About the Fiction of Manhood
The sound of names/the place you were born/the legend that comes with your name/the pain of ambition/an American nightmare/a woman’s film
(Every time you hear that loudspeaker announcing they’re coming out, you know he’s going to be there drunk and scared. Your heart will stop inside you.)
Jeff McCloud, Bandera, Texas. Jeff’s coming out on a bull called razor, cause he’s given a lot of cowboys a close shave. Shorty West from Blackton, Idaho, on a bull called Round Trip. Slim Avery, who hails from Reno, Nevada. Wes Merritt of Big Springs, Texas, is coming out on High Voltage. We move along now to Pete Mendoza from Santa Fe, New Mexico, who’s riding a horse called April Fool. Wes Merritt of Big Springs, Texas. Craig Dunlap of Logan, Utah.
Last time Booker broke it, doctors wanted to cut it off. It was up in Denver. He got some crutches and headed for New Mexico. A big blizzard came up. had to pull into a motel. had no sooner got in bed. Than my leg started hurting pretty bad. Finally, I pushed my bed over to the window and stuck my leg out. Soon the leg froze up, and the pain went away. Next morning, I thawed it out and drove on to Santa Fe. I won four firsts that day.
Mickey Clayborne from Peekskill, New York, is getting ready to come out on double-cross. Dawson keeps him in the string. Having trouble with Sky High. Wes Merritt of Big Springs, Texas, riding Devil Dancer. Buster Burgess of Butte, Montana. Wes Merritt of Big Springs, Texas. Hazing for Wes Merritt is a familiar name and face to rodeo fans, Jeff McCloud.
Cowboys ain’t tough like they used to be. Two years ago in Phoenix, a steer kicked me in the eye. I covered my face with my hands. Old John Anderson says, «Are you hurt, Book?» I says, «I believe so.» Took my hands off my face. Old john fainted plumb away. Another cowboy come running up to me. I said, «Something’s dangling. I believe it’s my eye.» He said, «Well, it sure is.» So he got me a doctor. Took 17 stitches around my eye. Next day I won first prize in the saddle bronc riding.
Brahma bulls have been known to jump an 8‑foot fence from a standing start. Red, tell him what Yo-Yo done to Stubby Johnson. He threw Stubby halfway across New Mexico. then he run him down and near gored and stomped him to death. He’s kind of mean.
Arnold Barry on Spitfire. Chuck Peterson from Calgary, Canada, riding a bull called Night Life. Buster Burgess of Butte, Montana on a bull named Time Bomb. Cliff Roberts of Alexander, Louisiana will ride Spring Fever. Wes Merritt’s riding the first bull of his career.
Once, my ma was loping across the Great Plains on a paint horse. Kiowas was after her. She was about ready to foal. Suddenly, she got a pain in her stomach. She got off the horse, and I was born. While I was being born, the paint horse had a colt. The Kiowas was closing in. She jumped on the horse, I jumped on the colt, and I’ve been riding horses ever since.
Starting off with Red Clauson from Kearney, Nebraska, on a horse called Politician. They’ve got this one named right. He don’t seem able to figure where he’s going. Wes Merritt, from Big Springs, Texas on a horse called Acey-Deucy. Walt Matthews coming out on ride away.
I’m so thirsty, I could drink water.
Jeff McCloud of Bandera, Texas. Wes Merritt of Big Springs, Texas. Bob Elliott of Newhall, California. next out, Wes Merritt. Wes will try his hand on one of Al Dawson’s top broncs…Black Widow. Pete Fox from Rapid City, South Dakota, is coming out on War paint. Looks like war paint is really on the warpath today. Jeff McCloud of Bandera, Texas, the former saddle bronc champion of the world, will come out on a horse called Lightning Rod.
He’s much of a man.
Craig Bentley of Salinas, California, is coming out on the Drifter. Wes Merritt, Big Springs, Texas. Wes Merritt of Big Springs, Texas on a horse called Meditation. Rocky Davis from Austin, Nevada, coming out on quicksand.
(broken bones, broken bottles, broken everything.)