What if you could tap into the mind of a bull riding who, at the tender age of 24, has been entrusted with one of the most critical roles in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) organization?
This episode delivers exactly that - a one-on-one with Riley Gagnon, who in spite of his youth, holds the reins as PBR's second director of livestock. Tune in to hear Riley's incredible journey from a rising bull riding star in Canada to a pivotal role in the PBR, how he defied medical advice to quit bull riding after a severe neck injury, and how his relentless work ethic and understanding of bulls landed him his current role.
Take a ride with us as Riley gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his responsibilities as the director of livestock. Learn about the intricate process of selecting the finest bulls for PBR's weekly events, the delicate balance between the needs of stock contractors and riders, and the pressures that come with his role. Riley’s honesty about his own mistakes and how these experiences contributed to his growth within PBR and earned him the respect of older coaches provides invaluable lessons on humility and resilience in the face of adversity.
But that's not all. We also explore the evolution of bull riding and Riley's significant role in shaping the sport through careful bull selection and his relationships with stock contractors. Hear from the horse's mouth on what it takes to be a part of the PBR, the magic that happens when the best bulls and riders come together, and why the events mean so much more than just a thrilling spectacle.
As an added bonus, Riley shares some sage words of wisdom on living a life of pride and ambition, the importance of pushing oneself, and the power of being surrounded by the right people. This episode is a must-listen for anyone keen to understand the mind-body connection through the exhilarating world of bull riding.
What if you could tap into the mind of a bull riding who, at the tender age of 24, has been entrusted with one of the most critical roles in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) organization?
This episode delivers exactly that - a one-on-one with Riley Gagnon, who in spite of his youth, holds the reins as PBR's second director of livestock. Tune in to hear Riley's incredible journey from a rising bull riding star in Canada to a pivotal role in the PBR, how he defied medical advice to quit bull riding after a severe neck injury, and how his relentless work ethic and understanding of bulls landed him his current role.
Take a ride with us as Riley gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his responsibilities as the director of livestock. Learn about the intricate process of selecting the finest bulls for PBR's weekly events, the delicate balance between the needs of stock contractors and riders, and the pressures that come with his role. Riley’s honesty about his own mistakes and how these experiences contributed to his growth within PBR and earned him the respect of older coaches provides invaluable lessons on humility and resilience in the face of adversity.
But that's not all. We also explore the evolution of bull riding and Riley's significant role in shaping the sport through careful bull selection and his relationships with stock contractors. Hear from the horse's mouth on what it takes to be a part of the PBR, the magic that happens when the best bulls and riders come together, and why the events mean so much more than just a thrilling spectacle.
As an added bonus, Riley shares some sage words of wisdom on living a life of pride and ambition, the importance of pushing oneself, and the power of being surrounded by the right people. This episode is a must-listen for anyone keen to understand the mind-body connection through the exhilarating world of bull riding.
Welcome to the Mind Body Project podcast. After over a decade in the health and wellness industry, erin realized that our bodies change only short-term unless our mindset changes. For long-term success, both our mind and body are forever linked. We are continually building up new ideas and tearing down old ones in our construction zone we call our mind. After this podcast is over, make sure you give it a like and a share and please subscribe and review this podcast. I would now like to introduce you to your host, the man connecting your mind and body to create a limitless life, erin Zegler.
Speaker 2:Welcome back to the Mind Body Project. Thanks for taking a long time to join me today. Please welcome my guest. He is from a relatively unknown Canadian bull rider to becoming the PBR's only second director of livestock. At just 22 years of age, my guest filled the boot prints of PBR co-founder and first director of livestock, cody Lambert, and he now is the chief bull picker for the PBR. Please welcome my guest today, riley Ganon. Yes, sir.
Speaker 3:Yes, sir.
Speaker 2:Okay, riley G. I thought I might do my best to get his name right. So thank you, riley, for taking a long time to join me today. As you kind of mentioned before we started. You know you say well, why? Why do you want to? You know, talk to me, but taking a man's position and it's not really taking that, he moved. We're going to get into Cody's different position now, but he had that position for almost 30 years. So to come in, and now you're the only ever second director of livestock in the PBR at just your 23, 24 and 24.
Speaker 2:24, yeah, that's a big deal. So we're going to find out how that happens, what kind of stress that is now, especially with the PBR now has teams, which is a whole new deal. It's, above and beyond this, the seasons. So we're going to get into all that. But I kind of want to go back a little bit, because you're from Canada. Yeah, alberta, alberta, yeah, so so how do you do you live on a ranch as a kid? I mean, how's that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I grew up on a ranch with, you know, around the lifestyle, rodeo lifestyle of my older brother he was in the time event and he was a calf roper bulldogger than my sister ran barrels and trained, trained plenty of horses. So I was involved with it right from the beginning. But to get into the rough side, rough stalks out of it, it was more or less a surprise to everybody. They figured I'd grow up roping calves or or still wrestling on that side of it.
Speaker 2:So when you say rough stock cause, you know, I I may live in the country, but I'm not a country person. Um, I'm a city-fied country person. So what is what? When you say rough stock? What's the difference between the rough stock and if you're a barrel racer or calf roper?
Speaker 3:Well, the barrel racer, calf roper, like it's a time event in the rough stock. You know we got Bronc riding, bearback riding and Bull riding. I took into the bull riding side of things where, where it's a judge event, it's an opinion to who who comes out on top, or the time event, it's all on on a clock. So as long as you don't break the barrier, you you do, all right. But the rough stock it comes with the name it's, it's rough, so that that played a big toll on on. What I wanted to do is is injuries.
Speaker 2:So, so how? So? How do you, I mean, if, if your siblings are doing the timed events and the other things, then how do you, I mean, just tell your parents, hey, I want to right, so I know, cause it doesn't, you, don't start out riding bulls that when you're held where you yeah, it's about 12, 12 years old steers, or how does that work?
Speaker 3:So in Canada, yeah, we have, we call it the steer riding and we ride with two hands and it's actually brand account. It's the mom to the bulls that that become bucking bulls, and so it was. I wasn't allowed to. Actually. My parents said no, like there's, there's no way, you're not doing it. Like we'll buy you a horse or anything like that. They weren't, they weren't just going to be like hey, yeah, let's.
Speaker 2:Are you the youngest?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm the youngest and and they had no knowledge of it, like, out of all the kids, like I say, they were all in the time of an in. So for me to to branch out there and do that, you know, it wasn't just hard for me, it was hard for them, cause if they couldn't sit there and teach me and talk me the ways is all right, here you go, figure it out, kind of a deal.
Speaker 2:So where do you sit, did you see it? I mean, what made you just when you went to rodeos?
Speaker 3:Yeah you saw them and thought man, I can well, yeah, when, like when, I'd go, like the high school rodeos or something, when my sister and brother were in high school, so on the weekends that's where we were, and you'd, you'd find me in the bucking shoot end of the arena. I was never, never too interested on rope and calves or anything. I was over there watching them guys get ready and that's kind of what caught an eye to it A few younger guys at the time they're older now. They rodeo in Canada white Gleason and called Braithway. They gave me a vest and some shaps and a rope and said here you got the gear to get started now, now go ahead.
