Mac Rodeo Magazine Vol.1

Written by Makoto Sekido
Translated by Randy S. Reese Jr.


JAN 19, 2000

 Howdy, this is Mac again!  I arrived in the U.S. yesterday, and am with my friend Kitagawa in Alabama.  I will get to riding right away starting tomorrow.  I will Email more as I get the time.

JAN 31, 2000

  This is Mac.  I have returned to Alabama where my friend Kitagawa lives.  I guess because I go mostly to places out in the country, there is hardly any internet available.

  By the way, I did pretty good at the rodeo school I attended.  The a.m. of the first day was classes on checking your equipment and lectures, and I rode two bulls in the afternoon and covered one!  The second day I rode a whopping six head!  I was bucked off the two I rode in the morning.  They brought out the big boys in the afternoon, and after I covered the fourth one, I threw my hat in the air and the whole place cheered.  It seemed the ice was broke, and a lot of the others started engaging in conversation with me after that.

  I rode three more in the morning of the last day, but did not fair well.  Because my last the previous day was so good, the defeat hit me hard, and I lost a lot of confidence prior to the afternoon's buckout.  But, one of the coaches (not one of Sankey's people) perhaps to boost my confidence, selected an honest bull for me, I managed 8, and though it wasn't good enough for first, I managed to take second place.

  The school was one of the Sankey Rodeo Schools, and the buckout was held in Ogden, UT.  Close to Salt Lake City.  The next week I traveled to Colorado Springs, went by the Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame and the PRCA office and became a permit holder.  Next week I will be riding at Billy Bob's Texas, and after that I will be touring a few armature shows in Utah to try and gain some experience.  'Till next time.

FEB 3, 2000

  I will be heading to Fort Worth on the 23:00 Greyhound today, and will be riding in the bullriding at Billy Bob's Texas on Friday night.

FEB 7, 2000

  Howdy from Mac again!  I have arrived in Fort Worth, TX.  I finally rode in the Friday night 9 o'clock bullriding at Billy Bob's Texas.

  It was the first time I had ridden outside of a rodeo school, there were easily over 50 in the crowd, and with lights and an announcer and all, I was nervous as heck.  On top of that, I mistook my number for riding from my lack in studying English, got on with an empty head, and with the bull being the biggest I have ever ridden, I lost my balance right away, knocked my chin on the bull's back, cut the inside of my mouth a bit, got trampled and ripped the back of my jeans at the knee.

 After that, I contacted a stock contractor by the name of Sandy Kirby, who Lyle Sankey had told me to call when I got to Ft. Worth, and met up with him.  When I told him I was looking for a place to practice, he told me I could ride after the show at 22:00, and let me ride three head.  I covered one, but after that I was tossed into the fence, stepped on and all kinds of heck.

  But, four head was definitely worth the $55 entry fee.  After my tirade, Sandy told me that "you got a lot of heart.  Keep riding."  One of the cowboys there watching from a wheel chair gave me his business card saying I could ride at his place for free, and to give him a call.

 My record in the U.S. this time thus far has been 4 of 16 for a .250 average.

  Another pain in the butt I got this time was when I traveled 31 hours from Colorado Springs to my friend's place in Birmingham via Greyhound, I was snowed in at Dallas for 16 hours, and ended up spending a whole day in the terminal.

 I will be entering an armature rodeo in Utah again this week.  My goal right now is to turn pro.  I will write again when I have the time.

FEB 18, 2000

 
Howdy again!  This is Mac.  I just got back to Alabama after a 45 hour bus ride.  Last week I traveled from Texas to Salt Lake City, Utah, and stayed at David's place, a bareback rider I met at rodeo school.  On Friday I rode in the Intermountain Professional Rodeo Association's Spring Kickoff Rodeo in South Jordan, UT.

  Last time was a bullriding only event at a honky tonk meant for added entertainment only, but this was a real rodeo in a real arena, with the crowd paying to watch.  I was even more nervous than last time.  The entry fee was also pro level, at $93.

  The rodeo featured eight events, and because David rode in the bareback event which was first, we arrived at 7:00pm.  By the time the bullriding started, it was after 10:00.  I drew a bull apparently fairly famous called Willy Wanca, and of course ended up with a no score.  When I fell by the fence, the bull started to charge, but I was saved by the hair on my teeth by one of the bullfighters who jumped in.  Everyone said it was a good experience to ride a good bull, and though true, $93 is a tough price to pay for an education.  This week I ride in a Southern Pro Bull Riders Association event in Cullman, AL, on Saturday.  'Till next time.

FEB 21, 2000

  Howdy!!  Mac here again.  I rode yesterday in a SPBRA event in Cullman, about two hours from Tuscaloosa, AL, where my friend Kitakawa's college, Alabama University is located.

 SPBRA is an association which encompasses Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina.  This time, I was a member of SPBRA, so my entry fee was only $60, but the added money was $1,000 and a bit bigger than some other pro shows.  There were 53 bullriders and around 400 spectators.  It was probably the biggest bullriding event I ever entered.

  I paid my entry fee by 7:00, and the show started at 8:00, and we all formed a circle to pray (though I understood nothing).  After that, a singer from Tennessee sang the national anthem, and though I am not American, I of course put my hat to my heart and stood in silence.  As the event really began, "Eye of the Tiger" "Born to be Wild" and other songs blared from the speakers, and really pumped me up.  My bull this time was a big ol' Brahma bull named "22"  known for quick spins, and I was told to watch my self on this one.

  Once I got down into the chute and started cinching down my rope, the bull got exited and tried to climb over the gate; definitely a dangerous moment.  Climbing back into the chute, I finally got my rope on and my mouthpiece in.  As I yell "OK!" the gate swung open and the bull exploded out.  Just as I was told, he went into  a tight spin, and though I clung as hard as I could,  I came off center and off in 4 or 5 seconds.  I happened to fall under the bull, and he continued to spin about twice, stepping on the right of my head, the top and my chest.  Strange enough though, I was real calm and I remember just thinking "he's gonna step on me now..." and "Kitagawa, take a dang picture of this!" and such.  Fortunately, I escaped with just a scratch on my face and a swollen arm.

  Thus far I have yet to make 8 in an event, and after three shows I have lost a total of $208 with no score to show.  But I do feel as though I am close to grasping something, and will go on to the next one.  I'm going to take a week off and go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans with Kitagawa.  After that I intend to be in Texas, riding for practice or in jackpots every day or every other day for a week or two, and if possible, enter in a PRCA show on the weekends.

'Till next time.

FEB 21, 2000

 
Hi again!  I am writing today to say that I have decided to return home early.  I intend to fly back next week or the week after.  My reasoning for this is that David, who I wrote about earlier, called and asked if I would tour the Utah area this summer from about mid June.  So I have decided to return early to try and save some money.  If I have a traveling partner, we could split the costs, and what's more, it would be a great help in communicating.  So, with that in mind, I have decided to return.

  It was important for me to polish my skill on this trip, but even more important was making connections and gathering some information.  So in that respect, I have met many good people, and have gained a lot of knowledge.

  I intend to ride in two or three events a week in the Summer.  So for now, I conclude with a week of riding daily in practice and jackpots, and head home from there.

  'Till next time.

Returned home.  Continues to Vol. 2


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