I nodded and gave my best friend a smile.
My eyes looked past Dirk to Lincoln. My folks were standing next to her. She turned my way and waved. I smiled and waved back to her. Blayze was already up in the stands with my cousin Kristin. I watched as my folks guided Lincoln and Kaylee to their seats. Where I had them sitting, they would be able to see everything happening at the chutes and during the bull riding.
Dirk was up first. He did his normal routine of doing a few jumps and dropping to a knee, saying a quick prayer, before he got up on the bull. Ty walked up and grabbed the bull rope. Dirk glanced at him and nodded, then ran his hand over the rosin on the rope.
After Dirk got his rope where he wanted it, Ty pulled as I held on to Dirk’s vest.
“He’s probably gonna go to the left. You know he likes that,” I said.
Dirk positioned himself. “Ty, get him to turn,” he said, wanting the bull not to look to the back of the chute.
Reaching his foot over, Ty pushed hard on the side of the bull, making him jump a little so that Dirk could get settled over the bull exactly how he wanted.
A quick nod, and he was out of the chute. Ty and I both watched as Dirk rode almost flawlessly. He kept his hand up and moved right along with the bull. That bastard bull damn near jumped straight up, almost sending Dirk flying, but he held on. He dominated the ride as the bull attempted to throw him, but Dirk wasn’t having any part of it.
“Yes!” I shouted. “Do it! Do it!”
Ty yelled right along with me. “Dig in, Dirk! Hell yes!”
The buzzer went off. I watched as he got his hand free, and Striker, the bull he was on, launched him into the air. When he landed, he hit hard but got up fast and out of the bull’s way.
“Hell yeah,” I said, slapping Johnny G, the stock contractor for Striker.
He laughed and shook his head. “I thought for sure that bull was going to kick his ass.”
The announcer came on with Dirk’s score: 87.5 points.
“He rode good. Now, ride better and show them why you’re number one,” Ty said to me as I rolled my neck.
I glanced up into the stands and saw Lincoln.
“Get her out of your head, man. Come on. Stay focused,” Ty said.
With a nod, I put my helmet on.
My father walked up next to us and slapped me on the back. “Moonshine is feisty today.”
I laughed. “When ain’t he?”
Cody Harris was riding, and I watched as he slid down the bull’s side.
“Shit, he’s going into the well,” Ty said.
Cody’s hand got caught on the rope. The worst thing you want to do is start sliding to the side of the bull with your hand caught.
“Shit!” Ty and I both said.
We watched as the bull jerked him around like a rag doll. Once he finally got free, the medical crew was out there, attending to him.
“Let’s go,” my father said to me, giving me a light pat on the back.
I dragged my gaze off Cody and climbed onto the back of Moonshine.
“He’s up and walking it off,” Ty informed me as he held up my rope.
Running my hand over the rope, I took a deep breath and positioned my hand. “Tighter,” I said, grabbing at the rope and pulling along with my brother.
I knew the camera was there, but I stayed focused. I couldn’t hear Kim, the CBS Sports reporter who was with us every weekend. I couldn’t hear the crowd. The only thing I heard was the sound of the bull breathing and me breathing.
My father’s voice cut in. “Chin down, arm controlled, Brock.”
“Yes, sir.”
Adjusting myself on the bull, I felt my heart kicking up as the sounds of everything around me flooded back in a rush.
The beginning notes of Van Halen’s “Runnin’ with the Devil” started. It was the intro song the PBR had used the first year I was a rookie and drew Diablo. Damn beast had bucked me my first three times on him, and I’d never gotten to eight with that bull.
I could hear the crowd going nuts when the music started. The beat echoing in my ears. I smiled as I put my mouthpiece in.
I loved this shit. Lived for it.
One more adjustment, and I was there. A prayer and then a nod, and the gate flew open. Moonshine didn’t go left. He went right and spun. He bucked forward; I adjusted. He kicked and I dug my heels into him. When he changed direction, I changed with him. That bull was doing everything in his power to get me off, and there was no way I was letting him win.