WEATHERFORD — A bull rider was thrown off at his last rodeo, but determination and perseverance pushed him to compete again.

Chance Barfield, 23, attends Weatherford College and participates on the rodeo team. Earlier this month he competed in the Weatherford College Rodeo at the Sheriff’s Posse Grounds, fortunately without injury.

“I have broken my right lower leg, had broken ribs, both feet broken, many broken toes, and lots of bumps and bruises,” Barfield said describing some of his own injuries since riding bulls.

When asked why he chose to compete in bull riding, he said other events just never appealed to him.

Both his parents are involved with horses and rodeo, as are his siblings, but he was the one who got a dirt bike rather than a horse. Barfield says he enjoys the adrenaline rush that comes with riding bulls.

Barfield said a lot of thoughts were going through his mind as he sat on the fence waiting for his turn at the Weatherford College Rodeo.

“This rodeo meant everything to me,” Barfield said. “First time jitters and being in front of the hometown crowd all put a lot of pressure of wanting to do good. One thing a lot of people don’t realize about bull riders is that they are competing against one another, but you will never wish someone to not do good in this event. You always want everyone to come out not hurt.”

Barfield added he doesn’t see this type of camaraderie in a lot of other one on one competitive sports.

The Professional Bull Riders Web site includes a list of competitors and their recent injuries. Just in the last 30 days, some riders have suffered a broken shoulder from landing on elbow after being thrown off a bull, a head concussion after a head collision with a bull, concussions after being thrown off bull and hitting the ground, broken and sprained wrists and knee injuries, which include broken and torn cartilage.

To get on or not to get on? That is definitely a question worth pondering before making the decision to strap one hand to a raging bull, which has only one thing on his mind, and that’s to get you off as quickly as possible.

The Weatherford College Rodeo Team has been competing in various events like barrel racing, team roping, breakaway and steer wrestling since at least the early ‘60s. It wasn’t until around 1995 the college started receiving scholarship funds for its team members and had a designated coach. Prior to 1995, the team was an association that was only held afloat by sponsors.

Mike Brown, who is now the head coach for the rodeo team, has been with the college since the 1980s. He was unable to pinpoint an exact date as to when he started coaching for the rodeo team, but estimates about 10 years.

An event like bull riding is one that not many have chosen to do.

“We have on average about one student a year that decides to participate in that event,” Brown said.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much time that Barfield gets to practice. Due to the risk in the event, he only gets on a bull when the benefits outweigh the risks.

“They do not have the same momentum as the real thing,” Barfield said about practicing on mechanical bulls.

Most recently, the rodeo team has had a number of champions and qualifiers for the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR). In 2008, Arena Robertson was the women’s all around champion at the CNFR, and Cody Tew, in 2007, was the champion in the event team roping, header.

Barfield, along with the entire Weatherford College Rodeo Team, will be competing this weekend at Odessa College-Outback Arena in Odessa, one of four rodeos left in their district, Southwest National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association for 2010 Spring Season.



Box Info:

Coyote and Lady Coyote Rodeo Team Schedule

April 1 - 3 West Texas College - Scurry County Coliseum, Snyder, Texas

April 15 - 17 Howard College - Big Spring Arena, Big Spring, Texas

Aprill 22 - 24 Tarleton - Lone Star Arena, Stephenville, Texas