Facebook has been really important in my quest to learn more about rodeo and to use that understanding to make better rodeo pictures. A couple of weeks ago, I saw Michael Trauner, one of my new FB friends, talking about a practice session where top stock contractor Julio Moreno would be bringing some of his bulls for young riders to get some practice. I’m used to driving several hours to shoot rodeo, so the chance to shoot only two hours away sounded great. I had never been to B Bar Ranch outside of Lincoln, CA, but I figured it would be dark so I brought some speedlites, clamps and remote triggers in case it was too dark to shoot. I didn’t count on the Sacramento rush hour traffic, so I ended up not having the time to set up the lights. The “arena” at B Bar is basically a semi-open pavilion lit by florescent tube bulbs, totally appropriate for the the setting. I figured out that I would be shooting at the very edge of my cameras’ capabilities, and got to work.

I can go to just about any rodeo in California and know a majority of the cowboys, but after a quick walk around B Bar, I realized that I didn’t know anyone, and no one knew me. Queue flashbacks to my first few rodeos. Still, it is very liberating to not be on assignment and just be able to shoot.

I spent some time behind the chutes, and my best picture of the night happened in the first two minutes as Derek McCormack said a prayer:

The riders were so young, high school and a bit older.

My friend Michael holding on to a chute while one of the bulls ran wild in the arena:

This is one of the scariest things that can happen to a bull rider because it’s impossible to know when the bull with get up or slam you against the chute. These kids are taught to stay on, and they do it:

Without strobes, action pictures were few and far between, but here are a couple that worked:

I’ll be back at B Bar (with strobes) as my schedule permits. Having great access means that I’ll be able to try some new things and hopefully be able to recreate them at rodeos this spring.

Thanks to Michael Trauner and Dwayne Hargo Jr.

The world famous Growney Ranch, and the world famous Red Rock.

My friend John Growney

Over last weekend I got word that four-time and defending bareback champion Bobby Mote would be getting on some practice horses at my friend John Growney’s ranch. This is one reason why I love rodeo so much, no red tape. One of the biggest names rodeo has ever had, and I just drove up and started shooting.

Mote broke ribs and lacerated his pancreas after getting knocked around in the chute at the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo in August, and hasn’t been on a bucking horse since. With less than two weeks to go before the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Mote got on four practice horses including a former WNFR bucker and by the end, looked like he hadn’t missed any time at all.

Before Bobby rode, John told me that there was a vet at the ranch to work on a horse who had some hay caught in its throat, and that I should shoot it because “there’s more to rodeo than just bucking.” Fair enough.

Dr. Bill Hooton works on 022

Dr. Bill Hooton works on 022

Dr. Bill Hooton works on 022

Dr. Bill Hooton works on 022

Dr. Bill Hooton works on 022

I managed to hold it together even as Dr. Hooton ran a tube down the horse’s nose (mostly because I didn’t want Bobby, Eric Layton, Dave Murdoch, or Tim Bridwell to see me hurl) and walked back over to the chutes to watch Bobby prepare to ride.

Bobby Mote stretches

Bobby Mote files down part of his new rigging.

Bobby Mote works on his new rigging.

Bobby Mote ties on his boots.

Bobby Mote walks up to the practice chutes.

None of the famous Growney stock would be bucking that day, on tap were new purchases and older horses that were coming back from injuries:

Practice horses in their pen.

I shot Bobby getting ready to ride and then grabbed a couple of longer lenses and staked out a spot to watch the fireworks:

Bobby Mote prepares to get on a practice horse.

Bobby Mote rides a practice horse.

Bobby Mote rides a practice horse.

And I made one for all of the rodeo people who complain that I never shoot conventional bucking pictures. FULL EXTENSION! Suck it haters!

Bobby Mote rides a practice horse.

After Bobby was done, John and I and my friend Tonya Redamonti drove over to Don Kish’s ranch to get pictures of the bulls who were chosen to buck at the WNFR this year. I had never been in a pen with bulls before, and after a few years of seeing what they do to the riders on a regular basis, I wasn’t especially eager to step through the fence. But John already teases me for my less-than-cowboy nature, so I figured I would just get in there. So John went around to the left and the bulls started walking right at me. The most awesome thing you can hear someone say when you’re in a pen with 5-10 one-ton bucking machines is “Matt, you might be a little too close.”

Wrangler National Finals Rodeo bull 678 Wish This

717 War God (Second from left)

I managed to get pictures of all six of the WNFR bulls without getting gored, and as we were driving out I wanted to get a landscape of Don Kish’s ranch, and as I climbed up the fence, a gust of wind blew my cowboy hat off of my head and into the pen.

A pen of young bulls

I’ve been planning on getting a new cowboy hat, but wasn’t going to leave the old one in the pen, so I handed my camera to John, climbed over the fence and grabbed my hat out of the awesome dirt/bull shit mix, and got my ass out of there. John just couldn’t resist getting this picture:

While I was fetching my hat, John Growney picked up my camera and documented my shame.

Rodeo is a small world, and as an example of that, some of the riders and coaches from the Feather River College rodeo team were at the ranch to buck some of the young horses. One of the coaches is steer wrestler Billy Bugenig, the focus of my assignment at the WNFR:

Billy Bugenig showing me the rifle in his trunk.

At actual rodeos, I can’t get onto the dirt to shoot, but since this was just practice, I took full advantage and shot my 14-24 from just beside the chutes:

Mert Bradshaw sets his saddle as Tim Bridwell watches on.

Almost the last thing I ever saw:

Mert Bradshaw rides a practice horse.

John Reddig rides a practice horse.

And finally, a picture of bullfighter Eric Layton, having a beer after a day of pulling the gate:

"Hey Matt, I need a new profile picture."

Great day of shooting all around. Thanks to John, Tim, Don, Bobby, Eric, Dave, Billy, Mert, and Tonya for a fun time.