Speaker 3:And if you want to figure it out and so of course, my parents were still no, it's not happening. And there was a school that was coming up, a steer-grind school, a bull ride out of that one, the Canadians Tanner girl, this was putting this school on. So we, I went away, didn't listen to my parents and I called in and I entered the school. That's what everyone always and so how old were?
Speaker 3:you, I would have been 12.
Speaker 2:So you without your parents? You just called in and said yeah.
Speaker 3:I mean, like, like we had a house phone, like I didn't even have a cell phone or anything. So I called on the house phone and I got entered up in this steer-grinding school because that's what everyone was telling me. So just if you want to start getting into the school kind of you know show they'll show you the right from wrong and get you in the right right space of mind, because it is something totally different. Not everyone can do it. So, yeah, I ended up entering this school and, like just a couple like I had no way to get there, I didn't drive, I didn't like I never thought that far and I just I had this idea of getting there, I'm going to get in.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm going to make it work. So about two days before it starts, you know I haven't paid, I haven't signed anything Like. I just figured I'd show up and pay them and nothing.
Speaker 3:But Tanner ended up calling the number back and of course it was a house phone. My parents answered and he goes on to tell him like hey, like we haven't heard from Riley, we're just wanting to make sure he's still making the school. And of course they're like what? Like, what are you talking about? And then my dad, my mom, was like well, he went through this trouble. My dad's like, yeah, like he, if he wants to do this battle, we'll let him go there. And they my dad, was thinking I'd go there and get my head knocked a few times and maybe get roughed up a little bit and say, ah, this just ain't for me, I'll just keep playing hockey. But um, and then I have a uh, one another brother that's just a bit older than me and he has nothing to do with rodeo, he's a mechanic. But he thought this was great.
Speaker 3:Like he he figured he needed to tag along and he, he never came to the rodeos with us ever. I don't know, I'm not sure about any of it, but sure enough, he wants to come see me get on these steers. At the time. And um, and this is how little I knew about it is when I called in, like I, I was going to the high school rodeo so I just figured I'd be riding bulls. So I told him, like I'm, I want to ride bulls and I run one handed and in the steer on you, in Canada they start you to hand it. But I was skipping that. I was going straight to the bulls Like I, I so this is going from the steers to the bulls.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I didn't even get on any stairs. I just told them on the phone, like they have never met me, that Tanner had no idea who I was. And sure enough, I get there and he, he sees me and they all he's a kid Like and, luckily enough, having getting in with guys like that that that know right from wrong in the sport, that they ain't there to hurt you. So, uh, he helped me out quite a bit there and of course it's my first time and you know you get wrecked out a few times and you figure out if you really want to do it. And so I went on for the rest of the year entering local rodeos and everything and and and just slowly, slowly getting into the bull riding and and when I was going they got pro rodeos and kind of for the steer riding and and they they bring really good brand of cows that are bred really well in in the bull industry.
Speaker 3:And and I kind of caught an eye to that when, right away, you know, 13 years old, 12 years old, I was starting to the winnings I'd have at start buying these rodeo cows to start raising bulls Like. That was an idea for me is.
Speaker 2:So so when you buy a rodeo cow like one that's they've roped on, roped or something like that- and then in the steer riding you would actually end up riding them and they buck like bulls but you know the way smaller and and then you'd want to, then you'd buy them, buy them and start breeding them to get bucking bulls, raising bulls out of them.
Speaker 3:And that's what got me an eye for the bucking bulls is, you know, like my parents had a ranch, I was able to, you know, start bringing these cows there and it was kind of the same deal as me riding, like they were saying, no, you're not doing that. And I didn't listen very good and I just started, you know, getting called cows hauled in there and and dropped off and did walk outside and there'd be a new cow there and then just shake my head at me.
Speaker 3:But and that you paid for that you yeah, they didn't know nothing about it till they walked out the door and seen it, and or maybe they did, you know, they never told me that and they probably did, as parents they kind of always know what you're up to. But I figured they'd rather me doing that than run around being a wild man. So spend my money in a better place, I suppose so. But then, yeah, then I, you know, gotten to the bull riding from there.
Speaker 3:You know, around that 13, 14, I started getting on big bulls and and that's really not knowing either to is is that my parents didn't really know any better, but they had a really good sense that you probably shouldn't be getting on these big of bulls yet and. But I I wasn't the best listener and I kept going and I got plenty of injuries from it, but it it worked out good. So when I did finally get to the age where I could start going to these bigger bull grinds, you know I had, I had a taste for that bull power and and it went good there for a while, but then the injuries did definitely wrap up on me.
Speaker 2:So when you, when you start getting on the bigger bulls, how old are you then?
Speaker 3:Well, like I started entering pro road, like you got to be 18 to enter and soon as I turned 18, like I was planning on going and entering and I was headed down here to start going to PBRs and all my way down I I stopped at a buddy's place and we went to. We ended up just an open bull riding and ended up breaking my leg and I had multiple surgeries on getting it fixed and having to come back from that. Um, and just before that you know that's going in, they come into Bowie was that's where I was coming, as I had lamp Cody Lambert where I could stay at and he was kind of taking me under my his wing at that time in the bull riding side of things. And, uh, you know, I just injury after injury. It just wrapped up.
Speaker 2:How old were you when you first came to Bowie Good Did you come to?
Speaker 3:Cody's for a academy? Yeah, I think they had a bull riding Academy.
Speaker 2:So how old were you then?
Speaker 3:I would have been 14.
Speaker 2:So in your parent I mean coming from Canada yeah so your parents, I mean. So how do you so, how do you even hear about Cody and the bull riding Academy to come down here and do it when you're in Canada? And how do your parents say yes?
Speaker 3:Well, by then they, you know they really bought into it Like they. They understood that I was really trying to trying to go summers with them, I was putting a lot of time and effort into it.
Speaker 3:So, uh, they began to really back me on all my decisions on on what to do. Um, so, and then my uncle found out about the Academy, and it was right before the high school finals. We're going to the high school finals and, uh, he was telling me, and we made sure to get ended up in it getting around those kind of guys and and, like Cody Lambert, since I was a little kid, I knew who he was, what he, what he's been able to do in the rodeo world, and then, and then afterwards, what he's been able to still bring to the table not riding, and and that's something that I've always looked up to is what he did in the arena and then after what he's been able to do, and I knew I wanted to get around surround myself with those kind of people when, I was young, like that was always.
Speaker 3:My goal is to be around the people that are striving to be. An elite is what it really is, and and uh, so I made sure I was making that trip there.
Speaker 2:You know, I interviewed uh on the mind body project. I interviewed Cody Um his, he was one of my very first to interview in the show a couple of years ago and I asked him at one of the things I said what, what makes you successful? And he told me. He said surround yourself with great people. Yeah, and he said and, and that, and that sounds like the same thing you want to do is get around those people that are doing those things really having some success and just be a part of that Cause you're right.
Speaker 2:When you're around that man, that just I mean you just find yourself being better and wanting to do better and learning more.
Speaker 3:Um, it's, that's huge, like that's the in in all areas of life, brother, it's, it's a job that you're in, or, uh, your family or or just any kind of sports in any, any levels. You know you, you put yourself around people that that want to see you do better and they're pushing themselves to do better. It only betters you, cause you lose. You you know you're going against someone, and if they're better than you lose, so it makes you better.
