Blood, sweat and steers
One has two legs and the other has four. One is 175 pounds and the other is 2,000, but both bodies have to remain in perfect symmetry to accomplish the goal. This fact couldn’t be more evident Friday night, when the Buckin B’ Cattle Company hosted its annual rodeo in Waynesburg.
The rodeo, which took place from April 15-16, was hosted by Matt DeJohn, the owner of Buckin’ B Cattle Company, and was presented by Ron Lewis Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram.
The winner of Friday night’s action was Cody Martin, who is a two-time Southern Extreme Bull Riding Association (SEBRA) champion.
SEBRA is an up-and-coming sanctioning body that not only has events across the mid and southeast but is gaining traction on a national level.
SEBRA was founded by Jerome Davis, who also founded the world’s most premier bull riding association: Professional Bull Riding Association (PBR). SEBRA acts as a springboard for riders, including number one in the world, JB Mauney, to make their way into the PBR.
Several riders and bulls in the weekend’s contest were featured on the PBR Built Ford Tough Series. Friday’s events were a step back, said DeJohn, from what his company is used to performing in.
“We’re normally in bigger events, coliseums,” said DeJohn. “We try to bring that same show to a smaller building.”
The same show that is seen all across the east coast was on display Friday night, as the announcer went to a “dark house” and introduced riders who were ranked as high as number two in the nation by SEBRA. DeJohn, whose company has traveled up and down the east coast for events, has provided bulls to SEBRA for eight years and is located locally out of Lippincott, Pennsylvania. DeJohn’s company was voted producer of the year eight times by SEBRA and the recognition, he says, is something special.
“We do this all over the country,” said DeJohn. “The bull riders and the other people that do what we do vote on that, so it’s a big deal to us.”
DeJohn has held a rodeo for the community for 15 years and it is something the community looks forward to, he said.
“I feel like that’s the reason I do it,” said DeJohn. “I think people are excited to get out of the house in spring and do something; I think if we didn’t have it, people would be disappointed.”
The rodeo received around 2,500 fans between Friday and Saturday night. The events on Friday, which included a bubble soccer match between the rodeo clowns, were made possible by sponsors like NAPA, Hot Rod’s House of Barbecue, Ron Lewis Chrylser, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Brigg’s Tire Service, Waynesburg Yamaha, Hlatky Enterprises and many more.
“These events are very expensive, tens of thousands of dollars,” said DeJohn. “Those are very committed sponsors, and we appreciate their help.”