The SHSU Rodeo Team will bring men from across the campus onto their turf with its second annual Fear is a Factor Bull Riding on Tuesday (Jan. 24).
The event, to be held at 7 p.m. at the Agriculture Complex’s Indoor Arena, will put approximately 24 first-time bull riders against the 2,000-pound animals in a battle to see who can stay on for eight seconds.
Country recording artist Chely Wright, who sings such songs as ‘Single White Female’ and ‘The Bumper of My S.U.V.,’ will open the event with a performance, with SoundSenations deejaying during the event. A special “guest” rider will be one of Hillcrest Ford’s top executives, Charles Lambreth.
“Hillcrest is our main sponsor for everything we do,” said rodeo team secretary Kristi Lee. “This year, Bill Fick, the owner of the Ford dealership here, made a bet with Charles Lambreth. Bill ended up selling more trucks than this guy, and the deal was if he (Lambreth) lost, he had to get on a bull.”
Hillcrest, also the sponsor for Fear is a Factor, was also instrumental in getting Wright to play for the event.
“Ford kind of got her started, and that’s how they got her to come down here,” Lee said.
While most of the bulls will be fairly young and “just getting started,” participants will be riding full-sized bulls; therefore members of the rodeo team will teach participants the ropes beforehand, according to Lee.
“They come early, and they ride on the bucking machine, learn how to put the bull rope on,” she said. “Our bull riders are back there helping them do all of it, but they still have to stay on for eight seconds.”
Of the 24 who rode last year, one broke his wrist and one professor was sent to the hospital, Lee said but added that three have signed up to participate again this year.
“One of the guys actually joined the NIRA this year, the college rodeo, because he liked it so much,” Lee said.
The team will begin recruiting those who are up to the task on Tuesday (Jan. 17) in the Lowman Student Center Mall Area.
There is a $25 fee to participate, and the winner will receive a belt buckle.
If cheering the riders on is as close to the action as you want to get, admission to the event is $5. The Indoor Arena is directly across Interstate 45 from the Raven Nest Golf Course, on the corner of I-45 and Avenue M.
The team will also be selling caps, T-shirts, sweatshirts and koozies, with all proceeds benefiting the team’s scholarship fund.
Those interested in participating can sign up with rodeo team coach Roger Hanagriff at rhanagriff@shsu.edu or 936.294.3867, or with Lee at stdkcl16@shsu.edu.