Bull Riding

BULL RIDING

Definitely the most dangerous event in rodeo, bull riding requires a positive attitude as a cowboy engages in a test of nerves against the bull.

A rope with a handhold braided in it is wrapped around the bull with a weighted cowbell hanging underneath, allowing the rope to fall free when the ride is complete. The rope is pulled snuggly around the bull's girth, and is kept tight only by the strength of the cowboy's grip.

During the ride, the cowboy tries to stay close up on the rope's handhold to prevent his arm from straightening and his hand from breaking loose. A bull rider is disqualified for touching the bull with his free hand or bucking off before the end of the eight-second ride. A rider is not required to move his feet because staying on these loose-hided animals is difficult enough. However, if a bull rider does spur, he will be marked higher.

Below is a list of contestants that have qualified for the Calgary Stampede.

Pool A

Brendon Clark

Birth Date:
1980-09-24
Hometown:
Coalinga, California
Career Earnings:

Originally from Australia, Brendon started riding at age 6 and began bullriding at 13. The "Australian Sensation" has consistently placed top 10 at recent PBR events.


PRCA Standings
PBR 2006 Wolrd Finishing Place - 42nd

Brian Canter

Birth Date:
1987-06-25
Hometown:
Randleman, NC
Career Earnings:
$606,894

After turning 18 in June of 2005, Brian bought his PBR permit and won enough money over the course of the next four months to qualify for the PBR World Finals.


PRCA Standings

PBR World 2006 Finishing Place - 8th
$100,000 Champion at Calgary Stampede 2007

Chad Besplug

Birth Date:
1985-10-04
Hometown:
Claresholm, Alberta
Career Earnings:

He is single.

Attends Odessa College on a rodeo scolarship.

If he wins the $100,000 he plans on backpacking through South America.


PRCA Standings

CFR (2)

2006
  • Won the first round at Rodeo Houston
  • Placed second in the aggregate.
2005
  • Canadian standings: 5th
  • CPRA Rookie of the Year
  • CPRA Permit Award Winner

Denton Edge

Birth Date:
1981-08-21
Hometown:
Marwayne, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$105,561

Denton has been competing for 10 years and his grandpa Norman Edge, also a bullrider, gave him his start. He and his wife, Lindsey, have one daughter, Charlee.


PRCA Standings
CFR(2)
2007 CPRA Season Leader
Calgary Stampede BSR Champion 1991

Dustin Elliott

Birth Date:
1981-04-05
Hometown:
North Platte, Nebraska
Career Earnings:
$542,484

Elliot stumbled across Bull Riding as a kid - literally. He and his brother accidentally found their dad's riding equipment and were instantly hooked on the sport. Dustin and his Wife, Cynthia, have twins, Emma and Ethan.


PRCA Standings
World Titles (1)
Wrangler NFR (3)
Competed in 5 events of the Built Ford Tough Series in 2007.
2004 won his first World title after qualifying for his first Wrangler NFR.

J.B. Mauney

Birth Date:
1987-01-09
Hometown:
Mooresville, North Carolina
Career Earnings:
$862,600

J.B. has been competing for 18 years. When J.B. broke all his ribs on the right side, lacerated his liver, and bruised his kidney and spleen at a bullriding he was on the sidelines for more than four months, forcing him to miss the 2005 PBR World Finals.


PRCA Standings

2006 PBR Rookie of the Year
2006 Challenger Tour Champion

Matt Bohon

Birth Date:
1983-09-30
Hometown:
Cole Camp, MO
Career Earnings:
$454,582

In 2005 he dominated the field with the most 90-point rides going into the PBR World Finals. He started riding at age 13 and turned down college rodeo scholarships to pursue his PBR career.


PRCA Standings
PBR World 2006 Finishing Place - 13th 4 PBR World Finals Placements

Nathan Roy

Birth Date:
1985-08-01
Hometown:
Asquith, Saskatchewan
Career Earnings:
$67,925

Nathan's highest marked ride is 92 points on "Buffalo Soldier".
He runs N8's Welding and is married to wife, Dee.


PRCA Standings
CFR(1)
2007 CFR Champion Bullrider - First Time Qualifier

Scott Schiffner

Birth Date:
1980-04-01
Hometown:
Strathmore, Alberta
Career Earnings:

Wife Brandy

Scott also ranches when not on the rodeo trail.


PRCA Standings
CFR (8)
CPRA Season Leader and Canadian Champion in 2006
Two time winner at the Calgary Stampede (1994, 2001)
CFR Aggregate Champion in 2001

Tyler Pankewitz

Birth Date:
1985-02-03
Hometown:
Warburg, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$90,608

Tyler began rodeo at age 10 in Steer Riding, and chose his event because it was his favorite to watch. His most memorable moments are riding at the CFR in 2006 and at the PBR World Finals in 2007.