Speaker 3:And uh, and you learn. You know, when you get around someone a bit older than you, you can learn from their mistakes and take those in the in the making decisions on your own. But you make a makes a big difference when you have someone like that in your corner.
Speaker 2:And so you come down, your your 15, you come to the academy. You know, learn a lot, um and.
Speaker 3:I broke my neck.
Speaker 2:Why are you there?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I got a bull step down. He broke my neck and I got flew out of there and they they ended up taking me to Dallas trauma center there and my mom was there and everything and and of course she didn't. She wasn't enjoying that at all. Like that's hard for any parent to see someone get your kid get hurt. But um, so yeah, I know it was a bad deal. So I I broke a couple bones in my neck and and and, like you know they they'd strongly said like you know, this isn't bull riding, is probably not gonna work out for you from this.
Speaker 3:And like after this injury, like you know, it's Like it's pretty serious when you get into in the break in a neck. And I didn't listen to them. Like I said, I'm terrible listener. Some someone will tell me something to do some night on listen. So, uh, you know, I'm just nodding my head like what was? And I was in a big old halo when I was old. My bust in my nose and my face was all bloody. Helmet cut the back of my head open like it was a bad wreck and uh, and sure enough, uh, I'm at the hospital and they're telling me all this, okay, like yeah, you know, it's best you be done, like this is not like a small injury, uh, and I'm just saying yes, and my mom's all mad and she's mad at you.
Speaker 2:Yeah well, she's just. You know she's mad, but she's upset, yeah, yeah you know, both, a little bit of both.
Speaker 3:You know so, and I was, you know, I didn't. I didn't have Any patience with it, I wasn't listening to anybody, I was just as soon as I knew I was all right. Um, my first mission was okay. How do I get back? How do I get back stronger?
Speaker 3:And how fast can I get back? And so it was a chore, you know it took months to get back in a good shape where you could ride. I While over eight months till I felt comfortable on being able to take a hit like that and and and come back from it. So, and through that eight months, I was having to deal with my parents reminding them that I'm still gonna keep riding bulls when they're Shaking their head at me the whole time.
Speaker 3:But so so after you get out, of the hospital, you go back to canada and yeah, yeah, they get me on a plane and you know we get back to canada and I'm all bussed up. Uh, bad, like my. You know I had to do diplomas and everything for school, like I had to graduate still. And you know I show up to school my black eyes, my nose is swelling up, my face is all swollen up, them in neck brace, and you know everybody there that. You know they just think you're crazy, right.
Speaker 3:They don't understand what you're trying to do. So you know that was hard. I had to finish school like that and um, one of my best friends, evan Ginther he, like we were we missed our exam, like our final exam for school, because he had to come pick me up. I missed the school boss. He drove in the town to pick me up or out to the country. He was from town and and you know it took it, messed up a lot of stuff, but you know my goal was to get back and that's I came back. I my first bull I got.
Speaker 2:I flew back right to here and uh, when you rehabbed and you're ready to ride again, you came back. Yeah, I came as soon as.
Speaker 3:Right to Lambert's.
Speaker 2:I called.
Speaker 3:He called me when I got hurt. He said I come back whenever and you know when they. When he called me to come back, you know I knew I was that's where I'd make my return and get things shape enough to where I could Really you know, ideally get on tour when I become 18, like I want to exceed really fast and that's a big like. Not Rome wasn't built overnight, like it's a famous saying and I wish I lived by that in the bull riding because I was trying to go so fast. And but I got back here just over a year and, uh, first bull back, like everything like it just felt like I didn't miss a step. I was riding really good. Um, everything was going great.
Speaker 3:Obviously wasn't old enough to go to pbr, so I was just entering local bull rides, just open bull rides, anything I could really get into, or still around, round here, round here round here and and I was going back to Canada, um, we have quite a few associations there, so it's coming back and forth like, yeah, I wasn't even 18 yet and I was flying back and forth multiple times by yourself, yeah. No, my parents at this time were you, know they? They just gave me the reins, you know, they. They weren't going to stop me and they knew they couldn't stop me. So you know, they just they.
Speaker 2:And so when you're flying back and forth, you're staying at at the Lambert's.
Speaker 3:Yeah and is is he kind of coaching along the way and oh yeah, like, he's like, like when he was working with the bulls when he was the director of livestock. You know he was watching a lot of bull riding and uh, like, every like. That's what he got to be known for as the director of livestock. But meanwhile he was coaching and and helping so many riders and that's why when the coaching the team deal came up and he seen a door open to that where he could, he could make a good living Doing what he loves to do the most. He, the picking the bulls and and everything with the pbr was is great, um, but I his true passion was always the better the riders. He got the bulls where they needed to be in. And so when I was coming and going now it was, you know you didn't want, it was great because when you, when you didn't do your job, he was the first to tell you.
Speaker 3:You know a lot of people would beat around the bush and make excuses for you and and bring you down to their level where, where he's, he's pushing for you to be the best. So, and the only way to be the best is to learn from your failures and and and make it count on the next one.
Speaker 2:There's a lot that have come out and stayed out there and they've learned a lot and they've become they've done really well Champions.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like he's he's made I I'd put it up against anybody he's made more world champions than than anybody has. He may not promote himself that way and and need to tell everybody, but, uh, anybody that knows anything. They know a lot of champions, and not just in bull riding like in and every every cat in the western lifestyle Industry. He's. He's done a lot for a lot of people and and get a numb to that elite level and and that's just being around them too.
Speaker 2:You know that and and if, if you know. So some people may not have the opportunity to be around Cody and, but you're right, just being around him. It's just a different Somebody might say different vibe. Yeah, a different feeling. It's just an energy that's not quite like any but you've experienced before.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's you know, he expects greatness.
Speaker 3:And he, but he doesn't expect anything At anybody else that he doesn't himself already like he. He expects him he holds himself to a very high standard to be able to To be in front of them guys and be a role model for them guys as his team or or for the pbr, for multiple people, he and you. To be able to do that, you that's the only way you can is you have to have been there and and held yourself to that same standard, and he definitely does that.
Speaker 2:And so does he. So, like you said, you know he really doesn't pull any punches he's gonna tell you like it is. So, after you're getting hurt several times, as you come to you and say Look, rally, obviously it's gonna work out for you.
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, you know, in a way he really has like We've came, we've been, it was just a roller coaster up and down. We've gotten so close and that's. You know, he said and every day, every day, we got to make choices and and at that time where where I kept getting hurt and he knew I wasn't just gonna say I've got hurt enough, I'm done because, I wasn't scared to get hurt like they're hurting.
Speaker 2:So getting on a bull thinking I've broken my neck, I've broken the legs, it doesn't scare you like well, it doesn't it?
Speaker 3:Anybody that gets on bulls, they.
Speaker 3:There's a different feeling to it, like, rather it's scared, nervous, or or what it may be.
Speaker 3:I've always gotten that feeling, but, um, sacrificing the aches and pains for me wasn't the scare, it was, it was when I did get hurt. How long was I oh I'd go crazy stare crazy sitting around. So, uh, he, you know, he definitely mentioned, you know there's, there's a choice you got to make and and you got to be able to make a living and and and to To not just be in the same place and, and that's what was so frustrating with me is we were right on the the break of, you know, being really good to, to having to restart from from an injury that you know could kill some people, or, or uh, could have very well killed me or paralyzed me or or whatever. Like, there's there's a high risk to it and and he definitely would remind you of that. And then, uh, he knew I always liked the bulls and and I was always always involved with the bulls. So when, when that all came up, I knew there was, I'd been crazy not to take it.
