story by Terry Rhodes
John McInerney – photo by Terry Rhodes
John McInerney has been in the Senior Pro association since 2010 and twice has come close to reaching his goal of winning the Gold Buckle in bull riding. He has been Reserve World Champion Bull Rider in both 2012 and 2014. “In 2010 I qualified for the Finals in three events; steer wrestling, bareback, and bull riding. But I’m down to one event, now since I broke my leg in the second go round in Winnemucca.”
When John talks about the Senior Pro association, he says the best part is the camaraderie that goes with it and the lasting friendships that he has made over the years. “That’s what I like. I’ve known some of them most of my life and it’s good to make new friends too. And it’s about the guys that are still competing to fulfill their dream or are just doing this for the entertainment of it. You find the best cali ber of people in rodeo.”
In the course of his rodeo career he has competed in many of the Northern amateur associations and in the PRCA Bandlands Circuit where he made the Circuit Finals. He got his start in rodeo as he helped his family. “I grew up around bucking horses and bulls. My dad and my uncles all rodeoed in the ‘50s through the present day. My uncle Paul, that raised me, had a stock contracting operation so we’d rodeo most of the summer and then work like dogs in the winter cutting logs and then start it all over again.” And with a laugh adds. “It was my family and my uncles that are responsible for getting me into this.”
When it’s time to get down on his bull John relaxes and finds a calmness that comes from confidence and experience. “I might get nervous before, but I walk that off and become calmer. Then it’s just nod your head and go. It’s the challenge of matching wits and strength with a critter that size and a personal desire to get it done and make it look good. That’s what is exciting to me.” He says that his Uncle Paul was his biggest influence as he was growing up. “He was one of the mainstays in my life and he raised about three different families. My dad, John and Uncles Gerald and Snooks were big influences to me too.”
John, 57, claims Belle Fourche, South Dakota as home when he’s not spending some of the winter in Arizona. “We had a ranch up here in the Black Hills and that’s where I grew up. Now I work cattle in the summer and fall out of Belle Fourche. When I’m in Arizona I ride a few of colts for people and I ride prospects at home too.” Leisure time is best spent outdoors doing just about anything but especially hunting. “We just got back from a month of hunting with my nephews. Since their older kids are are going to be in high school next year, this seemed to be the last year we all might be able to get together.”
Goals for the future are to get past the Reserve Champion title and, “…get me one of those gold belt buckles for posterity’s sake. I’d like to be known not just as a bull rider, but mostly just a fair cowboy.” John lives by the Will Roger’s adage, “There’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.”
