By Magie Downares-Nevius
After winning his second CePRA year-end title, bull rider, Bradley Harris, was put on the back burner with a severe injury. A dislocated collarbone and fractured shoulder blade forced the two-time finals champion into an agonizing recovery mode that caused a majority of the season to slip from his grasp. He has been living out his days in the oil fields of San Antonio, Tex., working for former rodeo-athlete Clayton Williams.
Not for long.
The Udall, Kans., star has recently jumped back into action to climb to second in the standings with over $2,600.00 won in two of three rodeos entered. “I surprised myself and did well enough at two rodeos and accomplished what it generally takes a guy to do all summer,” Bradley said. Currently sitting a close $12.00 from the number-one spot, Bradley is planning on making the trip to the finals. “I just want to ride all three bulls and let the chips fall where they will from there,” he said.
While the 27-year-old cowboy has burst back into the Central Plains Rodeo Association, his comeback has involved approximately 17 bulls prior to returning home. “I, of course, wanted to test myself first and have been going to the Tejas Rodeo in Bulverde [Texas], before getting on the Crowther’s ranker bulls,” Bradley said.
Growing up on the family farm paved the way for Bradley to start out on sheep, calves and steers, which sparked a fire and pushed him to progress to bulls by an early age. “I’ve been riding Jimmy Crowther’s bulls since I was 14 years old,” he recalled. Although, he was preceded by his dad and two older brothers in bull riding, Bradley is the only one of six children to continue down the rodeo path. “Rodeo is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,” he said.
Having been a member of the CePRA since 2003, Bradley also extends his level of competition to the PRCA and the CBR, where his working history includes two World Championship qualifications (2010, 2011) and an 84-point ride at the Horizon Series – Fury on the Fourth, of this year. Intentions of coming back completely strong has Bradley set on making the top 15, which will become his main focus in 2016. “I try to stay positive and not get down on myself. I’m in the process of feeling ‘em out, but the plan is to start up in San Antonio in February,” he said.
