HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-03-18, Page 48Page 32 - Farm Progress '98
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Wingham teens embrace
the challenge of bull riding
by Scott Hilgendorff
A!though it lasts
only eight seconds.
it's one of North
America's toughest sports
and three Wingham broth-
ers have ..mhraced the
challenge.
They're the second
generation of hullriders in
the Prince family, follow-
ing in their father, Ken's,
footsteps.
Ken Prince was a bull -
rider in the Ontario Rodeo
Association when his old-
est sons, Steve and BJ,
twins: were young. Now
18, the two have become
experienced bullriders,
while their father has
retired from bull riding
and competes as a team
roper. BJ is his partner.
Their younger brother,
Kenny, 15, is about to
enter the arena as bullrider
this year. graduating from
junior steer riding, like his
brothers.
With 2,000 pounds of
bucking. fury underneath,
bull riding is one of the
toughest sports as cow-
boys struggle to hang on
for eight seconds with one
hand 'wrapped against the
hull in a rope. their free
hand not allowed to touch
the bull.
"It's a rush. with all that.
power under you, hanging
on." said Steve Prince.
His first year as a bull
rider, Steve was named the
ORA's Rodkic of The.
Year. That was in 1996.
But the sport is also one
of the most dangerous.
- 13J, who won the A -K
Cantel Series last year and
placed Iburth at the end of
ORA season. said the
Surgeon General in the
United States listed the
sport as the most danger-
ous. followed by race cai
driving.
"You're going to get
hurt." BJ said.
They were the first rid-
ers to trade in their cow-
boy hats for helmets dur-
ing the ride because 80 per
cent of the, deaths arc from
head injuries.
Even with a helmet.
The Prince brothers are second generation bull
riders in the family following in their father's
footsteps. Back: B.J. and Steve; front, Kenny
and Ken. (Hilgendorff photo)
Steve has been knocked to think an action through.
unconscious twice and has.
broken his ribs.
"None of us, knock on
wood, got the serious end
of the horn," BJ said.
One Toronto area rider
was out of the Ontario
rodeo circuit for much ,of
last season after taking a
serious blow from a hull.
he was bucked off.
Steve said many of the
cowboys look down on
helmets but the number
who wear them are grow-
ing.
"I was told, 'You only
get one smile.' Might as
well keep it." he, said. .
BJ pointed out it took
awhile for helmets to be
accepted in hockey years
ago.'
And Tike. hockey. BJ
compares the skills of a
hullrider to that of a
goalie.
They react to the move-
ments of the hull with
instinct. the same way a
goalie reacts to an oncom-
ing puck. There is not time
"You have to feel what
the hull's doing througgh
'your legs." said Steve.
But if you feel the hull
moving left. you already
have to he moving with
the hull. There isn't time
to think that votive got to
move too.
"By then. you're
bucked off." he said.
"lt's second nature to us
now." said BJ.
And unlike hare hronc
or saddle hronc riding.
where similar skills are
used for`an eight second
ride. once you're bucked
off a bull. he's more likely
to come back after you.
Their interest and focus
on hullriding has grown.
Often, there are two ORA
sanctioned rodeos on one
summer weekend but B.1-
and
Jand Steve have gone to as
many as six in one week
as .well as competing in
American circuit's.
BJ hopes to pay his
way' through university
• see 'It's', page 33