Happy, Healed and Ready To Go: Q & A with Matt Bohon

Matt Bohon is cowboy through and through. I found him laid back and easy to talk to. Not only was he gracious enough to give me a interview, but I think we could have both pulled up a couple of chairs and sat and talked for hours. Fortunately for him, later in the evening, he was riding a bull for 89.50, instead of sitting in a chair. On a bull is where he likes to be.

Q. I understand that you changed addresses recently?
A. Yes, actually I moved to Dublin, Texas about a year ago.

Q. In the last year, not only did you move, didn't you get married as well?
A. Yes. We dated for about five years, long distance. She is from Canada and I am from Missouri. She rodeos as a barrel racer and that is why we ended up in the Stephenville area, so she could have her own life on the weekend, while I'm gone. There are times she goes with me on the road as well.

Q. The wedding was in San Antonio, wasn't it?
A. Yes, My wife picked San Antonio. She really likes the city and wanted to get married on the Riverwalk. From the time that we talked about getting married to the time we got married, was 7 days (at this point my jaw dropped and all I could say was, WOW). We had a nice quick ceremony. Her parents, my parents, short and sweet. We may decide at some point to have a bigger ceremony down the line, but we both just wanted to get married, then.

Q. So, marriage better than expected, about what you expected?
A. (with a big smile) Better than expected.

Q. I was in San Antonio last year, when you had your wreck on Spit Fire. Do you remember much or is it a blur?
A. You know, I remember everything up to the ride. I remember talking to people before I got on and everything prior to me getting on that bull and then I'm pretty foggy from then and until about 10 days after that.

Q. When you are trying to come back from an injury, is it more mental or physical?
A. You know, physically, that part was fine in six weeks. I broke my jaw, cheek bone,and shoulder blade and had a concussion. I started riding again in six weeks, but hindsight is 20/20 and I should have sat out the rest of the year. Mentally, I wasn't nervous, but my reaction time and everything just wasn't there. I wasn't mentally capable of picking up where I left off, even though I thought I could. But it was a good challenge and I am 100% on both physically and mentally.

Q. What was your first BFTS event and do you remember much about it?
A. It was Billings, in 2004. You know, I didn't have time to be nervous about being there. I had plane troubles, and it was just a long day. I got to the event 30 minutes before they started and I was the third rider and borrowed all of my gear. As it turned out, being rushed, it was a blessing in disguise. I rode my bull and coasted that weekend. It was an eye opening experience being at that level, compared to lower level events.

Q. What do you guys pay in entry fees, on the Touring Pro and what amount do you get while at the BFTS events?
A. This year, on the Touring Pro, I haven't paid more than $215 for an entry fee. It depends on how much there is for winnings. When you ride on the BFTS tour, the money you get depends on the number of days of the event. For a one day event, we get $150, for two days $250 and for three days $500. There is no entry fee on the BFTS tour.

Q. Are we going to see you back on the BFTS tour?
A. I got to one event this year, Albuquerque, as an alternate. I am in a good position right now with the amount of money that I've got won on the Touring Pro division. I just need to win some more money to secure a spot on that level.


NOTE: Matt will be an alternate at the BFTS event in Des Monies this weekend.

Simply Amazing - Q & A with Cord McCoy

Professional Bull Rider, Cord McCoy, is not only a bull rider, but one of the nicest guys you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. Many know him as the smiling red head from Oklahoma. However, recently millions more know him as one of the two "cowboys" from The Amazing Race. Cord, along with his brother Jet, are currently one of the four remaining teams in the "race around the world". I have seen every season of the show, and I must say, Cord and Jet are the funniest, nicest team that has been on the race. Not only that, they just may win! I had the pleasure to talk to Cord for a few minutes and ask him some questions. I hope you like the questions, more importantly, I hope you like the answers.

Q. Just between you and me, did you win The Amazing Race?
A. Well .... We are still in there.

Q. From what I understand, you don't have a TV. So, when you entered the race, had you ever seen the show?
A. No, when I was leaving Cheyenne last year, I got a call from my brother Jet and he asked me if I was interested in doing the race. I said heck ya. It was a chance to run around the world with my best friend and brother. So, we went to WalMart and bought the DVDs of all of The Amazing Race seasons and sat down and watched them all. Then we applied for it, by sending in bios and a video. They called us a month later. We spent a week in California, trying out for the show. There were 16,000 applications. It was quite an honor just to get on the show.