Speaker 2:So is that? Is that a point where he doesn't say, hey, maybe you should stop? But he came with you the idea of Since you did watch the videos of the bulls, you knew the bulls. It came with you that and said, hey, maybe this is a better opportunity for you at this point.
Speaker 3:No, because like we've, we had that conversation of me getting hurt really young and and I, you know, I didn't agree to it, you know.
Speaker 3:And then I, the bull riding was, I was making enough to To kind of make a living, but not not a living that I wanted, but I was still going. Uh, when it came up to me getting the job, we were driving, we're driving to a bull riding a pbr vent and and we hopped in together and we stopped at a crackle barrel and and he was, he was having his phone was going off and he was having trouble with bulls and and I just figured like that's a dream job. Like I raise bucking bulls, I'm around bucking bulls all the time. I love bucking bulls Just as much as the riding side of it. Like that was a big, that's having one foot in, one foot out, kind of a deal is.
Speaker 3:I'd love the bulls just as much as riding and uh. So he was getting old, he wasn't getting mad, but he was. He was on the phone and his phone just wouldn't go off of it. We couldn't even like. It just kept ringing and we couldn't even eat. I told him I'd be a dream job looking at old unbucking bulls all the time, like Like not thinking anything of saying like like don't, don't hate the job, because the job's actually a really good kind of thing.
Speaker 3:But when you do it for at that time it was like 28 years, uh, and he's like you think you'd really like to do, and I said yeah, I said well, that's good. No, because, uh, we've grown to be really good friends by this time he said, because I don't know anybody else that I'd want, like I don't know anybody that could do it. So, uh, you know that that was kind of the start of it. I'd say, and then, and then, as I was getting hurt more at bullrides and I had to sit out, you know I was bored, so I'd always say I'd look at some videos and help them, and, and you know I don't, he already knew everything about every bull. So I wasn't doing any help, I was just keeping my own mind busy and he and I I feel like that's what he knew like I had to stay busy, and so he'd always let me help and I've ever thinking about doing the job.
Speaker 3:And then this team deal came up and he got offered the coaching job and and, uh, you know that's when he said like, like, I want you to be the one to do it. You know everyone else got to make their choices, but you know I feel like you're the one to do it and you're the only one I have. He knew I had a lot to learn, but he knew my mentality and how I go about things. He knew I could succeed at it, but it would be it'd be he's don't. He's just threw me to the wolves really.
Speaker 2:So was there, I mean because so was there a time that he kind of you kind of, took the job he was still in the job and he kind of Well, in the job, training, or was it like he went to the coach, the His team, and then he go like like, like I said a little bit when I was hurt he I'd mess around with and and just Uh, but no, as far as like the team deal, like no, like he.
Speaker 3:He did a couple global cups and it's kind of the same format, but it's really not. But the idea of matching bull per bull is is a lot to say. And then, but no, it was his last year, you know, I went to the world finals with them and did you know I followed them around For two months on on really diving into the job, all the ins and outs. So there was about a two months period there were. But when it came to the team deal like he, he took over that job and he said you're on your own, like like he would always be there if I, if I need to ask him something, if I had any you know question about anything, he would always answer. But uh, as far as like, helping with the job and point me in any direction.
Speaker 3:And there was none, it was. You know it's kind of like my parents were, you know, just figure it out and. But you know I may not know much, but what I do know I trust. I hear Justin McBride say that all the time and, and that really hit a spot, like I. But I don't know Doesn't matter, because what I do know, I trust and and and if I make that work will will be all right.
Speaker 2:And some people may not know um With a pbr, think, well, you're just picking some cows, no, but these bulls are, are scored, just like the riders are. These bulls are athletes, I mean it's. It's like being really a sports, a talent scout in sports. I mean you're trying to pick the. I mean these bulls are athletes, they're raised to do the thing they're doing. Yeah. I mean their goal is to toss that, that bull rider.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, and because the ones that are raising bulls they want them. I mean they want to. The better bull they are, the more money, because the bulls make money too. Yeah so. I mean, you're really a talent scout and we, I mean, you know for me, watch on TV, go to a PBR events. Those bulls kind of look the same. Yeah, but they're. I mean, there's some that are going to do different things, some that aren't going to do as much, and it's picking each week because now the teams, how many, how many?
Speaker 3:rides. There's eight teams, so we buck 40 bulls a day. So I got a. You know I got. Each team gets five bulls. I got a match five bulls against five other bulls. That you know. Like you said, when, when you go to a event, you're sitting there and you look at these bulls, old buck, and they look all the same. That's my goal.
Speaker 3:I feel it's good to hear you say that, because that means every bull rider had a chance. Like it's every time they knocked their head. If they would have done their job they would have got paid for it, and that's. And, like you said, like I don't just go find some bulls from anywhere, it's like that's what the PBR was built on, was the best bulls against the best riders, and the only way we find out who the best rider is to bring the best bulls and and and it's a separator to all of them. But that's what separates the greats from the mediocre guys to the bottom guys to to the guy that just shows up and gets lucky and rides one. You know they won't.
Speaker 3:If you're, if you're, on top of the PBR, it's because because you are the best, because out through the year it's going to test you all year long, like because there's so many bulls, like everyone want to be a part of it and they all got invested in and they all started raising these bulls. And you know, a bull's prime is from to four to nine, while bull riders they don't even start riding in the PBR until they're 18, right. So, uh, the, the great bulls, they're going to just keep coming and so like on a weekend?
Speaker 2:is it two nights for the teams or is it?
Speaker 3:it's a three nighter. It's a three night, so you're.
Speaker 2:So you're picking 120 bulls yeah now is it the? Is it same bulls or well, I'm like so in a weekend event, is it 40 bulls and they're going to buck three times, or is it?
Speaker 3:no. So, like on a three-day event with these team deals, I'll bring 95 bulls in the whole weekend and I'll buck a handful again. And you know, in my re-rides I always have 10 re-ride bulls that I make sure I buck once. So, uh, 95 bulls every weekend. People think that's a lot of bulls and I'm like I'm just shaking my head like I get it. 95 bulls is a lot. But you know, for one single event I may look at 300 different bulls, that I have to decide which one to take and which one not to take.
Speaker 3:And and that's when the conversations get tough, that's when you're having to explain to somebody that that has has took in this bull and raised them from a calf to all the way up to trying to get them into this level and and they've spent well over four years to get them to be able just to send me a video and and for me to approve them, for me to say no. And you know that's a hard conversation because it is hard work. I know how hard it is. I, I've lived that life like and it is. It is a very high, demanding, all day. Every day you got to be, you know, a voice for an animal that ain't all the time gonna give you all. He's not going to show you what's wrong, he ain't gonna just walk up and tell you. So it's a. It's a hard lifestyle being a stock contractor and then because those bulls are trained for that I mean.
Speaker 2:That's what they're raised to do is yeah, so, so, with with that many. So I mean because you're doing it every week, I mean the team events is every week right yeah, it's it's, year.
