Bull Riders at Del Rio’s 2008 George Paul tell us ‘Why we do it’

May 4, 2008
By Stacy S. Jensen
Special to LIVE!

Bull riders may be competing against a field of cowboys for the moneybag, but they are in a true one-on-one competition with a 1,800-pound beast.

The 31st Annual George Paul Memorial Bull Riding event May 3 and 4 brought together a championship crowd of 40 riders.

Clint Craig

"If you don't like to be scared, this is not the thing to do," Clint Craig of Mena, Ark. said May 3 while warming up for the first day of George Paul competition. Craig was stretching with Casey Baize of San Angelo, Texas.

Craig said the bulls make the riders overcome their fears. "It's a rush," he said.

"That and we couldn't play golf that well," Baize jokes.

They may joke, but they have serious jobs that require preparation.

Baize said bull riders are professional athletes. "I don't get paid, if I don't compete," he said. To keep in shape, he spends up to an hour and a half in the gym training every day.

"We don't have coaches," Baize said.

The competition – the bull – keeps them motivated.

"You spend time in the gym. You want to be stretched out. You're trying to hold onto 1,800-pounds that wants to get away from you," Craig said.

Craig didn't let his bull in Saturday's competition get away. He rode Auger to earn a score of 92.5. It was the third best of the evening. His Sunday ride earned Craig a spot in the top 15. He earned some money, but no buckle.

Casey Blaize

Baize, 28, began riding bulls when he was 13.

To learn how to ride, Baize said, "You just get on."

He knows it's dangerous, but to learn to ride – you have to ride.

Craig, 25, began riding 13 years ago. He used to see pictures of his dad Dale riding and always wanted to do it. His dad taught him the sport.

When he graduated high school, he skipped college and went straight to riding bulls. "Bull riding has supported me since I was 12."

Baize said, "When you're winning it's great." The alternative isn't so great.

Craig and Baize are friends and say rodeos provide a network of support.

"Your rodeo buddies," Baize said. "It's hard to explain. I have friends all over the U.S." It works out good if you have a broken down vehicle, but even better in other situations.

"If a fight breaks out, you will have 20 waspy bull riders to help you out," Baize said.

Craig said the camaraderie among the bull riders can definitely be seen at competition – even though they are competing for the same pot of cash.

"We'll give each other information (about the bulls)," Craig said, because it could be a "life and death situation."

"We don't want to see anyone hurt."

Baize said you want to get in and out of the chute as fast as you can. The bull needs to be standing right. "Sometimes, you have to be a cowboy and do the best you can."

Craig said riders are taught the fundamentals of riding. They are the same whether the rider is young – 8 or 10 years old – or is a professional rider.

"Everybody has a routine," he said. "It's automatic. You go through the routine."

The pair are planning ahead for the day they may not be riding bulls for a living.

"When you hit about 30, you're over the hill," Baize said. "It's smart to have something to fall back on." He does at his family's ranch.

Craig also plans to work on the family cattle ranch when he's finished riding bulls.

Craig said many of the riders would do it, even if there wasn't a cash prize.

"If they didn't pay, we'd still do it," he said.

"You can't put a price on the sport," Baize said.

Seth Reynolds

Seth Reynolds of Willow Springs, Mo. is upbeat and excited about bull riding, but his role as a Christian, a husband and a new father keeps him talking.

The 25-year-old competed in the 31st Annual George Paul Memorial Bull Riding Event May 3 and 4. He has been taking on bulls for about five and a half years. He was serving the country in the U.S. Navy, but his colorblindness disqualified him from being a Navy SEAL.

His disappointment turned him down a bad road, but the light at the end of the tunnel was a path to God. He became a Christian. He met his wife Lacy, who is a third grade school teacher. The couple has a son, Kourt Mason, who turned 11 weeks old May 3.

Reynolds said he's very much like a catfish with its mouth always open.

When his son was born, he said he experienced God's love at a new level. "Before my son was even born, I loved and missed him," Reynolds said.

This year, marked Reynolds' first entry into the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding Event. With a few years under his belt, he still remembers his first ride. "It happens so fast. It's almost a subconscious reaction."

"There's a lot of rhythm," he said. If you aren't in rhythm with the bull, Reynolds said it can hurt.

Reynolds competes about three days a week in the winter; but in the summer he'll work five to six days. Recently, he said he's been a "Mr. Mom" with his son.

When he's not bull riding, he's been speaking in public about his relationship with Christ. The avid hunter said he would like to ride into his 30s, if it's God's will. Then, he hopes to open up an area for hunting.