Growing up, kids across the midwest have basketball goals in their backyards but for Three Rivers College’s Brandon Ballard, he grew up with a riding bulls in his backyard.

Ballard has made bull riding his life’s work and passion as he can check another box off his list as he headed to the College National Finals Rodeo from June 11-17 in Casper, Wyoming.

“At the beginning of the college rodeo this year, we had one goal and that was to make the finals,” he said. “In the end, it’s to win the World but first is to get to the finals. Once I realized I was making the finals, I realized it was just one more step.”

 

Three Rivers College rodeo coach Chad Phipps has made sending athletes to the national tournament the norm for the Raiders as he’s done it every year except one while in Poplar Bluff.

Phipps said Ballard has worked hard each year at TRC and his hard work finally paying off. He added it took his athlete a little bit of time to get settled but he’d get there a little faster if he went with his gut.

 

“Brandon thinks it too much,” Phipps said. “He reminds me a lot of myself. He studies on it too much instead of just doing the job.”

Ballard has been taking online courses and working while also pursuing a bull riding career. He’s spent the last several months sending videos to Phipps each time he rides a bull or does some form of training.

 

For the Raider standout, that’s not as easy day-to-day but he’s got people in his circle every step of the way.

“My dad holds me accountable a lot as well,” he said. “Dad keeps me in line on that straight and narrow path, on the final goal. Sending those videos to coach helps a lot to get this input.”

Phipps knows what’s going through Ballard’s mind because he’s been a collegiate rodeo athlete as well.

Phipps went to UT-Martin and admitted it wasn’t about the books at first for him.

 

“Mainly I was going to college to rodeo and getting a degree side, he said. “That’s something that kind of changed after being there for a little while and listening and thinking about anything could happen. I bear downed and stayed the course.”

Phipps said he was even more appreciative of his degree when an injury derailed his professional career and he went into coaching.

Now that Ballard has that degree in hand, he’s getting to reap the benefits of competing at the highest level but it’s been a tough few weeks as he qualified nearly a month ago.

 

“Honestly I’ve been trying not to think about it,” he said. “I’ve been going to other bull ridings. Right now I’m headed to PBR in Maryland. I’m just trying to look at it another bull riding … I’m trying to keep that out of my mind. I’m to just ride my bulls and do my job and it’ll all work out.”

 

When Phipps was asked what Ballard needs to do this next couple of weeks to prepare, he was quick to answer.

“He better not do anything different,” Phipps said. “That’s the end game is. It doesn’t where you’re at. It’s the same job. You could die in the practice pen just as easy as you could in the biggest stage of rodeo. It’s life or death. You just take care of business and et the trophies and pretty girls come to you after you win. You’ve got to take care of your business first and I think his mindset is ready. He’s chomping at the bit but he’s got to focus and slow down one day at a time … I hope that’s the approach.”

 

For Ballard, he has one simple mindset when he sits in that chute when the night is finally here.

“Stay on,” he said. “Don’t hit the ground … Whatever it takes.”

 

 

Tyler Dixon - Daily American Republic