Speaker 3:Well the team we got 11 events, team events, counting the finals, and then, and then we got the unleash to beast and there's 24 of those. So it's uh, we go, we don't, the guys don't get a break and uh, I don't expect to break if they're not getting to break and so how do you I mean, how do you how many?
Speaker 2:how do you go through that many bulls every week to be able to look? How do you look at that many bulls in a week to say, okay, I'm taking this one, this one, this one?
Speaker 3:yeah, well, it's studying them like I spend hours every day. It does. It takes time. Like you can't just uh, you can't just make it like it doesn't happen overnight and and that's been. I have to sit down, I got to go through and you got to look at them all like you. Like there'll be a guy that may send you five videos and every week he sends you the same videos, but you always got to check them videos to make sure you didn't send you a new one that will work and uh, but I don't know.
Speaker 3:I kind of got a deal from being around them all my life is I I'm able to, I you know, just I judge them all, but I can remember them all like and that was like when I was riding that caused me a lot of troubles is is you got to ride bulls, jump for jump.
Speaker 3:You can't, just you can't go where you want them to go because it's not gonna work and and for having this job, that's something that I'm always having to do is is, when I'm matching them is go through their like the most important out is their last out is the last time we bucked them, but then I got to go through them all. They just figure out all the different outcomes that I could get and then I try to pair them to the the best other bull I got available and but it's memory is a big one, I gotta remember. But I keep notes on every bull, like I got and and I got hundreds of videos. I got them all in files so I just type that bull up, I get all the videos of them. So it's just. But it's really the memory side of it, like I just I watch one I can remember every remember what he does, how he how he box, if he's.
Speaker 3:You know if he's a more difficult bull for a rider. You know because, like you said earlier, there's a scoring for these bulls and and they score the bulls before the riders. That shows how important it is. That's how you get the rider. Scores is out of 50 on the bull and the rider and and you so 50 for the bull, 50 for the rider yeah, and so when them guys judge the judge it, they get the bull, which is there's four judges.
Speaker 3:So you each judge marks up to 25 and they combine the the scores. But you get a 22 point bull and a rider stays on that bull and he doesn't. If he just rides them for what he is and rides them good, then you'll get a point over that bull. So that that's a 45. So because it's 23 and 45, you combine the scores, that's a 90 point bull and you break it down in categories. That's out of 25. So you have five categories.
Speaker 3:You mark them up to five of of how hard they kick. They're the difficulty level, like if a lot of bulls, if they start rolling, that's it brings in a lot of difficulty trying to get away from your intensity and that's just how hard they're really trying. You can tell with different bulls some are slower and some are faster, so you've got to mark them on that and they're buck, that's how hard they drop. That's how hard they drop and you combine it all together and that's where you get a score. But you got to, it's got to happen. Now you got to have to look at it and and know what that bull is because there's thousands of them and you got to look at them all, so do so do you.
Speaker 2:So then, do you take new ones each week like, or do you still take some of the same ones from the previous week that it? Really liked and worked, and it all depends.
Speaker 3:Like if I got one that's proven, I'll never. I won't. Very often do you see me step out and bring another one in. Just definitely, during these team deals because I'm trying to, I got to get it as close as possible. But in the utbs, when I got a really good set of bulls, you know I'm able to bring five that are newer bulls that have potential to be great, but I don't. I, I can't make it, I can't weigh myself to try and something I know I got a bull that's proven sitting there. I always take the proven one because because really my job is like I got to look out for the stock contractors, but you know that I got to look out for the riders. That's who's important is the riders. If they do their job, they get paid.
Speaker 3:That's all I think about you know, I can't ride them for them, but I can give them the opportunity. If they do stay on, they will get paid. And that's a tough deal too, because now you're, you know, all they're living is kind of in your hands, you know picking the, picking the best bulls yeah I mean.
Speaker 2:So, when you so deal with those, stop contractors, um, because I'm sure they're a different breed, so to speak, so, and I'm sure some of them are older, um, so I'm sure some of them probably grew up, grew up with cody, kind of a new cody cody's you know, older, cody's a grandpa now.
Speaker 2:So how do they handle when you tell them, you know, when riley tells them, no, that's, that's not going to work, and at 24 years old, and they think this, this kid is, you know, second year, first year, you know. So is that something you've had to deal with and kind of prove and say and kind of stand up, and is that hard to do?
Speaker 3:yeah, well, I don't want to say no to anybody like I. If I could I'd take everybody's bull, but you know it's you're not able to do that. But, yeah, being being my age, it definitely plays a role in it. But, um, for the majority of the guys that I work with, they've been great because they they've seen right away like they gave me a chance and then they seen what I was able to do and and the bull's power that I was able to bring to the table and so, um, you know I earn their respect pretty early. But, uh, that not everybody sees I die like, and what kind of world would we live in if everybody thought the same right?
Speaker 3:so um, yeah, there's discussions I got to have that that are uncomfortable for for them because I am 24 years old. But I feel like it's more uncomfortable for them is that, you know, they tried to sneak something by me, they couldn't get it by me and the 24 year old is the one that's shutting them down.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I don't think they like that very much but, um, it took time, like, and, and going through it for a year. Like, uh, you do, I've ran into my fair shares of, uh, the old one, the square up in the backpands kind of deal with them older guys, you know, that's how they did it. And uh, we never got to that ever, but uh, it was definitely. It was a learning for me, you know, because I am younger.
Speaker 3:But, um, the way that I was brought up is you've been tough, you're hard, you're straightforward, you're honest, you, you know, when you make a mistake, you admit it.
Speaker 3:And I, in a year of doing this job, I'll admit it. I've made multiple mistakes and and I'll be the first one to raise my hand and say, you know, I, I I did bring that bull and I probably shouldn't have brought that bull over another bull. And uh, or you just forget. You know, like, I'm not gonna say I've never forgot someone's bull either. You know, I told him I'd use them. And then, uh, you know, come time to the event, you forget, you know little things like that. And I think that built a lot of respect is is, hey, you guys, I, you know you, I take a step back and say you know, look at something that I've done and and realized maybe that ain't the way to go about it, because the way cody labbert wanted about it was totally it's. You know, I'd be fighting everybody every weekend because everyone's terrified of him me, they look at me and they're like this little baby face kid.
Speaker 3:I should just slap him upside the head but um, for the most part, you know, they, they, this is they wouldn't do that, but uh do they ever when you like, because this is well.
Speaker 2:You're in your second year now yeah so did they ever the first year when you might tell them no or something, do they try to go to cody and hey look, I don't think he knows what he's. You know, I'm trying to get this bull in.
Speaker 3:He's saying no, and go talk to him uh, yeah, I'm sure, like I've, I've known they've done a fair share of that. But, like in cody explained, like he'll explain to him, like you know, I didn't take it lightly picking who I'd have take over this job for me. So if he's making a decision, I'm gonna, I'm gonna back him um and through the and now it's more there in the utbs, when, when we're in the team, deal Cody, when he quit, he quit like them guys would not. If they call him, he would, he'd answer, you know.
Speaker 3:See if there's something that they really need it. But when they came to the Bulls, like he, just he did not want any other, he didn't want to be above anybody else, any other coach like he didn't want any other coach. Think that he had an advantage in any sort of way which coming off of being a stock contractor like, or director of livestock. You know all them, stock contractors, you know. You know all the bulls. So, and he has done it for 30 years, so he is going, no matter what he's gonna have up her hand on him, because he, he looks at bulls and he sees that no stuff that no one else sees.
