Jacey Watson is the brains behind Bull Stock Media and puts on a yearly Touring Pro Division event each year in Montana with her husband and the PBR’s chief photographer, Andy Watson. As preparations for the Livingston Classic PBR pick up, Watson spoke to members of the PBR family about their biological families and how the two intersect.
The Livingston Classic PBR will once again be the main focus on Saturday, August 3 at 7 p.m. And while fans sit in the stands and cheer on their favorite riders and bulls, there’s so much more at hand going on outside of the arena. There are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and families that make up the fabric of the PBR. And with Father’s Day this month, we thought it would be a perfect time to honor the dads of the PBR.
As I mulled over this article, I was thinking I would have to provide some background substance to help carry it through for the reader. I figured I’d have to give extra set-up detail, more explanation and additives to make it all work. It soon became very clear that truth and simplicity would carry it all on its own. I sent out a few questions to my fantastic crew and bull rider friends and what I got back was so unexpected. It was so touching, heartfelt and emotional to me. I suddenly had a deeper respect for these individuals I spend three weeks with during the summer. And after you read the following, I challenge you to feel any different.
Questions:
In your involvement with the PBR, what experiences do you feel have had a direct impact on you and are something you have been able to pass along to your children?
As a competitor, what is your favorite memory and/or experience you have been able to share with your children and family?
Answers:
Flint Rasmussen – PBR Exclusive Entertainer
“Probably the most important thing my involvement with the PBR has done for my daughters is the travel. They understand the diverse culture in our country because they have been to The Alamo, the beach, the red dirt of Texas and Broadway shows in New York City. Two girls from Montana have been to a lot of places.”
Cody Campbell – PBR bull rider
“I truly can’t choose a favorite memory. After our first child was born, my wife and I decided to jump in a motorhome and travel as a family. Now, over five years later with two beautiful girls and another child due in July, we are still traveling. All I can say is the memories and fun we have are endless! Especially during the summer run. It’s a time of year we can easily drive from one uniquely amazing PBR event in a beautiful place to another and never have to leave each other’s side. From exploring historic Deadwood, South Dakota, to staying with Chad Berger and family in North Dakota, camping in Livingston, visiting the hot springs in Bozeman, hiking the Tetons outside of Jackson (where my daughter will tell you a very animated bear encounter story), to countless Big Sky adventures, spending a week in Yellowstone, the Cheyenne, Wyoming, fair, and making as many stops for Wilcoxson’s ice cream along the way as possible. All while spending time together and with our PBR family. We have a story from everywhere and are very blessed to live this life.”
Andy Bolich – bull roper, pickup man and MSU Rodeo coach
“I think that rodeo is a sport that teaches you the importance of hard work, responsibility and dedication. You only get out of it what you put in. That is something that our boys are learning and have been able to see as they get older. We apply these principles to all parts of their lives, from school to sports.
Another great thing about being involved in rodeo is the good people you meet and interact with every weekend. They are hard-working, down-to-earth people that help and support each other even though they are also competing against each other. The rodeo family is a great place to raise kids, and even if they don’t pursue rodeo as adults, they have a solid foundation of ethics that can be used in all aspects of life.
One of my favorite memories was when our boys entered their first junior rodeo. They were really young and two of them rode the mini horse Ranger. They were so excited to hear their names being announced and just had fun being entered. By the end of the day, they were dog tired and covered in dirt and popsicles, but had big smiles on their faces. At that age, the true love for the sport is most evident because it isn’t about money or prizes, but about the thrill of competition and love of the game. In the end, that’s what it’s all about.”
Dustin Konig – PBR and PRCA bullfighter
“For me, being a bullfighter is a lot like being a father; I have a job to protect bull riders as I do for my kids, too. I feel that being part of the PBR and rodeo is like being part of a family. We all look out for one another and help one another out. That is something I enjoy teaching my kids, the camaraderie between people. I believe there are a lot of genuine qualities that we as people in the rodeo world get and can pass to our kids. I believe the most important lesson my kids have learned from rodeo is you can’t always win first, but if you work hard, you can win first.
For me personally, being a bullfighter can present challenges (with) being on the road and not home every night. It’s a balance, and you really grow to appreciate every minute you are with your kids and your rodeo family. I do get the pleasure of taking my family with me on many of my runs during the summer and those are always the most memorable. As for me and my family, I am grateful for all the opportunities and friends that God has put in my life. I have gotten to meet many people and see a lot of country in my career with the PBR and rodeo.”
Curt Blake – PBR savant
“Long before I ever became a father to my daughter Alaska, I was involved with the sport of bull riding, as I still am today. Little did I know that as I was travelling around with my friends, driving long hours, and working until we couldn’t even talk, I was learning invaluable life lessons that I would be able to pass on to her.
The lifestyle of bull riding is one born from days gone by and of a set of values that I try to subscribe to every day. It is a sport that requires a person to be determined, self-motivated, responsible for your actions, solve problems on the go, be able to conquer fear and disappointment and, in some cases, to face loss and tragedy. To go through these victories and losses with people who have this same mindset and grit is something every child should experience.
As Alaska turns 15 and begins to enter a new phase of life, the one in which we all get a taste of independence and freedom, I hope that she takes from me the experiences I have shared with her over the years. With these lessons and her free spirit, life will be one big wonderful adventure in which I hope she flourishes. And maybe one day we can sit around the campfire and she can tell me her stories as I have told her mine.”
Tickets for the Livingston Classic PBR can be purchased at LivingstonClassicPBR.com where you can purchase Reserved Seating and General Admission tickets. Additionally, General Admission tickets can be picked up at The Spur Line, Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce, and Murdoch’s. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and show starts at 7 p.m. Fans can expect to see a world-class bull riding with high-energy antics from Flint Rasmussen and great entertainment geared for the whole family.
