The Lucknow Sentinel, 1998-03-18, Page 48Page 32 - Parra
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MIKE SNOB LEN FARMS ILT6i
Box 29 505 Carsgtng $t,, LUCKNOW; ONTARIO NOG 2H0
Phone: 519420I20-92 Fax; 5$9-52114542
, � ...... DEALERS. IN COMMERCIAL GRAINS
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Specialists In loco
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Lives'
on
Distanc�
oderich (110,;
Ontario
ngliam teens embrace
the chlen e of bull riding
by Scott UU endor1 '
!though it lasts
A_:
only eight seconds„
ipt'ss one of North
America's toughest sports
and three Wingham. bomb-
ers haye 41nbra.ced the
challenge.
They're the second'
generation of bullriders in
the 'Prince family, follow-
ing in their father, Ten's,
footsteps. .
Ken Prince was a bull-.
rider in the Qntarie, Rodeo
Association when his old-
est, sons:, Steve and Bt
twinszwere young, Now
1-S, the two have becoMe.
experienced bullrrtdelss
while their father has
retired from Mull riding
and competes: as a team
roper: B.J.is .his partner:.
Their younger brother,
- Kenny, 15, is about: to
enter the arena as bullrider.
this .year, graduating from
s junior steer riding, like his
brothers.,
With 2,O00 pounds of
bucking fury underneath,",
bulb riding.' is one of the
toughest, sports .as cow-
boys struggle to hang on
-for eight seconds with one
hand wrapped against the
bull 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 Rookie of The,
Year. Thatwas in 199.6.,
But the sport isalso one
of the most dangerous.
J3!, who won the A -K
Cantel"Series last .year .and
placed fourth at the"gild pi
ORA 'season, :said .the
Surgeon General its tie_
United States listed, the
sport as the 'most danger- ,
oos, followed "by race car
driying\
"You're going, to get.
hurt,aid.
They, were the first-rid-
.
ers. to trade in their" cows .
boy hats for helmets dt r,,
ing the. ride because 80 per
cent ok.the,deaths;are from
head injuries,
'Even with. a helmet,
The Prince, brothers -are second generation.,buil
n'riders In the ,family following in their father's
.fooiteps. Sack: ELI and; Steve; front, Kenny
and Kan, (Hllgenciorff photo)'
Steve, hasbeen. knocked
unconscious twice and has
broken his. ribs.
"None of us, knock on
wood, got the serious end
of the horn," BT said.
Otte Torontoarea rider
was out of the Ontario
" rodeo circuit for much of
last season after taking.a
serious blow ' from a bull
he was. bucked, off. •
Steve said-riiany ,of' the
eawboYs look dowtr, on'
helmets but the number.
who wear them are grow-
, ing.
"1, was.„told, 'You only
get one smile,' Might as
well keep,it,” he said.
B7 pointed/ out .it. took
awhile for lelmetsto be
accepted in hockey years.
ago.. •
And like. hockey, BJ
compares the skills of a"
bullrider:• to: ,that of "a
goalie..
Theyreact to the, move
- ments of the bull, With
instinct,'the' sanie way; -a
goalie reacts to an ancom,
nig puck: There is nottime
tothink an actlkn through,
"You have to feel what
the bull's doing through
Your legs'," said -Steve.`
But ,if'you, feel the bull
moving left, yeu already
have to 'be moving: with
the'bull;.There isn't time
to think that, you've, got, to
move too.
"By then, you're
bucked off," he said.
"It's second nattire to us.
now," said B7.
And unlike bare brone
or saddle brorte riding,'
where similar $kills are
usedfor an.eight second
ride, onceyou're bucked
off a bull,'Ite's more likely'
to come back after you,::
Their interest and focus,
on bullriding has grown,
Often, there arotwo" ORA
sanctioned rodeos on one
-summer weekend but 10'
and' Steve have gone to as
nutny as six in One week
as well as, competing in
American circuits.
BJ. hopes. to pay his
way through, university.
•: see. `It's*,. page 33