Speaker 3:It still blows my mind. I'll show him a video, he'll pick up the littlest thing and you know, you know I'll miss it. And and it's taught me a lot to really break down the videos. But yeah, like they, but like now to like a year in, like it's been, it's more like now. It's the new guys that really haven't gotten involved with the PBR too much in the past that they, they don't understand how it all works and so you're trying to explain it. It's it's a lot of explaining yourself to stop.
Speaker 2:Contractors are trying to get their balls in and yeah, and why they can't.
Speaker 3:You know why. This weekend you know they could only have four and last week and only had six. Well, there's more available spots. Last week and now you know I got better bulls this week and I cut off the bottom end like and. But I'm really straightforward with them all and that even makes them mad too, like, maybe I, like I don't beat around the bush. I'm like, no, I'm sorry he's not gonna work. And they'll be like, well, why? And I'll be like, well, I got a better bull, like I play. No, like he's not as good as this bull.
Speaker 3:What do I do? How do I cut some? Like I'd be wrong someone else by taking their bull off for putting a weaker bull in. So that's just the only way I can. I look at it is, but they, they all like they're great guys, like all of them I've worked with so far. You know, through all of her misunderstands, like we've, we've all went to work and took care of business and we put a great product out there every, every weekend. You know there has not been a weekend yet that We've we've failed, so it's been for that side of it's been great. But definitely, there's definitely the arguments for sure.
Speaker 2:And I'm always, I'm always impressed anytime I go watch a PBR event. I always think back when you know there's fireworks and there's lights and just all kinds of things and I think about I'm. I always Think about when it started all those years ago 30 years ago or so and how it just was basic and how, through like Cody mentioned, surrounding themselves with great people the, the PBR just grew and grew and grew. It's a production, new teams has started and and it's just grown and it's grown. Going back to stock contractors in the bulls, I'm sure back in the early days Cody had pride go out and search and find them. They were people knocking down his door. I mean he probably couldn't find you know 20 bulls, much less 95 bulls, so has so is that's probably not something he? It's different.
Speaker 2:It's something different that you, that you're doing, that he didn't really experience Well with the team since there's since now there's more, you're riding more right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like the team deal like it would would definitely like he would have been able to handle it just fine. But it you know there's more to it. But years ago, like you're saying, he had to go look for him, like he never, like he had to search for him to fill these events where, where, and he was able to shape it to where everyone wanted to be a part of it. That to be able to have he made it. So if you had a bull in the PBR, it meant something.
Speaker 3:It wasn't just oh, we got a bull at the bull riding, at the local bull riding, like it. If you were going to a PBR, he held it to that caliber that you know we do have one of the best bulls in the world. You know we, you know our program that we've went out and built is paying off because we are here and that's something that you know made it.
Speaker 3:So everybody, like Anybody that enjoys competition and putting themselves in the face of it, they, they really really went ahead and invested into their own programs to to get to a level and and then, when it got just over that peak of where he was struggling to get them and everyone's seen how big and great this all is it it took off and the bulls were everywhere's and, and you know it, it just bettered the events. That just made everything. That's what their goal was. The riders, when they set out, was it wasn't a drawing game for him anymore. They always got on bulls. That box, I may be harder than others to ride, but that's. For some people it's easy to do squats and some people's it's not so easy, but it's. It's the same, is the best of the best and and he's been able to build it up to everybody.
Speaker 2:So, whether whether it's the bull or the rider, it's the best of the best. You're gonna bring the best bulls some events come being the best riders. Just because they don't ride it that night doesn't mean they're best, they're not the best. It just means and sometimes if a bull you know rolls or falls, it doesn't mean that they're not the best. It's just sometimes the athletes because the bulls are athletes to. They have yeah, you know we're only as good as those, those eight seconds.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2:You know, we've could have trained and trained, and trained and practice, and practice, and practice, but when it comes down to that, we're just as good as that.
Speaker 3:That, that few seconds, yeah no one, no one ever sees what you do during the week, like that's a saying everybody, everyone knows is you know it's the work you put in in the when the doors are shut and and it's same with the. The guys are working so hard but these stock contractors are, they're getting to these bulls where they're just a whole nother level and and that's just what it takes to get to this level today. Is is a hard work, but that's everything in life. You put hard work in there, you'll. You'll get places. You know as being young, like, like for me, like I've put a lot of work into this now and and it's a it is, it's a huge position at it. So I'm doing it. Being 24, you know a lot of people think that's crazy, but I've been alive for 24 years.
Speaker 3:Surely I get pretty good at something in that amount of time so, but it's pretty cool thing to be a part of and to see it build all the way around you the whole new team having two seasons and Running the Bulls for both seasons. It's. It's cool to watch it all unfold the way it is.
Speaker 2:And, like I said, it's putting in the work during the week when you're watching hundreds of videos. You know I'd never thought about when we went to a team event or An event, about all the time that went in finding the bull that. You know I just go watch it and I enjoy it and I go. That's cool. You know that was entertaining.
Speaker 3:Hey, that's me too, though. Yeah, I get to get there, it's you know, I get there and it's like, okay, I get to enjoy what, what, what I done all week for the two weeks coming into this event.
Speaker 3:You get to enjoy it, and sometimes not as enjoyable because it doesn't play out exactly. You know the way of it. You thought it may, but when it does it's it's one of the best feelings. It's it's like it gives me the same feeling as when I was riding Bulls and when you stayed on when you did your job. You know you've just done it. That satisfaction, feeling that no one, no one else, helped you do it. No one could reach out and help you. You had to do it yourself, and not very many things in life. It is like that anymore, like you could always. You know there's always a hand to help you up and in bull riding. There's not always that hand, especially when you're riding them and then when you're picking them in and setting these events up and and you get to watch it exactly unfold the way that you planned it to all right. That's a good feeling, like that's what that's why, I do it.
Speaker 3:That's a good day at work, yeah exactly and but it's To see it like the world finals like this year, like the going in there and no one you know the two weeks going in because the that's a list that gets released. I get that set prettier like early in before the about three weeks ahead of time. I have a really good idea. So the chatter starts.
Speaker 2:You know everyone's talking what bulls are gonna.
Speaker 3:Yeah, what's not there and and and there's so many people involved, so like it's every worse. Like you like, like I'm, like I got the social media and everything, but I hardly go on it. I'm that's just. I've always kind of been that way and you know, when that finals was rolling around, I released that list to and the PBR released it. You know this was weeks ahead and you get on the social media and you see people hating it. You know it's saying, well, why is that bull there? And this one's not? And and and it starts making these second guess lady decisions.
Speaker 3:Mm-hmm but then you know, you go back to saying I may not know much, but what I do know, I trust, and what I've sent, put out there product I put out there, I feel like them bulls, because the finals are the best of the best, like all, the bulls are available everywhere's and and I just trusted what I put together Was the rankest set of bulls that I could put together at this day. Do I think it's? Could I get a ranker set today? Yeah, every day.
Speaker 3:Mm-hmm every day there's, there's always somebody better, there's always something coming up and but going to the finals, having everyone you know, seeing all these people hating what, thinking that either I don't know what I'm doing to you know, just unleashing like these bulls, just think, like for Lambert to come up to me and say that's the rankest set of bulls that I've ever been anywhere. Mm-hmm that that means something, because he's the one that's put the rankest set of bulls together for 30 years.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm, so to get that company, that's yeah and you know, and I didn't.
