At age 22, Brayden Lamb is an experienced bull-rider. In the past month the Claremore, Okla., native has participated in the Allen County Fair rodeo, where he placed third, as well as one in Abilene.
Lamb has been riding bulls ever since he was 16 years old and has loved every second of it. He typically competes in around 40 rodeos every summer.
Lamb first got his start riding sheep in the mutton busting event as a little boy.
“My older brother rode bulls so when I was around three years old we went to this rodeo and he put me on a sheep. When I hit the ground, I got up and I wanted to do it again. Ever since then he’s worked with me all the way up. He would ride the bulls and I would ride sheep. When I got too big they had a junior division, I would ride calves then steers,” said Lamb.
While a student at Fort Scott Community College, Lamb learned more about bull riding. The school has a rodeo team and is a part of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA).
Lamb likes the camaraderie of the sport. Team members travel to rodeos together and share their experiences.
“You’ve got your family and then you have your rodeo family. We all support each other and we’re constantly hollering at each other while we’re riding. One weekend you can jump in with seven guys you don’t know in a truck and then all of the sudden by the end of the trip you are best friends,” said Lamb.
Lamb belongs to two bull riding associations, the BRI, Bull Riding Inc., and the PRCA, the Professional Rodeo Cattle Association. Each plays a role and sponsors events for bull riders.
“The NFR (National Finals Rodeo) is a 10-day long rodeo in Las Vegas, that’s part of the PRCA and it’s huge, it’s all over,” Lamb said.
Lamb hopes to compete at the NFR in Las Vegas in the coming years which is one of his dreams. This is the biggest single competition in the United States and would put Lamb on the map for professional bull-riders. To achieve this dream Lamb said he will certainly have to get more serious about his bull riding.
“I want to make the NFR within the next three years, that’s my goal. To reach that I’m going to have to think about bull riding more as a priority than a hobby so I’ve got to take it more seriously,” said Lamb. “You’ve also got to have fun, relax and enjoy it but you’ve also got to put your work in, you’ve got to work out, think about it, fix the little stuff you’re doing wrong.”
Lamb said his favorite part about bull riding is the rush he gets when mounted on the bull as well as the people he meets. As far as getting injured or thrown by a bull in the ring, he says he can’t worry about it and can only focus on what he can control.
“Everybody gets hurt, it’s going to happen, I just think it’s how you come back from it and can’t let it get in your head. It’s just nerves but I feel like you’ve just got to block that out and think about what you’re going to do. If you think about getting hurt, you’re going to get hurt.”
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