Eight seconds goes by pretty quick.
But eight seconds on top of a 2,000-pound bull that wants nothing more than to toss you into the air like a rag doll, can feel like an eternity.
“If you are doing everything right, it should go really fast,” Oregon cowboy Cody Ford said. “If you are doing it all wrong, then it seems like a lifetime.”
Ford is bound and determined to stay on that bull for the whole eight seconds when he competes during the Pro Bull Riding Touring Pro Division contest at Comcast Arena at Everett this weekend.
Ford is one of about 40 riders competing atop some of the best bulls in the business.
One of the riders is Cord McCoy, who appeared on the CBS program “The Amazing Race” this season. McCoy has become a crowd favorite after he returned to riding following a life-threatening head injury during a pro rodeo ride in 2004.
At the ripe old age of 21 and riding bulls since he was 12, Ford has seen his share of injuries as well. The worst one came during his freshman year in high school when he broke his back.
While on the phone, Ford confessed he currently was suffering from three broken ribs.
But for Ford, there are certain givens in bull riding. They are: Bull riders are born not bred. Getting hurt is a question of when, not if. And you can’t be a girl in this sport (Ford did not mean that literally).
“I love riding bulls and I make a good living doing it,” Ford said. “I make my own schedule. I have a good time in rodeo and I have a lot of fans who love to see me. There’s not a down side to bull riding; you’re just sore.”
Ford said the crowd is split 50-50 into those who want to see the carnage and those who want to see the skill of riding an animal that weighs as much as a Honda Civic.
Ford described his particular skill as being highly technical, riding by the book and riding tight.
When a bull rider is judged during a competition, the judges are looking for technique, style and class in the riders: How good the rider made it look and how hard the bull bucked.
The goal is to score in the 80s or 90s, earning enough points to qualify for the PBR’s Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas in October, which has a purse worth as much as $1 million.
Ford said if he’s riding well this weekend, he’ll get on the bull at least twice each night.
“When you climb aboard one of these,” Ford said, “you are in for something different.”
Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424; goffredo@heraldnet.com.
The PBR Touring Pro Division
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Comcast Arena at Everett, 2000 Hewitt Ave. Preshow events start at 6 p.m. Friday for those who want to ride a mechanical bull or listen to live music by Tupelo.
Tickets are $14, $29, and $39. Call 866-332-8499 or go to www.comcastarenaeverett.com.
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