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'WALK THIS WAY' - A TALE OF A BULL As Told To Susan Kanode My name is 'Walk This Way' And I AM a bull with 'Baditude' PBR photo by Andy Watson
After they won the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding on him, my traveling partner Born To Boogie was pretty full of himself. I’ll be the first to tell you that sometimes we are like boys on a playground and we don’t always get along. We left Del Rio and went to San Antonio for the Ford Country Classic stop on the Professional Bull Riders’ (PBR) Built Ford Tough Series. Born To Boogie was in the long round and he had drawn Justin McBride. I tell him he’s going to get ridden like he’s never been ridden before. Justin is going to stick it on him and he’s going to have to turn it up a notch because Justin will make it look too easy. Well instead of listening to me and taking advantage of my experience, that stupid bull got mad. He stayed mad too and it didn’t help that Justin rode him just like I said he would. I’m in the finals and Guilherme Marchi is my guy. Of course, I have my usual unpredictable trip, buck him off in 3.7 seconds and get a 45-point marking. We get back in the pen and this time I’m a little full of myself. I tell Born to Boogie that’s how it’s done. I think I need to learn a lesson in humbleness, because that just added to his temper. Instead of just sulking like he usually does, he took a run at me and hooked me right in the ribs. Well I’m having none of that and I gave it right back to him. I know who the top bull is, not just in the arena, but in the back pens as well. We’ve settled our differences and we’re back to being traveling partners again and I’m just hoping I knocked a little sense into him. I had the sore ribs for a couple of days just to remind me of his temper. After San Antonio, the PBR had a long break which we all were ready for. The first weekend of June I got to go to a rodeo in Killeen, Texas. They have me scheduled at the Friday night performance there and I’ve drawn some kid I’ve never heard of. Apparently he has heard of me, because he turned me out. Well of course I’m disappointed and thinking that I’m not going to get to buck. And, there was a $2,000 bounty on my head for the guy if he rode me. They decided to use me as the bounty bull anyway, and they let the high-marked ride of the night get on me. That was J.W. Harris from May, Texas. He had just ridden Wild Wild West for 89 points. That guy was calm as a cucumber. He settled down on my back got ready to ride and decided things didn’t feel right, so he repulled his rope and got set again. Now sometimes when that happens those guys get to messing with me, and that makes me mad. J.W. wasn’t like that at all. He’s just sitting there getting ready all over again, talking to the guys and letting me know I should be patient. I could tell he wanted to ride me, and was confident that he could. When that gate opened, he was right in the middle of me. He’s got some great balance and is strong. His legs are moving and he’s matching me jump for jump. I’m just waiting for him to get a little off center and get my opportunity to get out from under him.
We are over seven seconds into the ride when I get my chance. J.W. is off center, I kick right, and he’s gone. The crowd went wild. I know they wanted him to ride and get the $2,000. If he didn’t ride me, the bounty would go up to $3,000 on Saturday night and if no one rode, the Toyota dealership that put up the money would make a donation to the local animal shelter. Since I am of the four-legged persuasion, I wanted to do my part for those less fortunate animals. Not everyone can have the life of a rodeo animal and that’s too bad, because I wouldn’t trade it for anything! I got to go back to the ranch and hang out with the girls after Killeen. There’s more green grass there than I have ever seen and we are still getting rain. Ivana was really glad to see me. That green grass is setting pretty well on her and all the girls. I’ve discovered the best way to handle those females is to keep them herded in a group where they can’t talk about me behind my back. Also, if I keep them in one big herd, they can’t talk about each other. The best thing in the world that I can do is go home for a few days, then leave. It’s amazing how happy they are when I get back. And, just when I’m getting tired of all the girl stuff, I get to go somewhere and do my stuff. I’m on the PBR tour for the rest of the month. Nashville, Tenn., then Dallas, and Glendale, Ariz. After that we are headed to Steamboat Springs, Colo., for the Fourth-of-July. I’m going to do my best to throw a bull rider Colorado Rocky Mountain HIGH! My name is Walk This Way and I am a bull with BADITUDE.
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