Speaker 3:I didn't take this job to get a pad on the back from people or or or to get in into a spotlight, like that wasn't the ideal of it. What it was for me was holding the sport to to the same standard as Lambert did and and to to get to be leaving that finals on the last day. No, none bulls were that stout and every guy had that chance to win a world title. Like the last day. Like up to 15 guys had a chance to win the world. You know, one round they only wrote three bulls. Yeah, that is not idea. I want them guys to stay on. That is what I want. I want to see 90-point bullrides and they make money. They make a living.
Speaker 3:Mm-hmm you know, but when people are saying the bulls aren't rank enough, and you go there and the best guys in the world Are are struggling.
Speaker 3:You know, the bulls are pretty rank you know, and and going into the world finals, it definitely was a. It was a weird world finals. Coming in there, a lot of guys are beat up. Kaiiki, our number one guy, was out with a broken leg, the last of Anton and and so and they, they, they were around like they didn't to get much break. So you know, guys were beat up but they, no one can say that they didn't have a chance to win because the bulls were not rank enough.
Speaker 2:So and that and that's another new thing is really with with the team events now and unleash the beast. I mean, it's an all-year before, before the team events came along. They had some time to recover through the summer. You have to get a little healthier, to get a little stronger to rehab Whatever they need to. But now I mean this is boom, boom, boom.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's. No. There's just a couple weeks here and there out of the year that the guys but that team deal. That's what's so cool about it is. You know the coaches and your GMs and and you manage some guys like it. It's it. You know Boer riders are dumb playing simple, like. Like I, like I'm, like I rode bulls, like I'm allowed to say it. You know some of them may say like it.
Speaker 3:That's not nice to say, but you know that if there's a bull riding like they want to go like you, don't matter how beat up.
Speaker 2:They don't have a broken leg. Yeah well, there's not there there holding hand. Yeah if the other arm broken there, okay, we're gonna know that's, you know so.
Speaker 3:So now that they're getting this professional guys from, like the older guys that have been there and done that, the coaches, and then now they got the trainers coming in that are able to manage these guys and and and get them to be from one weekend to the next weekend, they could get beat out pretty hard but they could have them ready for the next weekend.
Speaker 2:So they're getting more support than just being on their own, because really the teams are more like NFL, nba you know, they get salaries, they have, you know, people helping them, they have GM's, they have coaches. So it's really a good thing for the bull riders to get picked and be on these teams and yeah, but they get a lot of support that way too, that that carries them from week to week that they weren't getting on their own.
Speaker 3:No, not to. It was always kind of there, but no one knew how to go about maybe the right way. Like Jess Lockwood, that guy knew how to do it. He knew how to get him, his body, ready out through the week to perform at the highest level every weekend and still be able to, if may, get beat up or stepped on or any kind of injuries to, five days later being able to perform and be the best in the world Our body can only take. So much is for sure.
Speaker 3:The truth you know, you got to be able to manage it, but that you could push your body to a whole another place if you know how to go about every day getting it to perform, because people underestimate it too. But it's our body is something special.
Speaker 2:It can do a lot. This is your proof as rehab from a broken neck to a broken leg.
Speaker 3:I've had a few surgeries, you know, shoulder surgeries and knees and hips and legs, and I've got to get lots fixed. My hands are, you know, they get in to be able to. You know, do that 24. Everyone says you're gonna, you're gonna be hurting pretty bad when you're my age.
Speaker 3:It's a talk to an older fella and and you know, and maybe they're right, but I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna waste my time of right now if I'm feeling good to to worry about 25 years down the road or whatever it may be like, and and if I am hurting there, I'll be able to sit in the rocking chair and tell my grandkids all these stories that I got to live. You know, I didn't live a bubble wrap life, but the life I got to live is something special. So, and that's that's an everyday deal, you gotta, you gotta look at it that way. Every day is, is, is, you know, you're gonna, you're gonna be able to sit back and say, which, what you set out to do was pretty, pretty cool and and something that you took a lot of pride in, and the bull business. That's something you gotta. You can't not do it if you don't have pride in, because it's it's high demanding too.
Speaker 2:It's all day, every day you know, I always ask at the end of end of a show, I always ask my guest on the mind body project. You know, if you're sitting, the days have come and you're old and you're sitting on the rocker and the on the porch and you look back over your life and you say it was a success, successful life. What would that look like? And I think, um, I didn't have to ask that because I think you answered that you know it in telling your kids, and I love that I didn't live a bubble wrap life. Yeah, I experienced life yeah, I, that's.
Speaker 3:My big thing is, uh, like I grew up there's, I had a sister and two other brothers and I was the youngest and and you know it was all open doors. Like you know, they have a numb, they would always kind of support you but, um, they, they push themselves and and they were able to do really good things in life. And for me to be the youngest to, you know, watch them all do it that was a big help for me and and but you know, I just bought my first place fair bit of land on it and like I'm not even at my peak yet, like I still don't feel like I could sit there and say that to my grandkids is the thing is and, like my, my brothers and sisters are the same way.
Speaker 3:They're never satisfied, and that's where I'm not there yet, but I keep trying to push towards that, where I can sit there one day and and not and get to say you know, I did what I want to do, and maybe I have to say no and not listen to many people and learn my mistakes, because I've made lots and I'm sure I'm going to make lots more, but I learned from them, and that's the only way to be able to sit back when you're say, you're 80 years old and the mistakes are what open doors for you, or or just showed you more opportunities and and and and gave you the life that you had, so you know, and I'd like to say you know, do you see yourself like, um, maybe Cody Lambert and some of those other guys um 30 years from now, still being in the PBR?
Speaker 2:but, um, you know, I might be what you would like, but just from the last being 12 years old and the last 12 years, look how much your life has changed. Yeah, um, from getting on some steers to riding some bulls to injuries, to coming to to Bowie, texas, um, you know where you find Cody Lambert and takes you under your wing, his wing, you know you get hurt and some, and those hurts or really might been, you know, a good thing for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because it wouldn't put you in this position necessarily if you didn't have those you know. And life has changed a lot in 12 years.
Speaker 3:Buying your place, you know, in in Texas from Canada, um so I mean that's uh, that's a lot going on in in 12 years yeah it and and that is like, and that's the thing is, you know, right now I'm like the bulls, I'm so like it takes up so much my time, which doesn't even feel like it is because I love them. I love it so much that, but you, I can't like when we're going, who knows like I meet people, you talk with people and and and there's just so many opportunities out there that, uh, you can't ever plan too far ahead. But you know, you just you work for for what is ahead, and not knowing what is ahead, that's like no one knows. Every day we like we don't know what's going to happen three hours from now. But uh, as long as that you're, you're pushing for better tomorrow, better now, better yet, uh, because tomorrow's not promised. So it takes a lot of work.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, but it's it.
Speaker 3:That's what it's about. That's what life's about. No matter. No matter if it's picking bulls for the biggest bull riders in the world, or running cars for somebody, or or being a truck driver or police officer, firefighter, like, like, like, there's just. Bull riding gives you so many different ways to look at everything that you could take into life, not just your bull riding, and and it's.
