Rodeo Boys
The photographic essay follows a group of teenage bull riders in Ohio that dream of turning pro.
In the hills of Southeastern Ohio, a group of teenagers from across the region come together to compete for s coveted prize. They are members of the Ohio High School Rodeo Association and they are surrounded by a close-knit community of siblings, parents, cousins, neighbors and friends who support their dreams of becoming rodeo champions. It is a community steeped in tradition, religion, patriotism and no small amount of courage.
“I lost my mom a few years ago to cancer,” explains Chance Fryer. “My whole family was part of the rodeo. My dad rode bulls and my mom, she won lots of events on horseback. So, I guess you could say I grew up around it.” After Chance’s mother passed away he moved in with his grandfather, a former well known bull rider from West Virginia. Chance wanted to make his parents proud and continue in the family tradition. “I definitely want to go pro after high school,” he says. “But there’s some real heavy competition for sure. I just have to keep my head on straight and do what I do.”
Chance is just one of dozens of teenagers who are taking part this season. Some come for the camaraderie, but for a select few it is simply the next step in their journey to becoming professional bull riders. “The state (of Ohio) doesn’t recognize our sport because they believe it is too dangerous,” says President Nikky McCarty. “But we have fewer injuries than your average football team and there’s only been one minor concussion since I’ve been president.” There have, however, been several broken bones among other injuries. The riders are required to wear helmets whenever they ride a bull, and there are paramedics at each event.
Regardless of the precautions, there are still real dangers. One rider broke a leg and another lost a few teeth this season. But many riders believe the real issue facing the future of their sport is not that it is the most dangerous, but rather that it carries with it a long-held stigma of danger. Bull riding has been around for hundreds of years. And yes, professional bull riding is considered by many to be “the most dangerous eight seconds in sports,” but the size and temperament of the bulls in youth competition is dramatically scaled back in comparison to that of the professional circuits.
Further establishing the stereotype is the fact that bull riding is a foreign concept to most high school students around the country, but for the young boys and girls raised around the rodeo, it is as common as cheerleading or joining the local baseball team. Due to the stigma, high schools permit students to attend their competitions but do not excuse the absences the same way they do full contact sports such as football. So, for some riders they have to choose between grades and sports- a choice not forced upon participants of other sports around the country.