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There are many reasons bullriders Clint Miller, 16, and Brennon Eldred, 15, travel from Sulphur each weekend to compete in rodeos and traveled for an entire week of competition at the 2010 International Finals Youth Rodeo.
“It’s the best event ever,” Miller said. “Everybody knows about bullriding. It’s fun, it’s wild and there’s girls.”
Eldred echoed Miller’s enthusiasm with the draw of the sport.
“It’s awesome and you can meet lots of girls,” he said.
The teenagers, who tied for third in the first round of bullriding with a score of 79, said although they are already set to leave with a bit of cash in their pockets they are determined to rake in a bit more before leaving the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center.
Miller, who competed in his second IFYR this year, was set to go at it again Thursday evening, while Eldred, who attended the IFYR for his first time this year, wasn’t on tap until Friday morning.
Regardless of how either teen finishes, each said the competition doesn’t get in the way of their long-time friendship and they’ll continue to spend a lot of time together back in Sulphur, where they live about five miles from one another.
“Every weekend we go together to a rodeo, every weekend,” Miller said. “And we hang out and ride horses.”
Eldred said the pair attends about the same number of rodeos since Miller turned 16 and earned his driver license but their transportation there has changed.
“We go to rodeos every weekend, about two to three a weekend and we go by ourselves,” he said.
They also pay their own way to most of the competitions.
“We pay our own fees a lot and we keep our own prize money,” he said.
Eldred said he’s rodeoed since he was 6 and started out riding calves. He said he would consider the best bull to draw to be “the one you can be 90 points on.”
The sophomore high school student said he is a first generation bullrider in his family, although his father had competed in team roping events.
Miller said his brother attended the IFYR last year as a bullrider but “he didn’t do good at all.” Otherwise, he isn’t aware of other family members riding bulls, he said.
As for practice time, that is another time the boys spend together, they said.
“I ride two to three bulls per week, once or twice per week,” Eldred said. “I know a lot of people with bulls for us to ride.”
Miller said although they practice throughout each week, the time is harder to find than it used to be.
“I used to practice more but now I’m always doing them,” he said.
Miller said there isn’t a lot of difference between practice and actual competition.
“You can get hurt just as much in practice as you can in the arena,” he said.
He said he has been fortunate to just have a few bruises and bumps but Eldred hasn’t been so lucky in that regard.
“I broke my arms about three times,” Eldred said. “I’ve had both broken.”
No matter the injuries or the end results of the highschoolers’ youth competitions, both said they intend to continue riding bulls as long as they can.
“I plan on riding bulls for a living,” Miller said.
Eldred said he has the same plans but with a more specific ultimate goal.
“I’m going to keep going and try to be a world champion,” he said.
There are many reasons bullriders Clint Miller, 16, and Brennon Eldred, 15, travel from Sulphur each weekend to compete in rodeos and traveled for an entire week of competition at the 2010 International Finals Youth Rodeo.
“It’s the best event ever,” Miller said. “Everybody knows about bullriding. It’s fun, it’s wild and there’s girls.”
Eldred echoed Miller’s enthusiasm with the draw of the sport.
“It’s awesome and you can meet lots of girls,” he said.
The teenagers, who tied for third in the first round of bullriding with a score of 79, said although they are already set to leave with a bit of cash in their pockets they are determined to rake in a bit more before leaving the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center.
Miller, who competed in his second IFYR this year, was set to go at it again Thursday evening, while Eldred, who attended the IFYR for his first time this year, wasn’t on tap until Friday morning.
Regardless of how either teen finishes, each said the competition doesn’t get in the way of their long-time friendship and they’ll continue to spend a lot of time together back in Sulphur, where they live about five miles from one another.
“Every weekend we go together to a rodeo, every weekend,” Miller said. “And we hang out and ride horses.”
Eldred said the pair attends about the same number of rodeos since Miller turned 16 and earned his driver license but their transportation there has changed.
“We go to rodeos every weekend, about two to three a weekend and we go by ourselves,” he said.
They also pay their own way to most of the competitions.
“We pay our own fees a lot and we keep our own prize money,” he said.
Eldred said he’s rodeoed since he was 6 and started out riding calves. He said he would consider the best bull to draw to be “the one you can be 90 points on.”
The sophomore high school student said he is a first generation bullrider in his family, although his father had competed in team roping events.
Miller said his brother attended the IFYR last year as a bullrider but “he didn’t do good at all.” Otherwise, he isn’t aware of other family members riding bulls, he said.
As for practice time, that is another time the boys spend together, they said.
“I ride two to three bulls per week, once or twice per week,” Eldred said. “I know a lot of people with bulls for us to ride.”
Miller said although they practice throughout each week, the time is harder to find than it used to be.
“I used to practice more but now I’m always doing them,” he said.
Miller said there isn’t a lot of difference between practice and actual competition.
“You can get hurt just as much in practice as you can in the arena,” he said.
He said he has been fortunate to just have a few bruises and bumps but Eldred hasn’t been so lucky in that regard.
“I broke my arms about three times,” Eldred said. “I’ve had both broken.”
No matter the injuries or the end results of the highschoolers’ youth competitions, both said they intend to continue riding bulls as long as they can.
“I plan on riding bulls for a living,” Miller said.
Eldred said he has the same plans but with a more specific ultimate goal.
“I’m going to keep going and try to be a world champion,” he said.