Q. You are know throughout the PBR as Mr. Congeniality. Is there any thought to once you give up bull riding, going to work for the PBR in a PR capacity?
A. Oh ya. I think I do alot of PR for the PBR already. Each event I go to there is PR involved. It's our livelihood, whether you realize it or not, every time you get one more person sitting in the stands, that's more money we ride for. Just letting people know about our sport and our way of life, I feel like it's all the bull riders responsibility in a way.

Q. What is your favorite bull?
A. My favorite bull, that I never got to get on was Mossy Oak Mud Slinger.

Q. What is the worst bull or bull you don't like?
A. Reindeer Dippin. He cost me $15,000 one time and $65,000 another time. Me and him are not old buddies.

Q. I understand you are getting married. Have you guys set a date?
A. Getting married November 13, coming right up.

Q.So, is the marriage going to help or hurt the career?
A.(laughter) She's a sweetheart. I definitely went over my head, when I got her. Sarah played college basketball, grew up on a ranch driving cattle, so we have about everything in common. She is about the sweetest girl I ever ran across.

Q. What's your boot size and favorite boots?
A. Size 8, Ostrich, Ariat brand

Q. If you were to pick a favorite movie, non cowboy and non bull riding what would it be?
A. I like Tombstone. Oh wait a minute, that has cowboys in it. Wow that's a tough one. I like Braveheart, or Gladiator. I like hero movies, especially when you watch everything they sacrifice. Now that's a hero to me.

There you have it folks, the first interview. I hope you enjoy and there will be hopefully many more interviews to come.

Event Review: 2010 Cowboys For Kids Touring Pro Event

It was a dark and stormy night. The wind was howling, lightning and thundering were all abound, and the rain was coming down hard. Oh, wait a minute, that was the night before the event. Fortunately, for the fans, the conditions were better the day of the event.

We attended the Cowboys For Kids Touring Pro Event on Saturday, April 24, 2010, in Cleburne, TX. The weather the night before was not a pretty sight. The night of the event, the temperature was warm and the skies clear. However, due to the storms the night before, the arena dirt was more conducive to making mud pies than bull riding. We arrived an hour and half before the event, and promptly met up with some friends that we had originally met in Las Vegas at the PBR finals and another PBR friend and her daughter that we had just met recently. We got our seats, of course as close to the chutes as you can, and then went exploring. Talked to several riders and then saw Matt Bohan. I had been wanting to do a Q & A with several riders for the blog and I decided to pounce on my first victim. He was very nice and surprisingly we talked for what seem like a long time, but I think it was about 15 minutes. I will post his interview on Monday 3, 2010.

Well the time went by fairly quickly as we sat in the stands talking before the event. The riders were getting their gear on, stretching and getting ready to get on the beasts from the pens. Just before the event started we noticed that Paulo Crimber was on top of one of the chutes and was going to be one of the judges. It was then 8:00pm and time for the event to start. You have the opening introductions, the prayer, the National Anthem and before you know it, the first rider is flying out of the chute. In this case, the first rider was flying off the bull, in short order. This night belonged to the bulls. There were 38 riders in the long go, but by the end, the riders had only conquered six bulls. The long go was divided into two sections. In the first, there were four rides, one belonging to Cord "The Amazing Race" McCoy, with a score of 86.50. The other rides, Wallace de Oliveria 86.50, Dusty LaBeth 85.00, Kolt Donaldson 85.50. There were a number of riders that landed in the mud and water, of which, the best one was Matt Bohan. He did not get the ride, but he got the award for the best mud bath.

In between the two long go sections, they had a team calf roping contest and a steer saddling contest. In the steer saddling contest, two guys had to hold on to a steer and pull it to a point, then another guy had to put a saddle on the steer, then ride it across a line. They had two heats and it was some funny riding, or attempting to ride. Also, they talked about the Cowboys for Kids organization. The Cowboys for Kids is a non profit organization, from a "cowboy" perspective, that helps kids that are disadvantaged, handicapped, abused or suffering from illness. This event was in conjunction with the Childrens Advocacy Program, which helps raise money for abused children. While this was going on, it was time for my dinner, according to my growling stomach. The concession stand had the usual assortment of rodeo burgers, hot dogs, nachos, frito pies, and BBQ sandwiches. In my case a BBQ sandwich, chips and a Dr Pepper.