PRCA Standings
CFR(1)
2007 PBR Canadian Champion

Pool B

B.J. Schumacher

Birth Date:
1982-05-21
Hometown:
Hillsboro, Wisconsin
Career Earnings:
$908,170

B.J's dad got him started in bullriding, and he began competing when he was 9 years old.
Hobbies include breaking and training horses.


PRCA Standings
World Titles (1)
Wrangler NFR (6)
Won 10 major rodeos in 2007
Won his first Wrangler NFR World Title becoming the first Wisconsin bull rider to win a world title(2006)
2005 qualified for 4th WNFR but was unable to compete due to injury.

Beau Hill

Birth Date:
1979-02-07
Hometown:
West Glacier, Montana
Career Earnings:
$135,016

Known for his height and athletic ability.
Turned down a baseball scholarship to ride bulls.
Has broken many bones: ankle, sternum, foot, torn ligaments in elbow and separated his shoulder.
Wife Keri, daughter Lakia and son Jace.


PRCA Standings
CFR(1)
2006; Placed 3rd at Built Ford Tough Series event in Tulsa, OK.

Chance Smart

Birth Date:
1983-12-09
Hometown:
Philadelphia, Missouri
Career Earnings:

Involved in rodeo since age 5, Chance prepares for competition through religious CDs and scriptures. He plans to ride for another five years before entering the ministry.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR(1)
Placed in 6 of 10 rounds at the WNFR, finishing second in the average.
Won eight events and tied two in 2007.

Devon Mezei

Birth Date:
1987-11-18
Hometown:
Scandia, AB
Career Earnings:


Devon comes from a rodeo family, and his dad also rode bulls. He also enjoys hockey and wakeboarding.
PRCA Standings
CFR(1)
Devon made the CFR for the first time in 2007.
Won the Strathmore rodeo in
His highest marked ride is 92 at Taber WPB

Kody Lostroh

Birth Date:
1985-09-18
Hometown:
LaSalle, CO
Career Earnings:
$869,760

Kody shot to the top of the 2005 PBR Rookie of the year race with two Built Ford Tough Series wins. He is married to wife Candace and enjoys hunting, fishing and working on muscle cars in his spare time.


PRCA Standings
PBR World 2006 Finishing Place - 5th

Mike Lee

Birth Date:
1983-06-11
Hometown:
Decatur, TX
Career Earnings:
$2,323,560

Mike climbed on his first steer at age 10. First rider to earn both the World Finals event title and the Million Dollar World Championship. Mike and wife, Jamie welcomed twins, Noah and Loralai into their family on Jan. 14, 2008.


PRCA Standings

2005 U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Challenger Tour Finals Event Winner
2004 World Finals Event Champion.
2004 PBR World Champion.

Sean Willingham

Birth Date:
1981-05-18
Hometown:
Summerville, GA
Career Earnings:
$726,008

Sean has been riding for 11 years.
He attended Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas; He enjoys golf, wakeboarding and dancing.


PRCA Standings
PBR World 2006 Finishing Place ⿿ 4th
In 2006, he won three BFTS events and had six Top-5 finishes.
In 2007, won one BFTS event and had six Top-5 finishes.

Tyler Thomson

Birth Date:
1981-01-22
Hometown:
Black Diamond, AB
Career Earnings:
$92,306

Tyler has been in rodeo since he was 8 years old. He is a third generation cowboy and believes in making his own luck.
PRCA Standings
CFR(2)
Tyler went to Australia in 2007 to represent Canada at the PBR Worlds.

Wesley Silcox

Birth Date:
1985-05-30
Hometown:
Payson, Utah
Career Earnings:
$585,009

Enjoys boating, snowboarding, and hunting deer and elk.
Started rodeo career as a team and tie-down roper. Didn't ride bulls until he was a junior in high school.


PRCA Standings

Wrangler NFR (1)
Won Rounds 2,9 and 10 at the Wrangler NFR on his way to claiming the average title, and the gold buckle.
In 2007 he more than doubled his regular season earnings, and won 8 major rodeos and a co-championship.

Wiley Peterson

Birth Date:
1979-03-10
Hometown:
Pocatello, Idaho
Career Earnings:
$1,147,230

Climbed on first steer at age 10. Attended Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho on a rodeo scholarship. Worst injury of his career in 2004; tore his ACL and MCL in right knee; required surgery and sidelined him for six months.


PRCA Standings
PBR World 2006 Finishing Place - 10th