Wichita PBR BFTS - Event Review, Part 1

Well ...... We're not in Kansas anymore, but we were. We took the 7+ hour drive up to Wichita, Kansas to attend the PBR event in the new Intrust Bank Arena. We left on Thursday afternoon, so we could get up there early, check into the hotel and relax. If we could ever learn to get our "stuff" done before we go, we would be be able to relax, but since we didn't, we got to the hotel and had to do other things that forced us to get to bed around 2 am. So much for relaxing.

Friday started off good, but chilly. An unusual cold front was moving in, the winds were picking up and the temps were dropping (this is May, isn't it?). We left the hotel for lunch and to get Tammie's pictures developed for the riders to sign. While we were out, it was time for shopping. After eating lunch, we made our way back to the hotel. As we were heading into the lobby, we passed Harve Stewart. We noticed his jaw was not wired shut anymore (he broke his jaw previously and had to have all of his food blended to eat). He said he was happy to be able to eat and talk again. As we turned into the lobby, Twiggy ( I will use sign on names from the PBR site, not their real names, for privacy) and her other half were sitting in the lobby chairs.

One of the great things that we have learned and experienced about the PBR, is the fans. We have meet the nicest, friendliest people, that I think exist. In just one short year, we have made many, many friends with the PBR faithful and it just seems to grow. Just a quick shout out to those PBR friends. Tammie's mom has been very ill the last several weeks. She has been encouraged with the numerous kind words and prayers that she has received from PBR friends on Facebook and I know she is grateful.

We sat in the lobby for at least 2 hours talking to Twiggy and her other half and we were joined by MikeLee04 and her husband. In the meantime, Valdiron and his family came in and we talked to him and his family. He had his baby and the way he held his new child, you could tell he was a proud father. By the way, he is getting better with his English.

Well, time passed and it was time to go up to the room and start to get ready for "the show", and a show it is. As we were heading to our room, we passed Travis Briscoe and his wife Jessie. We stopped, talked for a minute and wished Travis a successful ride. After what seemed hours for Tammie to get ready (just kidding) we headed down stairs. We were going to catch a ride with Twiggy. While we were standing waiting, Renato made his way down with his family and we talked, while he was waiting for Valdiron to make his way down. We talked about his family and how he learned to do the famous back flip when he was a young boy in Brazil. We also meet up with another couple that we have become friends with, Sannpow and her husband. Ok, time to pile in the vehicles and head to the arena.

The Intrust Arena is new, I think only two months old. Although not a "splashy" building, it was very nice, inside and out. As we were walking through the building we saw Cody Nance. We have gotten to know Cody and he is just a tremendous young man. He has a heart for God and we've had the opportunity, on several ocassions to get to know him more. After talking to him for a few minutes and congratulating him on getting back on the tour, Justin McKee approached and we left Cody alone to bask in his time back (when Cody approached us, he was limping badly from an injury that he received the previous week) We made our way in and did the usual looking around and signed up for raffles. One of the things that we signed up for was a chance to win chute seats, which even if we didn't win, it goes to a good cause, The Rider Relief Fund. Just before the event started, I got a chicken wrap and chips and salsa to eat. Man, it was spicy, but very good. I swallowed it and it was time for the event to start.

If you have never been to a live PBR BFTS event, and only have seen it on TV, you don't know what you are missing. The opening and announcing of the riders is intense. Pyrotechnics, loud music, videos, fog, lights dimmed and spotlights. It's a spectacle. The rides started and this was a night, just like many, great rides, great buck offs, and some wreaks and injuries. After about the first 5 rides, someone came to our seats and said we had been picked for the chutes seats!!!! We made our way to the seats along with MikeLee04 and her husband (we went in half with them for the raffle tickets). The chute seats are right behind the chutes and you are literly 6 feet behind and 6 feet above the riders. The sounds are tremendous, the chutes banging, the riders pulling ropes, talking, exercising, the bulls snorting, all sounds and sights are right in front of you. You can get lost in the moment and forget that there are rides going on, but we didn't.

There were some great rides - Travis Briscoe, Guilherme Marchi, Brendon Clark, Chris Shivers, Dustin Elliot, just to name a few. However, there were also some injuries - JB Mauney, Chris Shivers, Travis Briscoe, Cody Nance.

Suddenly, the first night's round was over. Where did the time go!! We made our way onto the dirt for the opportunity to get riders autographs and pictures. Tammie is slowly, but surely getting well known for her pictures that she does and numerous riders have complimented her on them and some have asked for copies. She puts alot of time into making them and, being her husband, I am proud that she is recognized by the riders for them. As the riders were finishing up, I approached Dustin Ellioit for an interview. He was very willing to do it, but as I started, a PBR rep came over to me and said that since I don't have a "press pass", I could not do an interview in the arena. So, no interview, however, don't despair, I didn't. I am working another angle to get interviews and will let you know in the coming weeks if that is successful.

We left the arena, caught a ride back to the hotel, with Twiggy, and Ben Jones was in the vehicle as well. We have already talked to Ben on several occasions and both Tammie and I have said that we love just listening to him talk and hearing his Austrailian accent. After getting back to the hotel, we along with Twiggy and other half, Sannpow and her husband and MikeLee04 and her husband walked to a restaurant, a block away. We stayed there and ate, laughed, talked, shared stories, and simply just had a good time. The only reason we stopped at midnight, is because the restaurant was closing. We said goodbye, made our way back to our room and I faded off to sleep about 2 am, while Tammie was still on the computer trying to finish a few more pictures for the riders.