Speaker 2:It's just a good life to be a part of and to be around these kind of people and just sitting here in our conversation, dave, a couple things you know when you talk about being young and and having to deal, stop contracting all that you know. You have a lot of great things to offer for me just in our conversation, things I'm going to take with me and I'm going to use our don't live a bubble wrap life. I love that and and and. Another thing is I don't know at all, but what I do know, I trust yeah.
Speaker 2:I I love that because so many times. That's huge and and I've never heard it said like that and that's so true. Like you said, when you get on social media and you see people question the bulls you put in there, you know and you start to second guess. So, and we all do that, when somebody questions us, we start to go, hmm, it starts to put down on our mind but we have to trust ourselves, we have to trust what we know.
Speaker 3:Yeah, in the well, like, it's one thing when someone else is saying, but there's, there's a little guy on her shoulder every day that you're having a conversation with and he and it brings doubt in the uh and in that reminder of, okay, well, you know what I do, know I, that's what I trust, and and everybody working out for an example, like everybody's, they there's a lot of people are scared to step into the gym for the first time because there's so much doubt. But and you may go in there not know nothing, you may everybody, like you could run, go, get on a treadmill and trust that. You know that's going to help. And then it's going to open a door to something else, to to a trainer like yourself. You know you come in here and and you meet you and it will open a door for knowledge and rather rather you got learned on your own.
Speaker 3:Or or like I say, you meet you and then, and then, a month from now, you're hitting your goals that you thought would take a year, and like it's just people, people, lemon eyes, like they just cut themselves short with a lot and and that's just dog, I'm not gonna do that, I like. Why feel short? So why? Why live it like?
Speaker 2:and and at 12 years old, you didn't know how to pick a pbr bull no you know how to, how to look at some bulls, some steers yeah pick them and and you're right, I love what you said that you know, you know what you trust, what you know, and it might be just getting on treadmill and then it leads to up the other opportunities, just like it led you here to being the, the director of livestock, and who knows where it's going to lead from there, what conversations you're going to have, who you're going to, you know, be involved in, with, be around yeah because I'm sure you're exposed to new people all the time, yeah, and you just keep surrounding yourself with great people, learning more and and who knows where that next step will be.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when we work on today, I trust what I know today.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and then it's gonna carry me on to tomorrow, and tomorrow I'm totally different yeah, you know, but what you do trust, you gotta trust it and you gotta buy in. I got, I got one more real cool story. I gotta say it because it happened yesterday. I was talking with Cody Lambert and and he like he laughed when he tried to tell me about it, because he's like you know what a phone boost is? And I'm like, yes, cody, I didn't know what a phone booth is. He's like, well, have you ever used one? Then I had to say no, because I I never had to, like we've always had phones.
Speaker 3:But he told me this story of a guy that you know it's late at night and and he, you know how the phone books are on the chain and he can't take them out, so no one steals them, kind of thing. And there's a street light and he opens the phone book and he's got one foot in the door and one out trying to get the light from, because this is what he thinks he knows is that's the only light he could get. So he's trying to find the number in this phone book and this older lady walks by and he, she asks them is it? What are you doing? And he said, well, I'm trying to find this number, but trying to get the street light to shine the light on. And and she said well, why don't you just take both steps in all the way in and shut the door and the light will come on? You know, but he didn't know and that's. That's everything in life like.
Speaker 3:If you're one foot in, one foot out, you don't. You don't see how great when you get, when you jump, take a leap with two feet, and it's not a leap, it's a step. Every day is a step. Again, that's the other thing. If people think it's you know you're climbing mountains, but no, you're, you're only taking one step in front of the other. It doesn't happen overnight. But you know he shut that door, that light came on, he found that number.
Speaker 3:You know how simple that may be. That's you know everything in life. You take both. You know, don't be one foot in, one foot out in the gym. You know I'm the worst for that. I want to go to the gym, I want to be in really good shape, but you know, so I come for a week and then you know oh, I got this. You know, I got the bull grinds coming up, I gotta get this done, I got. You know stuff piles up on you, but if you're, if you took a step in with both feet, you'll figure out that it's not that bad you can still go to the gym and put an hour of your time in and still get everything else done and you just that one hour.
Speaker 3:Maybe you weren't looking at your phone or or whatever. It may be that you felt like you didn't have the time to do. But taking both steps and it's the biggest thing and invest in yourself fully and you'll realize it's not as bad as it people think it may be, and you're right just taking that one step.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the one step in two feet in the light comes on, yeah and and the rest is history and.
Speaker 3:But so many people are scared of that because they, they, they almost feel like it's gonna steal their soul, you know, if they go in there. That's kind of how Lambert explained it to me. That hit me big time when he said and he, he went ahead and he told some other people that and you know, and, and a lot of people may take lots from it.
Speaker 3:They may not take anything from it, but it's definitely, you know, hit me in a spot that it shows that it's if you do whatever you want, like if you, but whatever it is, you take both steps, then you can do big things so don't be scared to step in. Yeah, that's that's it and it's everywhere. It's like I said, the gym to you know business, your family, your friends, whatever it may be, it's if you're have all the faith and you're two feet in, it's all good and just take the next step yeah thank you, rally, for joining me today on the show.
Speaker 2:I appreciate your time. I appreciate you sharing that with me. I think they'll find out. You know, when we talk, you know not really sure why I wanted to sit down and visit with you, but I but I think, just like me, everybody will enjoy it. Enjoy the time, enjoy the, the stories, the really the, the advice, the. You know some of the life mantras that that you have just at 24. You know I'm twice your age and some of those I still haven't figured out. So you know I commend you on that. And and being open to take, being a sponge and take those things, whether it's from your parents, from just watching your siblings, to being coachable, that's a big thing because not everybody's coachable that takes a lot and and to be open up and be willing to be coached.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that means taking some criticism and along with everything else. So it's.
Speaker 3:I appreciate you. I mean, you know it's like I said. Yeah, we were talking. I said I don't know what you want to talk to me about, but little I got to share and tell. Like you know, I hope someone takes something from it. Rather, it's one thing or or, or a lot.
Speaker 2:So and I agree. I think it's just like story Cody told you it's some will take something from it, some will take nothing from it, but that gives them the opportunity, just like you know it's up, it's up to the rider to stay on that bull.
Speaker 3:Yeah exactly that's.
Speaker 2:It's all up to the listener with what they do with it. It's a big old circle of life really, yeah, yeah if they want to, they want to hang on and and do what they can with it.
Speaker 3:They can win big yeah, they can make a living yep, make a living.
Speaker 2:So thank you, riley. I appreciate you spending your time in your busy schedule during during the team season and picking all all those bulls. I appreciate you taking some time and coming down here and visit with me, so I appreciate that thank you for having me. You're welcome and thank you to each of you for stopping by and visiting with me. Day on the mind body project and as time of wife came. Every night before I go to bed it's bomb of the night, double a out thank you for listening to today's podcast.
Speaker 1:If you would like to connect with Aaron, you can do so by going to erin deglercom or find him on social media as Aaron degler on Instagram, facebook and YouTube. Once again, we greatly appreciate you tuning in. If you've enjoyed the show, please feel free to rate, subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. We greatly appreciate that effort and we'll catch you in the next episode of the mind body project podcast.