LAS VEGAS – When Sharon Shoulders stepped up to the podium to introduce her namesake award at the PBR’s Heroes and Legends Celebration in Las Vegas, she implored the room full of cowboys to appreciate the women standing beside them.

“If it weren’t for these beautiful wives, where would you guys be?” Shoulders asked.

Justin McBride, who followed her at the microphone and presented the award to his wife Jill, had the answer to that question.

“I can honestly tell you that without my wife Jill, there’s a pretty good shot I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you all right now.”

The Sharon Shoulders Award honors the women whose work, partnership and faith have been as integral to the sport of bull riding as the athletes themselves.

In the McBride family, Jill has been Justin’s rock as he chased his bull riding dreams, first as a two-time World Champion rider and now as a color commentator on CBS for the 25^th PBR: Unleash The Beast.

“I kind of think of my wife as the yin to my yang, because most anybody that knows me knows I can spin out of control pretty easily, and tend to take things to the extreme sometimes,” Justin said.

He also applauded Jill’s parents in doing a wonderful job raising their daughter.

“I think a lot of credit is due to them for the way they raised Jill and the foundation they gave her,” Justin said. “To raise a strong young woman of faith and to give her the ability to go on to raise our two children – and myself.”

“I thank Justin for the crazy rollercoaster ride we went on, which has been wonderful,” Jill said as she received her award. “They say love is blind, but marriage is an eye-opener. And, well, I’m blessed, we’ll just say that.”

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McBride met her future husband when he moved to her hometown in Nebraska in sixth grade. The two grew up together and attended the same high school, but parted ways afterwards; Jill went to college while Justin started with the PBR in 1999.

The two reconnected in 2004 and were married a year later.

The pair has two children, daughter Addison (12) and son Jackson (8).

Jill was pregnant with Addison toward the end of the 2005 season, while Justin was traveling and competing, eventually going on to win the first of his two world titles. She was then at home with a newborn when he was on the road again, taking care of their cows and horses in addition to raising their baby while Justin rode bulls.

Jill has worked hard to provide a solid home for her kids, a normal life and stability in the midst of a completely unstable sport.

She joins eight women in receiving the Sharon Shoulders Award and, though she never expected to be amongst them, is honored to join their ranks.

“When I think of these women who have received this award, the first word that comes to mind is strength,” McBride said. “Strength in their faith, strength in their families. You’re strong enough to support a man who is crazy enough to ride bulls for a living, and you’re also strong enough to stand on your own two feet.”

The strong, quiet force behind the scenes of the McBride family, Justin is happy that his wife is finally getting the recognition she deserves.

“She’s not someone that desires the spotlight,” he said, “but she’s someone that definitely deserves it.”