COMING TOGETHER

Just a few short weeks ago the rodeo world was abuzz for a speech Joe Beaver made at the Texas High School Finals Rodeo. I will admit it I was caught up in watching the video and reading the comments from parents and contestants across the country.
I have an unusual perspective on his speech, you see I am an Idaho native that has moved to Texas to coach college rodeo. From my view on it there is rodeo talent from across the country and around the world. It is not simply localized in one area. What was disturbing was how easily the rodeo world took offense to Beavers speech and how easily it separated the rodeo world based on state lines.
The speech did start to drive a divide between the rodeo families across the country. But then at the CNFR a young bull rider from Australia was severely injured in the third round.
Bradie Gray faced life threating injuries after a bull stepped on his chest. He was rushed to the hospital where they did an emergency surgery in the ER to save his life. As I write he is still in the ICU in the Wyoming Regional Medical Center in Casper, Wyoming.
As the word of Bradie’s accident quickly spread the rodeo world quickly and quietly threw away their differences and came together in support of the young cowboy that few of them knew. The rodeo family was quickly united, in a time of need for one of their fellow members.
Bradie and his family received help in many ways from across the country and around the world. Donations flew in to help with medical expenses from Texas, to Canada and from New York to Australia. Unfortunately in most cases it takes a tragedy to unite all of us involved in rodeo.
The hosting city of the CNFR, Casper, has treated the Gray’s as if they were a member of their community. The out pouring of support has been overwhelming at times.
We can all be thankful that we are involved in a sport like rodeo, and that although we may have our differences of opinion on certain things that we can all still come together and support one of our own in a time of need.