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Aggielife
Page 3 • Thursday, April 29, 1999
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Come to the Med ER.
We’ II see you soon.
And we accept Aggie Bucks).
For those not-really-serious-but-l-don’Mhink-l-want-to-tough-it-out
sports injuries (or those late night pains you can’t explain) come to
the College Station Medical Center’s Emergency Room.
The ER at the Med is open all night, staffed by specially trained doc
tors and staff who will take care of you without delay, without need
less paperwork and in strict confidence.
Pay with cash (if you have it), credit cards, insurance or Aggie
Bucks. No need to call. And no need to get dressed up.
Travel south (toward Houston) on Texas Avenue to Rock Prairie Road,
then right a couple of blocks. Only a few miles from campus. And
only a few minutes from peace of mind that your career is intact and
you’ll be healed in time for the big game.
COLLEGE STATION
MEDICAL CENTER
uWd
Miles and minutes closer.
(and we accept Aggie Bucks in the ER)
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Bull Blast brings top bull riders to Reed Arena
BY AMY DAUGHERTY
The Battalion
T he bulls will be trapped in their chutes at Reed
Arena, snorting and stomping, while they await
their turn to buck the men who have an over
whelming desire to tempt fate this weekend, as 84 of
the world’s top bull riders face off with 50 of the high
est ranked bulls on earth at “Bull Blast on the Brazos.”
Several world champions, as well as men on the
Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Tour, will be riding for
$30,000 Friday and Saturday night. Bull Blast on the
Brazos is one of the major stops for the bull riders as
they make their way to Las Vegas, where they will
compete over a three-day period with the winner re
ceiving $2 million.
Jimmy Menges and Mindy Doolittle of Premier Pro
ductions are putting on Bull Blast. Menges, a stock
contractor, said there will be other entertainment in
addition to bull riding.
“We will have bull poker at intermission,” Menges
said. “It’s where four guys are playing poker [in the
arena], and you turn out a bull. Whoever is still sitting
last wins $250 a night.”
Three of the world’s top stock contractors — Jerry
Nelson, James Harper and Terry Williams — are bring
ing the bulls participating in the competition. Troy
Dunn, reigning world champion, will be a contestant
in the events.
The Professional Bull Riding Tour, the major league
of bull riding, has hit the American mainstream and
the sport of bullriding is often considered the most
dangerous eight seconds in sports.
Brian Herman, a professional bull rider and one of
Bull Blast’s participants, has been in the top 10 for
eight years and said PBR competitors earn a living
through their bull riding.
“Well, really, we’re professional,” Herman said.
“We don’t have side jobs. Bull riding is how we make
our money. ”
Herman said PBR competitors do not participate in
other rodeo events.
“[PBR] broke away from the rodeo,” Herman said.
“This is a touring pro, and it’s [Bull Blast] a minor
event. A lot of the top 45 guys on tour in the world will
be there. It’s a minor event with a lot of 45s and
younger guys trying to get on tour. When the cut
comes, you might get picked.”
Bull riding is unlike other roughstock riding com
petitions, in that the contestants are not required to
spur their animals. They must remain seated for eight
seconds. If the rider falls off before time is called, they
receive no points for the ride.
Strong legs and good upper body control are must-
haves in the sport of bull riding. The rider keeps his
body forward to keep from getting whipped when the
bull is bucking. Judges look for good body position,
as well as things like spurring action, which adds
points to a rider’s score, and the rider’s use of their
free arm.
Herman said he has been riding bulls since his
childhood, but that bull riding comes naturally to
some people.
“I grew up in Yoakum, and I just fell into it,” Her
man said. “I was around it at six years old, and I start
ed riding then. I thought it was fun. From the first time,
I was hooked, and I haven’t stopped doing it since.
Other guys start in their 20s and go right into it.”
Mary Helen Bowers, associate director of Reed Are
na, said Reed Arena is a good location for Bull Blast.
“The arena will be set up with roughly half of it for
bull riding,” Bowers said. “Everyone will be up close
and personal.”
Bowers said the bull riding events will utilize a large
amount of dirt.
“The dirt will be hauled in [today],” Bowers said.
“This takes more dirt than the monster trucks event
did. It takes 4-6 inches of dirt.”
Herman said he does not consider professional bull
riding to be a dangerous sport.
“For us pros, [bull riding is] pretty safe,” Herman
said. “We know what we’re doing. If something hap
pens, it’s an accident just like in any other sport. For
the amateur guys, when they try to stick their heads
in something where it doesn’t belong, it can be really
bad.”
see Bulls on Page 5.
Silver Dollars For Those
First Salutes!!
Eisenhower Dollars 1971-1978: $3.00 each.
1995 1 ounce, .999 Silver Eagles, U.S. Mint issue: $11.00 each.
Ask about quantity prices.
Diamonds for Aggie Rings
.05 ct $ 45.00
.10 ct $ 80.00
.15 ct $125.00
.20 ct $195.00
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John Huntley
(409) 846-8916
John D. Huntley, Inc.
Very Personal Investments
313 B South College Ave.
Next to Hurricane Harry’s