On to the rest of the event. In the second long go there were only two rides. One being an 86.50 by Pim Rosa and a 69.00 by Luis Blanco. The second section went quickly and now we are off to the short go. The short go was made up of the top 10 scores, only problem is, there were only six. They drew names for the other slots. The four lucky riders that were called were: Matt Bohan, Scottie Knapp, Travis Morgan and Colby Scallions. The night was starting to get a little cool outside, but with a light jacket, it was perfect weather.

After a short delay, the short go started. A little side note: because Matt Bohan had bucked off earlier and was completely covered in mud, he had already changed clothes. With him being called back for the short go, he had to go back and put on the wet and muddy shirt, hat and gear. During the short go Travis Morgan got an 88.00 score, Matt Bohan had the best ride and score of the night with an 89.50. The only other ride during the short go was Dusty Labeth with an 87.50.

The final standings were: 1) Dusty LaBeth 172.50 2) Matt Bohan 89.50 3) Travis Morgan 88.00 4) Pim Rosa 86.50 5) Cord McCoy 86.50 6) Wallace de Oliveria 86.00 7) Kolt Donaldson 85.50 8) Luis Blanco 69.00.

Note: Dusty Labeth, while being interviewed in the winners circle, thanked the fans and the charity and then announced that he was donating the buckle, that he had just won, to the Childrens Advocacy Program. The buckle will be auctioned off and the money given to the charity.

After the event, it was time to hang around and get autographs, pictures and just visit. We said our goodbyes to friends and mulled around a bit. I got the chance to interview Cord McCoy, which I will post on Wednesday, April 28. I also had a long conversation with Reese Cates which will be posted on Friday, April 30. I talked to a stock contractor that had several bulls at the event and will be getting some information from him, in the coming weeks. He had a nasty gash over his left eye, after getting hit by one of his own bulls. He looked like he got into a fight and lost badly and told me he was going to have to go to the hospital to get stitched up. Well the night was coming to a close, the stands were empty, most of the bulls were loaded and many of the riders and fans had gone. It was time to head to our "Built Ford Tough" Expedition (with a PBR sticker in the back window and PBR hitch cover). As we headed to the vehicle, for the 2+ hour drive home, I noticed there were only about 10 vehicles left in the parking lot. I guess that shows the dedication to staying as long as it takes to get the story, or it just shows the addiction that can occur when you get interested in bull riding and the PBR.

Why PBRHotSpot Blog?

Well, here I go! I have been wanting to set up a blog for some time, just haven't taken the time or just didn't think it would work. I have observed many PBR blogs over the last several months and they don't seem to have many people following or commenting. I almost decided not to start this blog. However, after looking at one particular blog, in which some negative things were said about the PBR, I was denied the opportunity to even comment (there is a comment section, but I was blocked from commenting, because I disagreed with them). Due to this experience, I have since changed my mind about setting up this blog.

I want this blog to be different than the others. I want you to comment, whether you disagree or agree with me. I want PBR fans to be involved in the discussions back and forth and even when we can't agree on things, we can still agree that the love and allure of the PBR is the most important thing. I want the fans to feel that this blog is as much theirs, as it is mine. I did not start this blog just so I could talk, but that we all could discuss or debate or just simply say hi to each other. Don't be afraid to speak your mind or just tell people about yourself. Although I do seminars and meet with people for a living, my spelling, proofreading and grammar overall, is not always top notch. I will try my best to not embarrass myself too much.

I would encourage you to email me at twinvest4u@aol.com if you want to write a blog. Yes, you write a blog on here! Maybe your experience at a PBR event, your feelings about the PBR or an event.

I believe in free speech and even if I disagree with you, I will defend your right to say it. However, this is not the Jerry Springer show. Here are the ground rules. If your post is filled with cussing or just plain nasty, it will be deleted. There will be no advertising of your business or your blog site or any other site. If you want to advertise, please email me and let me know what you want to put on here and I will consider it. If your post is getting too personal, it will be deleted. You can be positive, negative, cheer leading, or complaining, but just don't get nasty. Those are the ground rules, pretty simple. Just have fun and speak your mind.

I will be posting a new blog soon, and planning on continuing to update this blog with new features as time goes by. So, here I go and more importantly - Here We Go!