Celebrating 25 years of Humps N Horns! The September 2013 cover featured one of the most historic rides in the history of the PBR. The photo from Andy Gregory captured JB Mauney ending the 42 out buckoff streak of the great Bushwacker after he rode the bull for 95.25 points in Tulsa, OK.
On The Cover - The Nashville Stampede celebrate after earning the title as the inaugural PBR Team Series Champions in Las Vegas, NV.
Photo provided courtesy of BullStock Media
The month of December is one full of hustle and bustle where the majority of bull riding and rodeo associations have concluded their seasons and crowned their champions.
As we continue to celebrate our 25th year of publication, we have shared a couple of our favorite covers. The March 2019 cover (p. 24) is a great shot of bullfighter Matt Clouse as he tries to save a bull rider in the dirt. The second cover (p. 3) featured the epic battle between two great champions, J.B. Mauney and Bushwacker from Tulsa, Oklahoma when Mauney finally conquered the great bull after he bucked off 42 consecutive riders.
While we all enjoy the National Finals Rodeo and the other great bull riding events that take place to close out the year, I hope that you are able to take a little break from the hustle and bustle and spend some time with your family and friends to remember the true reason for the Season.
Until next time, Terry
Hi my name is Brayden Hollywood Brown and I’m a Jr Bull Rider. Today I’m going to be talking about the rise of Daniel Keeping. I’m going to tell you the story of how I came to know Daniel and how he went from just another name on the bull riding circuit to the Texas Rattlers most valuable player. So let’s get into it.
Before we get into the Daniel that y’all probably know of today, let’s rewind all the way back to the year 2015. It was the day before Easter and I was invited by a mutual friend to the Keepings house to get on some practice bulls. I’d never been out there before and I didn’t know the Keepings, but I wasn’t going to turn down practice. So me and my family drove to Gorman Texas which was about an hour and a half away.
Once we got there, we were introduced to John and Lisa Keeping and shortly after we met their son Daniel. After introductions, I got my gear bag out and got everything ready to ride. I noticed that Jim Sharp and Ted Nuce were present and found out they were regulars at the Keeping’s to help young riders (Daniel included) get better at bull riding. Now, I was only 7 and still riding calves so they put me on a trainer bull they called Shames. Daniel usually just led Shames
around on a halter with no flank rope which is what they did with me the first time I got on him but after they saw that I had pretty good form they took the halter off and flanked him up a little.
After I rode a few ranker bulls, the Keepings were pretty impressed with how good I was doing considering my age. As I was packing my gear Daniel talked to me about bull riding and gave me a few pointers. Daniel was riding bigger bulls by this time and had a reputation of riding at his house alone if John and Lisa were working. He would load, flank, pull his own rope, crack his own latch, and work his own hang-up, if needed. So it was no surprise to me that he would go get on two year olds and try them out for contractors. They loved Daniel because he would get on anything that bucked and didn’t complain.
If there was ever another man on this earth worthy of the word “Tough” in his name, it’s Daniel. He would take a shot or break a bone and keep riding. On another visit, Daniel got his parents talking to my parents about getting me into a bull riding association that he formerly rode in called the MBR. Now, as many of y’all know, I rode in the MBR every year from when I was 8 years old until I aged out at 14. The Keepings later that year invited me to my first mini bull riding in Coleman, Texas.
The first night I rode Shames and was invited back for the second night. The second day they put me on a big Hereford bull named Joey which I rode and tied for the event win. I ended up getting the buckle since the kid that tied with me got a buckle the night before and wanted me to have it. The sportsmanship of bull riding is second to none. Not too long after that Daniel’s Dad passed away. It was the defining moment in Daniel’s bull riding career because he could have just stopped. But not Daniel, his dad was a pillar in the youth bull riding world and Daniel honors his memory with his success in his bull riding career. To this day there is a purple day at the Youth Bull Riding World Finals in memory of what John Keeping did for the sport. Fast forward a few years and in 2021, I interviewed Daniel at the Koben Puckett Invitational PBR in Amarillo, Texas. He was so humble and appreciative of the opportunity. He was starting to gain a name and the legend of Daniel Keeping was growing.
Fast forward with Daniel Keeping in the PBR Team Series and he is now known as “Dan The Man”. Many are even calling him the Texas Rattlers “Dark Horse”. Daniel had a few good rides for the Rattlers but when he went 90 on “Show Me Homie” in Ridgedale, a bold statement was made to the world that he was a contender. After that he carried his team to the game and event win with his 88.75 point ride on “Willis”.
Daniel’s best performance, in my opinion, was when he knocked down three bulls in one weekend at Dickies Arena for the Rattlers
Workers from every walk of life have tools of their trade. Doctors wear scrubs and face masks and use a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff. Baseball players wear a uniform and a baseball cap and use a mitt and a bat. Construction workers wear a hard hat and steel-toed boots and use hand tools and a level. And bull riders wear chaps, spurs, a protective vest and use a riding glove.
Special bull riding gloves are worn by every bull rider in the world. The glove is a very important piece of the bull rider’s equipment. It protects his hand and helps him to firmly grip the bull rope for that all-important eight seconds.
Tiffany Glove Company just happens to be the supplier of the gloves worn by many of the world’s top bull riders. Located in Payette, Idaho, they have been creating deer and elk skin gloves since 1955. They have been designing and manufacturing their specialty, bull riding gloves, since 1974. They also make rodeo gloves for ropers, work gloves, and biker gloves.
“I bought Tiffany Glove Company from Merle Tiffany back in 1970,” disclosed owner Bill White. “Back when we started making rodeo gloves, I had no idea it was going to evolve into what it is today. I started going to the rodeos and talking to the bull riders to find out what they wanted and needed. There were 12 to 15 different bull riders at different rodeos on different nights. I changed a lot of things about the way we made the gloves.”
“I had to order specially made dies,” Bill revealed. “We started making a lot of gloves. Some we cut by hand and some were die-cut. I just did things very different than everybody else did. It just kind of took off! All our advertising has been by wordof-mouth.”
“Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame cowboy Charles Sampson was the first professional bull rider to ask us to make a glove,” Bill offered. “He needed a special glove for the shape of his hand. In 1982, Charles was the first African- American cowboy to win the PRCA World Bull Riding Championship.”
“When the Professional Bull Riders was started, all of the founding cowboys were already using Tiffany gloves,” Bill said. “Since the beginning, every PBR World Champion Bull Rider has used our glove. Since 1980, every PRCA World Champion Bull Rider has worn our glove, except for two. Back in the 80’s, Tuff Hedeman, Lane Frost and Jim Sharp used to come to the shop.”
Today, many of the top names in bull riding are wearing Tiffany gloves. J.B. Mauney, Silvano Alves, Jess Lockwood, Kaique Pacheco, Cooper Davis, Sage Kimzey, Chase Outlaw, Cody Nance, Cody Teel, and Parker Breding, to name a few. “I would say that on any given week, approximately 32 of the 35 bull riders you see on TV are using a Tiffany glove,” Bill noted. “We have a file on each bull rider as to what they like for fit. Many of these bull riders start young. Their hands change and we are constantly updating our files to update their gloves as needed.”
“I’m not satisfied with a close fit,” Bill confided. “It must be a perfect fit. I feel like these young bull rider’s livelihoods depend on a perfectly fitting glove. When I first started out, I bought my deer and elk skins and sent them out to be tanned. Now I buy them from New York and Wisconsin. I am very fussy about the leather. I carefully check each hide when it comes in, because I must have the very best deer and elk skin I can buy. If it has a blemish, I send it back!”
“One year I got a call from three-time PBR World Champion Bull Rider Adriano Moraes,” Bill shared. “It was just a week before the PBR World Finals. He told me he had broken his little finger and couldn’t get his bull riding glove on. His finger was swollen to twice its size. He asked me to make him a glove he could wear in the finals. Well, I made that glove and he won the Finals!”
“When the bull riding comes to Nampa and Caldwell,” Bill said, “I am there visiting with them and making sure their gloves still fit good. We get a lot of phone calls the week before. The kids ask us to bring their patterns with us. I also bring a variety of sizes to the events, and kids just buy them right out of my bag.”
Continued from Page 7
Daniel’s best performance, in my opinion, was when he knocked down three bulls in one weekend at Dickies Arena for the Rattlers event win. Daniel kicked things off riding “Theodore” for 89.75 points. Then the next day going 89.25 on “Smooth Over It”. Finally,
in the bonus round, Dan rode “Blue Duck” for a whopping 92.50 points. Daniel showed off these bulls real nice.
All three of these bulls were wicked rank and they all had their own things they threw at Daniel but he just has a way of making them look good. At the finals Daniel rode “Flapjack” for a monstrous 93.50 point bull ride. Dan’s final ride of the PBR team series was on “John 14:16” for 89.75 points. Very fitting his last bull of the year was named John... kinda makes you think of his Dad. I think if Daniel had started at the beginning of the season until the end, he would have no doubt won MVP.
I owe a part of my bull riding career to Daniel and his family. He helped me get my start with mentorship and cheering me on as I got older and rode bigger stuff. I’m proud of his career and to have been a small part of the story that created the legend of “Dan The
Man”. Thank you for reading. I look forward to writing to you each month. To find out more about me all of my social media are braydenhollywoodbrown.
LAS VEGAS – The Nashville Stampede, who entered the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series playoffs in last place, proved that it’s not how a team starts a season, it’s how they finish, in winning the inaugural PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Championship.
The Nashville contingent, stacked with talent, including riders with four combined PBR World Championships, continually disappointed throughout the regular season, finishing 7-20-1. But the squad caught fire and was dominant in the eight-team tournament in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. After concluding the regular season last in the league standings, the Stampede delivered a historic Cinderella run through the progressive elimination tournament, riding upset wins against the Top 3 teams to be crowned the first-ever PBR Team Series Champions. “It’s crazy,” said Nashville Stampede Head Coach Justin McBride dirtside. “I got to win two individual titles as a bull rider in this sport, and it’s nothing compared to this. The buckle is awesome, but for me, it’s about these guys who never gave up and finished on top.”
Before the final games, McBride delivered an epic amped-up pregame speech now going viral on social media.
The Nashville Stampede began their march to victory Friday evening when they faced off against the No. 3 Oklahoma Freedom. The gritty contingent rode three bulls to stun the Freedom, defeating the powerhouse team by one ride score, 264.75-176, to advance in the team tournament. The Stampede’s performance was headlined by scores from Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert, Oklahoma), who came out of retirement to seek his first championship, Cladson Rodolfo (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) and 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil).
As competition continued in Round 2, the Stampede were locked in a David vs. Goliath showdown with the No. 1 Austin Gamblers. Continuing their impressive run through the tournament, the Stampede bested the Gamblers by one ride score, 265-175.25, to earn the first direct berth to the Semifinals.
On Championship Sunday, the Stampede then went head-tohead with the No. 2 Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat, in the
first Semifinal showdown. Compliments of an early score from Joao Henrique Lucas (Bastos, Brazil), and a 90-point, fifthframe ride from Pacheco, the Stampede punched their ticket to the title game with a 178.5-90.25 win.
The No. 5 Arizona Ridge Riders earned the final berth to the Championship Game, logging a come-from-behind, fifth-frame victory against the No. 3 Oklahoma Freedom thanks to Luciano de Castro’s (Guzolandia, Brazil) 89.25 points on Big Black (K-C Bucking Bulls/Joe & Nina Webb).
With three qualified rides from Dirteater, three-time World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) and Pacheco, the Stampede defeated Arizona 264-182.75, completing their come-frombehind surge to be crowned the inaugural PBR Team Series Champions.
When the title game commenced inside an electric T-Mobile Arena, Lucas led off for Nashville, while Alisson De Souza (Taubate, Brazil) was out first for Arizona. Lucas came down aboard Skippy (Skippy & Linda Johnson/Jaynes Gang/Hookin’ W Ranch)
in a heartbreaking 7 seconds, while Souza was upended by Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage/Wetzel/Knott) in 4.59 seconds, and the scoreboard read 0-0 as the second got underway.
Nashville then looked to Rodolfo atop I’m Legit Too (Hale Cattle Co.) to give the team its first points. Rodolfo, however, was unable to answer the call, brought down in 4.91 seconds. With the chance to take an early lead, Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) stepped up for Arizona, covering Pickle Moonshine (Shuler Bucking Bulls) for a monstrous 91.5 points.
As the game approached the midway point, 11time PBR World Finals qualifier Dirteater climbed atop the chutes, determined to start a wave of winning momentum for Nashville. Matched with Hundred Bad Days (TNT Bucking Bulls) by Head Coach Justin McBride, Dirteater remained in total control, matching the bull jumpfor-jump en route to the whistle. In what would prove to be the final out
of his storied career (Dirteater announced his return to retirement at game’s end), the fanfavorite rider known as “The Cherokee Kid” was awarded 88.5 points to pull Nashville within 3 points of the lead.
Keen to add to their total, the Ridge Riders’ Keyshawn Whitehorse (McCracken Spring, Utah) then closed out the third aboard Whiplash (Blake Sharp/Floyd Lowery/CB & Traci Lee). Whitehorse, however, was routed in 3.24 seconds, with the scoreboard reading 91.5-88.5 at the top of the fourth.
With each team having just two outs remaining, the Stampede slotted threetime PBR World Champion Alves in their penultimate roster position. The man who has made more than $4 million in Las Vegas settled in aboard Hunter (Dozier Cattle Co./ Martinez Bucking Bulls). Erupting from the chutes, Alves remained centered, dancing with the bull en route to the 8-second buzzer for a critical 85.5 points. Following the score, Nashville took their first lead in the game by 82.5 points.
In the bottom of the fourth, it was Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) atop Top Shelf (P. Ro Ranch/OK Corralis/Gordon/D&H Cattle) for the Ridge Riders. While Losnake initially earned a score, yellow flags flew, sending the trip into official review. Losnake was deemed to have slapped Top Shelf when he was yanked forward at the 5.33-second mark, resulting in no score for Arizona.
In the fifth, with Nashville up by one bull, 2018 PBR World Champion and Stampede closer Pacheco had the chance to clinch the PBR Team Series Championship early for his team. Tasked with Tijuana Two-Step (M Rafter E Bucking Bulls), the “Ice Man” was laserfocused and covered the bull for a monstrous 90 points to cement the title for Nashville. The Stampede bench cleared as they began to celebrate dirtside.
While their title hopes were dashed, the Arizona Ridge Riders closed the game strong as Castro rode Montana Jacket (Berg/ Coleman/Ogden) for a commanding 91.25 points.
When the dust settled, the last-place team coming into the playoffs that stayed positive and refused to quit won the inaugural PBR Team Series Championship via their 183.25-point defeat of Arizona, 264-182.75.
Looking down the league standings, following Semifinal losses, the Texas Rattlers and Oklahoma Freedom squared off in the Third-Place Game. Outscoring Oklahoma by two rides, the Rattlers concluded the 2022 season third, beating the Freedom 270-86.75.
Article provided courtesy of PBR.
Photos provided courtesy of BullStock Media.
I once read a story that happened many years ago. It would seem that there were two boys working their way through Stanford University, and their funds had gotten desperately low. All at once, a great idea came to them. They would engage someone for a piano recital. They would use the funds to help pay, room and board and also their tuition.
The pianist’s manager asked for a guarantee of $2,000. Of course this guarantee was a lot of money in those days, but the boys agreed and proceeded to promote the concert. They worked hard, only to find that they had grossed $1,600.00 when it was all said and done.
After the concert the two boys told the artist the bad news. They gave him the entire $1,600.00 along with a promissory note for $400.00, explaining they would earn the amount still owed at the earliest possible moment and send it to him. It appeared that the end of their college days was upon them.
“No, boys,” replied the artist, “that won’t do.” Tearing the note in pieces, he returned the money to them. The boys were stunned as he continued. “No,” he told them as he handed them the $1,600.00.
“Take out all your expenses and keep for each of you 10 percent of the balance for your hard work. Let me have the rest.
The years passed by and WWI came and went. This artist, now the premier of Poland, was striving to feed thousands of starving people in his native land. There was only one man that might be able to help, his name was Herbert Hoover. Mr. Hoover was in charge of the U. S. Food and Relief Bureau.
He responded and soon thousands of tons of food were sent to Poland, and after the starving people were fed, the premier of Poland journeyed to Paris to thank Mr. Hoover himself for the relief sent to his people.
“That’s alright, Mr. Paderewski,” was Hoover’s reply. “You probably don’t remember me, but you helped me once when I was a student at college and in trouble.”
Jesus puts the moral of this story this way, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them...” (Matthew 7:12) We know this saying best as “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” or the Golden Rule. However, it might be said, compassion will always bring great rewards.
If you would like to learn more about this and the other ways of our Lord, then please “come and let us reason together” Isa. 1:18
In His Love, Keno
Crust
2 refrigerated pie crusts (can make from scratch, if you prefer).
Filling
6 c thinly sliced, peeled apples
3/4 c sugar
2 T all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 T lemon juice
Submitted by Phil W. - Prescott, AZ
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place one pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.
2. In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients and then spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack before serving.
By now all of you bull riding fans must know just how the PBR Team Series Championships finished up, and the Cinderella story that was the Nashville Stampede. But this article is not really about who won what round, or what bulls were great. It is more a look at this team competition that has replaced the World Finals in Las Vegas, and how this new event held up under scrutiny.
Before I go into all that, allow me to get a bit personal for a moment. Other than the very first Finals back in 1994, I have been fortunate enough to cover every single Finals held in Las Vegas. That’s 26 years, traveling from the MGM
Grand Garden, to the Thomas & Mack at UNLV, to T-Mobile Arena. Due to COVID pandemic in 2020, the Finals were held at AT&T Stadium in Texas, then moved back to their last Las Vegas Finals appearance, before moving permanently to Dickies Arena in Fort Worth earlier this year. Selfishly, a very sad time for me.
But wait, it might not be the World Finals, but this year the PBR gave us our Vegas bull riding fix, holding the first ever Team Series Championships at T-Mobile. This was not necessarily what long-time PBR fans really wanted to see, however. I frequently heard from those who have followed bull riding, and the PBR especially, that they were not particularly fond of the team concept. This
is bull riding, I kept hearing, an individual sport – man versus beast, as it were.
I understand that, I really do. I was not on the Team Train in the beginning. The PBR has tried doing team competitions in the past, but for the most part they were accepted because they did not try to replace bull riding as we knew it.
But the PBR has really invested a lot in this new team concept. With the World Finals not only moving to another location, they date-swapped as well. Instead of the Finals being held in November, it is now taking place in May, over a 10-day period
encompassing two weekends. (This was also the time frame for awhile at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.)
After the Finals are finished in the middle of May, then what? This year was the beginning of the push for the Team Series, and the PBR expects it to continue and grow. True, the time from the first event to the Championships is about the same, but with different team members to pick from, if someone gets injured, he can sit out if necessary, and different individuals can fill in for a variety of reasons.
In bull riding the way most of us were used to seeing it, if one man made a really good ride, other cowboys would slap him on the back, happy with what he accomplished. Those good rides would often pump up the riders who had not yet gotten on their bull, and often several great rides in a row would take place.
But that was nothing in comparison to the enthusiasm that we witnessed this November when a team member covered his bull. What became more apparent as each game was played in the Series Championships, was the spirit of the players on those respective teams.
And as the three days were drawing to a close and the inaugural Team Series Champion was about to be decided, the men were over-the-top excited. That excitement bubbled over to the fans in attendance, and it seemed as if this really might take off after all.
And if the fans might still be teetering on the fence about it, the bull riders certainly are not. I spoke with many who feel this is a great concept. I was chatting with one bull rider who told me that he loves the fact that many more people get the opportunity to ride in the PBR. We have already seen young, strong and very talented athletes that we might not have had a chance to get acquainted with if not for the team format.
And let’s not forget the very popular “Cherokee Kid,” Ryan Dirteater.
“I came back strictly for this,” he told me. “That was my goal. The coach asked every one of us at our training camp what our ‘why’ was. My ‘why’ was to win a World Championship title. I never got to do that in my 14-year career as an individual, and when they announced this, it gave me my second opportunity.
“We had a great team. We had wisdom on our team, and we also had a younger group of guys that were pulling energy, and the pieces just went together, and we ended up winning a World Title.”
When I spoke with Clayton Sellers a few months ago for Humps N Horns Bull Riding Magazine, he had this to say:
“I love the team format, it’s major league sports! It has brought us into the same picture as the MLB, the NFL, the NHL. It makes us feel that way as bull riders, like we are in a major league game; like we’re doing what we do at the highest level.
“We were doing that beforehand too,” he added. “But with this, as bull riders, all of our talent and energy is all selfmanufactured. But when you put five of us together, it’s quite insane. I wish everyone could feel it.”
Clayton did agree that for the diehard PBR fans, it might take a bit of time, but he also believes that all great things do take time.
“I think that this is doing everything good for the sport. I do believe that they are onto something with this team league. I think we are just going up from here.”
Winning coach Justin McBride spoke with us moments after his team won the Championship. I asked him how he picked his team from the very deep pool he had to choose from.
“As soon as I heard we were doing this, Keith Ryan Cartwright and I started making lists of guys. We started back in late
November, beginning of December of 2021. We made categories, and different ratings and things, trying to narrow it down to a group of guys that we thought would buy into what our vision was for our team. It worked, yeah!
“I loved every second of coaching, and I would do it again, no doubt about it. This is a pretty special thing in our sport. I think this is the future.”
So, you have to make your own decision. I have been converted, and really enjoyed the event in Las Vegas. I look forward to many more. But there is one thing that has not changed, or will it, in my opinion. The one thing you will continue to see is great bull rides by super bull riders on
After going 7-20-1 during the regular season, the Nashville Stampede’s erupted at the right time.
PUEBLO, Colo. – Nashville Stampede coach Justin McBride could see the smoke billowing at Silvano Alves’ ranch the week before the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship.
The smoke was well beyond the juicy Brazilian barbecue that Alves and his wife, Evelyn, were cooking up following the team’s final practice before heading to Vegas. McBride knew his team was not only hungry for some of Alves’ home cooking, but for bull riding success.
Ryan Dirteater and Matt Triplett had flown into Texas to train with their teammates, and McBride couldn’t help but think something special may be brewing as he watched his team participate in its final tune.
“Our practice sessions were getting pretty salty,” McBride said. “It was getting pretty intense and the practice pen was our sharpest of the year. I was like, ‘Oh! Ok!’ Direction change wasn’t a problem. The guys seemed ready.”
McBride had seen his team be the punching bag all season long, and at times they were even the laughingstock of the league. McBride, of course, understood that would be the case with the Stampede heading into Vegas at 7-20-1.
“Your record is still always your record,” McBride said days before the PBR Team Series Championship shaking his head in disgust.
However, McBride had a hunch that his team was ready to erupt in Las Vegas when the slate was wiped clean with every team would start 0-0 inside T-Mobile Arena.
The countless regular season games where McBride purposely put his riders in challenging matchups to make them better vs. matching them up with an easy spinner into their hands and the endless hours of hot, humid workouts in Weatherford, Texas, were bound to finally pay off.
The commitment the Nashville Stampede ownership group (Morris Communications) made to buy the team those same practice bulls was going to benefit the team.
McBride knew this. He believed this.
The 42-year-old head coach never wavered off that thought, even as his hatred for losing time and time again was eating away at his championship-desiring soul.
McBride trusted in what he, General Manager Tina Battock and Director of Rider Development/ Scouting Keith Ryan Cartwright had built in the past year.
“I watched them work. I watched them be beat up, beaten down and how they stayed resilient all year long,” McBride said. “I knew it was there. Everybody has to hit their potential at the same time, but I knew it was there. You can’t keep that kind of stuff down forever. It is going to bubble to the top. It is like a volcano that just kept smoldering, kept smoldering and people kept thinking it’s going to blow today and then it erupts.”
The volcanic eruption came at the right time for Nashville as they went 4-0 at the PBR Team Series Championship to win the inaugural title despite entering the postseason as the lowest seed in the league.
RELATED: Inside the numbers of the Stampede’s 2022 championship weekend
McBride had just finished celebrating with his team on the dirt of T-Mobile Arena when he pointed to that practice pen as one of the key moments in which he felt his team was truly ready to shock the world.
Yes, he never doubted his team, but he also wondered if things would ever come together in time.
“It has been a grind,” a mentally zapped McBride said. “I am not going to shit you. I could lie to you and say, ‘oh we kept on going and it was fine,’ but it wasn’t. Everybody was mentally tested. Myself included. But at the same time, if it was easy, this wouldn’t mean very much. That is how it is with petty much everything life. If it is not hard, what’s the point? This has definitely been hard.”
Nashville’s mental fortitude was on full display in Las Vegas, and the team will be honored Thursday locally in Nashville and during the Nashville Predators’ home game against the New York Islanders.
The Stampede never wavered under the bright lights or the most stressful moments, whereas plenty of other teams in the playoffs crumbled when the heat was turned up.
It wasn’t just 2018 World Champion and Ice Man Kaique Pacheco, who went 4-for-4 in the most pressure-filled moments of the weekend. Nor was it just veterans like 2016 World Finals event winner Dirteater and three-time World Champion Alves.
It was riders such as Joao Henrique Lucas and Cladson Rodolfo, a man who has come back from breaking his femur four times in his young career, who logged clutch rides as well.
“It really takes everybody hitting their potential, hitting their mark in Vegas,” McBride said. “If they hit their mark, we knew they could be really dangerous. That is bull riding. Guys have to be mentally tough and ready to go. Look, these guys have worked really hard all year and they got on a shit ton of bulls. They practice all the time. We buck a lot of bulls. We work very hard. We are all looking at it the same way: ‘how do I stay on the bull consistently?”
The other seven teams will almost certainly do a deep dive and look at how their team compares to Nashville when preparing for the 2023 PBR Team Series. One of the biggest takeaways? How does a team mentally compare to Nashville?
“We were battle tested,” McBride concluded. “I don’t think they could have run something in there in the playoffs that would make the guys go, ‘Oh, now what do we do?’
“That was the one thing. As mentally trying it has been all year taking losses, that was the one thing that never wavered. A real belief. It was never let’s just go tell everybody we can win. We believed in ourselves and that was enough.”
Article provided courtesy of PBR. Photo provided courtesy of BullStock Media.
“We have a wholesale outlet,” Bill added, “but we are careful not to take on too many wholesale accounts. Individual service is what made us. We also have a small retail shop in the front of our building, for our regular elk and deer skin gloves. We make a lot of gloves for folks with deformed hands or missing fingers. Our business has three people right now. I cut out the gloves. My wife, Joann runs the store and does everything, and Gayle sews the gloves. We produce 25 to 40 gloves per day.”
“We are making gloves now for the miniature bull riders,” Bill continued. “Miniature bull riding is growing, and they are the future of bull riding. We treat the little guys just like we treat the big guys.”
“I love to fish, and I love to cowboy,” Bill concluded. “That is my recreation. But I also love my work. And I love the people I do business with. These kids are young and full of energy. When you’re around them, it gives you energy. I’ve been around a while, now. I’m making gloves for kids whose dads I made gloves for!”
Photos provided courtesy of Bill White.
$4.99 USD MAR 2019
Celebrating 25 years of Humps N Horns! The March 2019 cover featured a photo from William Kierce of bullfighter Matt Clouse getting the job done at the National Professional Bull Riders Finals.
Rafael Jose de Brito of the Texas Rattlers at the PBR Team Series Championship in Las Vegas, NV.
Photo provided courtesy of BullStock Media.
Dec 1 Las Vegas, NV
PRCA Permit Members of the Year
Dec 1-10 Las Vegas, NV PRCA National Finals Rodeo
Dec 3-4 St. Louis, MO PBR Unleash the Beast Tour
Dec 4-5 Las Vegas, NV LJ Jenkins Bull Riding Championships
Dec 9-10 Minneapolis, MN PBR Unleash the Beast Tour
Dec 9-10 Sedalia, MO NFPB National Finals
Dec 17 Billings, MT
PRCA Chase Hawks Roughstock Rodeo
Dec 17 Kearney, NE PBR Touring Pro Division
Dec 17-18 Manchester, NH PBR Unleash the Beast Tour
Dec 29-30 Albany, NY PBR Unleash the Beast Tour
Dec 29-31 Red Bluff, CA PRCA California Circuit Finals
Dec 30-31 Fort Worth, TX PBR Touring Pro Division
Dec 31 Klamath Falls, OR PBR Touring Pro Division
Dec 31 Topeka, KS PRCA Xtreme Bulls
Dec 31 Gillete, WY PRCA New Years Eve Buck & Ball
JANUARY 2023
Jan 6-7 Lexington, KY PBR Velocity Tour
Jan 6-8 New York, NY PBR Unleash the Beast Tour
Jan 7 Portland, OR PBR Velocity Tour
Jan 9-11 Denver, CO PBR Velocity Tour
Jan 12-14 Harrisburg, PA PRCA First Frontier Circuit Finals
Jan 12-14 Great Falls, MT Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals
Jan 13-14 Des Moines, IA PRCA Cinch World’s Toughest Rodeo (Bulls & Broncs)
Jan 13-14 Chicago, IL
PBR Unleash the Beast Tour
Jan 13-14 Charleston, WV
Jan 14 Spokane, WA
PBR Velocity Tour
PBR Velocity Tour
Jan 17-18 Fort Worth, TX PRCA Xtreme Bulls
Jan 20-21 Greenville, SC
Jan 20-21 Reno, NV
Jan 21 Raleigh, NC
Jan 21-22 Duluth, GA
Jan 27 Rapid City, SD
Jan 27-28 Rainsville, AL
Jan 27-28 Grand Rapids, MI
PBR Velocity Tour
PBR Velocity Tour
PRCA Cinch World’s Toughest Rodeo (Bulls & Broncs)
PBR Unleash the Beast Tour
PRCA Xtreme Bulls
PBR Touring Pro Division
PBR Velocity Tour
Jan 27-28 Kalispell, MT PRCA Xtreme Bulls & Broncs
Jan 28-29 Indianopolis, IN
PBR Unleash the Beast Tour
PISGAH, AL - TIM COX, TCB, ANYTIME, CALL FIRST, 256-996-9426
NEW MARKET, AL - EC Hunt, 5:30pm Sun., 256-683-8169
BATESVILLE, AR - James Bechdoldt, Anytime, Call First, 870-307-9923
CONWAY, AR - Mark Lindsey, Ride & Shine Cattle Company, Anytime, Call First, 501-730-4557
ELFRIDA, AZ - D Davis Bucking Bulls, 4pm Sat., Call First, 520-642-3737
LINCOLN, CA - B Bar Ranch, B Bar Indoor Arena, Rain or Shine, All Rough Stock, 916-206-4059
MARYSVILLE, CA - PacWest, 5pm Wed., Steers & Bulls, Call First, 530-751-6643
FRESNO, CA - Toro Bravo Arena, Thur. by appt., Call First, 559-577-2445
ELIZABETH, CO - Tuff Garcia, Tuff E Nuff, 6pm Mon., Rain or Shine, 970-846-0788
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO - Tuff E Nuff, 6pm Wed., Apr-Nov., 970-846-6828/3354
ALDEN, IA - Circle C Rodeo, 6pm Wed., Rain or Shine, Call for alternate dates 641-373-3625
WOODBINE, IA - Tom & Kristina Kelley, every Sun. (weather permitting). Beginner - rank bulls. Call 712-5922493
KENDALLVILLE, IN - B Bar A Bucking Bulls, Heidi Speicher, 7pm Every Thur, Call First, 260-564-5864/Troy
JACKSONVILLE, IL - Lazy C Rodeo, 10am-3pm Sun., Rain or shine, Call First, 217-245-8280
JACKSONVILLE, NC - Aleck Barnard, Elite Cowboy Rodeo Assoc., Onslow Rodeo Arena, 6pm Every Other Sunday, Call First, 910-381-8597
CHANDLER, OK - JAM Bulls, 2pm Sun., 7pm Wed., Call First, 405-570-9010
SOPER/HUGO, OK - RBL Rodeo Bulls, Anytime with 4-6 hour notice, Rain or Shine, 307-461-1741
EAGLEVILLE, TN - BF Cattle Company, 2pm Sun., Jackpot, Call First, 615-336-4313
EMORY, TX - Oakes & Greene’s, 7pm Wed., 903-348-8630
LORENA, TX - Rocking S Ranch, Tue., Jackpot, Call First, 254-716-0779
MANSFIELD, TX - JC Knapp Ranch, 4pm Sun/6pm Wed., $5 at the gate to ride as many as you want, 817-223-3692
SIMMS, TX - Wilburn Bucking Bulls, 7pm Every Other Thur., 903-543-3025
PETROLIA, TX - Norris Dalton, 7pm Wed., 940-733-3020
DECATUR, TX - Cullen Calame, Denton Creek Farms, Call First, 940-393-3730
NOCONA, TX - 4x Arena, Call First, 501-944-1907
NOCONA, TX - Locke Bucking Bulls, Call First, 940-872-0733
WILLS POINT, TX - Austin Arena Bulls, Barrels, & Poles. $10 per ride/run or $25 for all you can ride. Bulls for all ages. 214-7265799
BATESVILLE, AR - James Bechdoldt, White River Rodeo, 870-307-9923
RAYMOND, IL - Randy Littrell, Shop Creek Cattle, 217-556-0551
MARYSVILLE, KS - Gary Hershey, 4H Bucking Bulls and Marysville Sale Barn, Call First, 785-292-4952
LAKE CHARLES, LA - Keith Strickland, Deep South Rodeo Genetics, 337-304-1493
SALEM, MO - Hwy 32 & 72, Salem Livestock Auction, 573-729-8880
HELENA, MT - Jim Horne, Bull Horne Ranch, 406-459-5706
FERNLEY, NV - Nathan Pudsey, Circle P Bucking Bulls, 775-750-2168
CLAYTON, NM - Justin Keeth, Lazy J 3 Bucking Bulls, 575-447-0877
BETHESDA, OH - 15 Miles off I-70, TCB Ranch, 304-281-4530
SOPER/HUGO, OK - RBL Rodeo Bulls, Anytime with 4-6 hours notice, 307-461-1741
BOX ELDER, SD - Gus “Duane” Aus, Lazy Heart O Ranch, 605-923-3426
BUCHANAN, TN - Parsons & Milam 731-642-8346
CLARKSVILLE, TX - Brian Agnew, BA Livestock, 903-669-9189
DUBLIN, TX - Mike Godfrey, Godfrey 4X Cattle, 817-235-2852
MANSFIELD, TX - JC Knapp Ranch, JC Knapp Rodeo, 817-223-3692
MIDLAND, TX - Ted Norton, Norton Bucking Bulls, 432-413-8433
DECATUR, TX - Cullen Calame, Denton Creek Farms, 940-393-3730
SIMMS, TX - Near I-30 Texarkana, Wilburn Bucking Bulls, 863-381-2799
CHEYENNE, WY - Floyd & Ann Thomas, TTnT Ranch, 307-778-8806
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There’s a special place inside my door Where I set my old boots each night
I’ve worn them boots more years than I know Two decades would be about right
They’re dusty and stained and scarred and gouged Not very pretty to see But we’ve been through a lot together That old pair of boots and me
The heels are rundown, but they still hold my spurs I’ve worn them in rain, sleet and snow We’ve tromped through mud nearly six inches deep Them boots always good to go
A few years back, I went to the store To buy me some new boots to wear But I realized my old boots are part of me Guess I really don’t want a new pair
I had those boots on when I married my wife They were there at the birth of my son I wore them to bury my father When his days on this earth were done
There’s blood from the calf that was stuck in the fence And that stain from the colt born last May The right toe is smashed a little flat From the horse that stomped me one day
Then there’s that deep gouge that I got from an ax When I missed, cutting wood for a fire And the quarter inch scar that’s shaped like the moon Put there when I fought with barbed wire
A black burn mark adorns the left arch An old drop of paint stains the sole There’s also a gouge on the upper I got when I fell in that hole
I wear them to church, I wear them to work I wear them wherever I go They look just fine, and they meet my needs But my wife disagrees, don’t you know
She says, “The very least you could do Is give them old boots a shine!” But I’d rather they map my life story That old pair of boots of mine.
By Kelly B. Robbins
