws together so hard that I thought my teeth were going to rattle out. Some kind of way.....I heard the buzzer and just jumped off not having a clue that there was actually a "proper" way to get off. My first score.......a whopping 72.....:cigar:
What I'm trying to get at is that was then and this is now. I continued to rodeo through high school and believe it or not, the most powerful animal I ever got on was a bareback bronc someone turned out in an open show. From what I learned over the few years I piddled in high school rodeo, open shows and bullriding jackpots, was that bull riding was more balance than anything. I never dreamed the power that a bareback horse could unleash until I ate about 3lbs. of arena dirt at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds one night...:omg:
Point being, until you feel a bull in a chute slam and pin your legs, or get a horn up the wazoo which is a whole nother story.....then it's one thing to talk about a man whose been World Champion three times and the decision he makes.
Back then, motorcycle riders and football players wore helmets......and police officers and military men wore vests. When you showed up at an arena, the draw was out of hat and written in pencil next to your name and number, and at that level.......bulls had brands, not names. Donnie Gay was the man and on the bovine side.....a bull named Oscar. Miles Hare was the star "rodeo clown" and since then, I've had the privelage of meeting them both. In my opinion, Donnie gay's name should always be mentioned in "the best ever" discussions.
A man named Smokey Davis who owned Rafter D Rodeo Company was the one who supplied most of the stock (God rest his soul) and he was a tough old codger. When you got on his stock.....there wasn't any repulling or 4x4's in the chute....he called the gate for you, but it made us learn and I respected him and his sons both.
What I'm trying to say is some of you will recognize these names and places, my point being, that was then this is now. Sticking your head in the pay window getting a check for $180.00 is nothing compared to $30,000. Do I believe in this "pick your posion".......no, I still believe in the luck of the draw. But the absolute thing I'm NOT gonna do is question what Adriano, Justin, Kody, J.B., Brendon or any of these bull riders do. They are week in and week out getting on some of the rankest bulls in the history of this sport, something I personally could never relate to.
Through my partner......I've been fortunate enough to get behind the scenes and meet the cowboys and more importantly for me, some of the stock contractors. I had the pleasure of attending the "Bull Bed & Breakfast" at Moreno's Flying U last year and breaking bread with all the "big" names. What I learned...... they all answered my questions and are all get up and put your jeans and boots on and "work a day" guys. They all care for thier stock and want them to perform each and every time......but sometimes it just don't work out that way!!!
I've met and had the occasion to socialize with most of the bull riders, and I've met Adriano. He's a nice guy who has three......I said "3" gold buckles, so as far as Im concerned........nuff said :beatdeadhorse:
Bottom line is the PBR is what it is, and the cowboys are making what they can of it...and I don't balme them one bit. Who in God's great name would have thought a bull rider could make upwards to half a million bucks in a season and cap it off by hard work and staying healthy, and the average......a million dollar bonus!!
Sure.....everybody has and is entitled to an opinion here, but the internet is the internet. It's one thing to say not only Adriano or any of them would or should do this, or he does this.......but the way I see it......it's not for me to judge. If it landed in my lap with this format.......I'd go with the bull that going to put my head in the pay window. When it's all said and done.....it will be forgotten by the next Friday night.
As far as my participation in the bull business since I've spilled my guts....I'm half owner in a half sister to Moody Blues. Yea.........she's my "one and only" foundation cow. Through live cover and ET.....we now have babies on the ground sired by Alley Cat, Wrangler Rivets and Werewolf.....and I'm waiting patiently to see if one them will buck. I live on 5 acres outside of Rosenberg where I'm in the process of prepping my place to hold two cows (my future herd......:D) It's my ambition to hopefully buy a nice hefier from Bob Wilfong and one from the Rafter 7. But in a nutshell........like my signature says:
Right now......I just want one that bucks......good Lord willing that'll happen!!!
Until then.....I'm gonna sit back and enjoy the PBR, the CBR and the PRCA and love every minute of it.
Whatever these cowboys say or do is just part of the big picture and I'm loving every minute of it.......:pop: