Nothin’ But Try Ranch

By Kelly B. Robbins

Erick, Oklahoma is a small town in Beckham County and is situated in western Oklahoma, just six miles east of the Texas-Oklahoma border. This community developed along the Choctaw, Oklahoma, and Gulf Railroad line, which later became the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway. Erick was established in 1901, and is named after Beeks Erick, the townsite developer.

Erick is the home of the Nothin’ But Try Ranch and Event Center. Owners Chad and Jenny Drury, and their 12-year-old daughter Addi, house, raise and train over 100 bucking bulls, from yearlings to five-year-olds, on this 300acre ranch. “We raise bucking bulls, and haul bulls to PBR and other bucking bull events,” Chad explained. “We have a covered arena to host events, Chad, Jenny, and Addi Drury. and we raise everything we have.”

Chad, Jenny, and Addi Drury

They recently added a complete covered arena. On June 1, they held a PBR/ABBI event of the brand-new Challenger Series. The Challenger Series was launched in May of 2022 and is a competition series consisting of more than 60 events in 27 states across the United States. The Challenger Series will run in conjunction with the new PBR Team Series.

When announcing the Challenger Series back in March of 2022, the PBR said, “The PBR Challenger Series will serve as a proving ground in providing additional competitive opportunities for bull riders who are both affiliated and unaffiliated with a PBR Team Series team.”

“We are real excited about the new PBR Team Series and the new PBR Challenger Series,” Chad offered. “It’s going to create opportunities for bull riders and stock contractors alike, and I think it will be a huge success. We have six of the Challenger events scheduled here at Nothin’ but Try Ranch. The next one is June 15. Coach Ross Coleman brought some of his Missouri Thunder team to our June 1 event. It was really fun watching him work with those guys as they develop into a team. One of his riders, Leandro Machado, rode our 1805 Big Kiwi for 85.5 points, and ended up winning the event.”

“For the remaining Challenger events, Nothin’ But Try will provide the short round bulls and extra bulls,” Chad continued. “Various other stock contractors will be providing bulls for the events.”

Chad grew up rodeoing in South Dakota. He got a rodeo scholarship to Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma, and finished third in the bull riding of the College National Finals. He then went on to ride in the PRCA. “Bucking bulls is in your blood,” Chad explained, when I asked him how he transitioned from riding bulls to stock contracting. “Most guys that raise bulls now are former bull riders.”

Addi Drury with her bull, Hard Labor.

Nothin’ But Try Ranch is truly a family deal. The ranch was named in honor of Chad’s brother, Shane. “My little brother Shane was an NFR qualifier in 2000. He passed away in 2006 from cancer. He always had ‘nothin’ but try’ in and out of the arena.”

The Nothin’ But Try brand is a big S and a small c…Sc. “Sc stands for Shane and Chad,” Chad revealed. “When Shane was alive, we were trying to come up with a brand together. I told him if I became half the man he is, I’d be in good shape. That’s why the ‘c’ is half the size of the ‘S’.”

I asked Chad if he has a favorite bull. He didn’t hesitate as he told me it was 1814 Hard Labor, the bull owned by his daughter Addi. Hard Labor was one of two bulls that the Drurys hauled to the PBR World Finals in Fort Worth last May. The other bull was 1805 Big Kiwi, who was a designated re-ride bull but did not get to buck. “Hard Labor was a bottle-fed calf, and he is Addi’s pet,” Chad shared. “She has raised him from a calf, and he lets her pet him and scratch him. There is always a fence between Hard Labor and Addi, because Hard Labor hooked me when he was a twoyear-old. But he lets Addi walk up to him and start petting or scratching him. She talks to him and loves on him. She spends more time with that bull than she does with her friends!”

“She got the surprise of her life and a dream come true when she was able to flank Hard Labor at the PBR Finals in Fort Worth on Friday, May 13. PBR CEO Sean Gleason and PBR Director of Livestock Cody Lambert gave the okay.” She flanked Hard Labor as Rafael Henrique dos Santos settled on his back in the chute. When the gate opened, Hard Labor dumped dos Santos in just 2.90 seconds, for a bull score of 44. Afterward, Addi was being interviewed on TV and was in tears.

“Those were tears of joy, gratitude, pride, and love for her bull! Seeing Addi flank that bull at the Finals was very rewarding, and the joy and gratitude she experienced is why we do what we do,” Chad declared. “Addi wants to be a vet. She quit gymnastics to rodeo with Hard Labor. She travels with me when I haul Hard Labor and helps feed and care for him. She was the 2021 ABBI Junior Futurity World Champion with a bull named Smooth Whiskey.”

Keep your eyes on Chad, Jenny and Addi Drury and Nothin’ But Try Ranch and Event Center as they navigate through the busy and exciting future laid out before them. “When you see your kids sharing your passion,” Chad concluded, “It is such a blessing! When you have a child that has the same passion that you do, you are so proud to support that passion.”

Addi Drury and Hard Labor.

Photos provided courtesy of Nothin’ But Try Ranch.