Up until the age of 5, I lived at “Monkey Mountain” our farm in Azle, TX.  My family has been raising cattle on these beautiful acres since 1950.  Our house burned to the ground in 2000.  My mom and I lost everything we owned and my father perished in the fire.  We now live on Eagle Mountain Lake. My uncle “Pap” (David Finney) still runs 150 head of registered Limousin on the place and I help him with them. I have school and sports during the week and my rodeo schedule keeps me pretty well occupied on the weekends, but I do try to help him when I can!  Monkey Mountain is a magical place with all sorts of animals and wildlife.  It is home to cattle, horses, dogs, cats, deer, turkey, bobcats, foxes, fish, ducks and everything in between.  They all feel safe at Monkey Mountain because we do not hunt there and it is very peaceful with plenty of food and water. 

     My mom says that from the time I could walk and talk, I have wanted to be a bull rider and work around cattle.  I think this may be because it’s in my blood or maybe because she watched the movie “8 Seconds” the whole time she was pregnant with me!!! And with names like Richard (Tuff Hedeman’s real name and my granddaddy’s name) and Lane (Lane Frost and something that sounded like my dad’s name Shane) it just seems like fate. I do not know the answer but I do know it is true!!! 

     After playing T-ball, soccer and 2 seasons of ice hockey, I told my mom it was time for me to start bull riding.  I rode my first sheep in November 2003 and won and that was that.  In January 2004, I joined Texas Youth Bull Riders riding calves and I have not looked back since!!!!  I have ridden in many organizations like Texas Youth Bull Riders, Texas Christian Youth Bull Riders, Cowboy Bull Riders, Future Professional Bull Riders, Professional Youth Bull Riders, Pro-Youth Rodeo, and Extreme Miniature Bull Tour.  These bad little buckers are full grown bulls that do not exceed 48” in height and think they are as big and as bad as the boys in the PBR!!!! 

     So far, our rodeo roads have taken us across Texas many times, down into southern Louisiana, up into Oklahoma, across to Mississippi, and deep into Mexico.  In August 2007, the PYBR took its top six Sr. Steer riders to Matahuela, Mexico for the 
U. S. vs. Mexico Youth Bull Riders Challenge.  Me and six of my best friends and our families drove to Mexico and had the time of our lives!  We did not win the money but we did win in experiencing new things and seeing a different side of life. That trip is something that I will never forget!  In November, I had the opportunity to ride the Mini-Bull Tour during the CBR in Jackson, MS.  I scored 91 points on Kit-Kat and won the buckle!
 2007 was obviously a very busy year for me.  When we returned from Mexico I bought my first cow, Lil’ Hop (out of Little Hopper and Grass Hopper) from Anna Hunt.  Anna brought her to Mineral Wells from Coalinga, CA and I had the opportunity to visit with her.  In December, I bought my first bull; a two year old black bucker named Lil’ Willie out of Shotgun Willie.  In January 2008 I bought Blue Bantam from my good friend Toby Martin. The ground work has been laid.  With help and direction from my mother and Toby, I have jumped off into this bull business head and heart first!  I cannot wait to see where it takes me now!!!!

2008 was an eventful year for me. Snow boarding in New Mexico, lots of bull riding, taking Blue to futurities, school, doing volunteer work at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, all sorts of stuff!!!  I went boarding with my buddy, Houston Sheets, for a few days in Red River, New Mexico in January and we had a blast!  March and April brought about the NBBA Youth Futurities in which my bull Blue Bantam participated.  He took to it naturally and got off to a great start!!  In May,   I won the T. Y. B. R.  Martha Bennet Memorial Buckle for Sr. Steers. This is something that I have wanted to do since I started riding in that organization!! 

 In June, we loaded up Blue and headed to Tunica, Ms for a NBBA Youth Futurity and a great time.  Of course, we went to Graceland and I know I saw Elvis peering out a window upstairs!  Blue didn’t win any money but I did in the calcutta so dinner was on me!!! We ate at Paula Deen’s restaurant in Harrah’s and we all thought we had died and gone to Heaven.  Toby and I learned to crack and eat crab legs……sure is a lot of work for so little meat!!!!

 The long hot summer continued on into August and things got real exciting for me!   August 5-8th were the dates for the Inaugural Youth Bull Riding Finals at Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth.  300 of the best bull riders ranging in ages from 4-19 from across the United States, Canada and Mexico came together to decide the true World Champions in their qualifying categories.  After 4 days of intense competition, I won the 2008 World Championship Senior Steer Riding buckle and a check bigger than I am!!!  This accomplishment really tops anything else that I have done. 

 September brought the beginning of the 7th grade and the NBBA Finals.  Blue Bantam finished 4th for the year in the Youth Division and once again I was hot in the calcutta.  That auctioneer knows me by name now for sure!!  I played football on the 7th grade Wayside Wildcat team as punter, running back and outside linebacker.  We were UNDEFEATED at being DEFEATED if you know what I mean!!

 On Thanksgiving weekend I had another once in a lifetime experience.  I got to be the first person to ride Blue Bantam and we did it in the Derby at the Bull Blowout in Graham, TX.   And blowout he did!  Blue bounced around hard in the chute and when the gate opened he really came out.  I made it 2 or 3 jumps and off I went, but it was good enough for Blue to score 91 points and win the money and the buckle!!

 We are so proud of Blue and cannot wait to see what 2009 brings for him, me and the rest of the herd that continues to grow everyday.  Hopefully when you read this we will have new babies on the ground and new champions in our lives!!!!
 

 All I can say is that 2009 was a tough year for me… off my game in riding, injuries, no luck at the futurities, lost several cows and calves, the weather was harsh and so much more.  There were good times, too!

 Once again in January, Houston and I headed to Red River for several days of slashing the snow.  It’s a long drive but we sure have fun!  Texas Youth Bull Riders kicked of the 2009 season in January and I moved up to Pee Wee bulls.  This is when you either make it or break it and I just knew it was all over for me.  We are talking real bulls now and I am still just a little guy.  It was rough, tough and scary as all get out, but I gave it the ol’ college try.

 Spring brought about the NBBA Futurities.  Houston and I rotated 3 bulls through the season and started out looking pretty solid.  Blue Bantam bucked in the Derbies and he kicked off looking like the champ that he is, then he hurt his back real bad…I mean REAL BAD.  Like we thought life might be over for him.  Happy hurt his head and we thought he would have to wear a helmet and ride the short bus forever.  I ran track for the Wayside Wildcats participating in the 110 and 300 hurdles.  I was the only 7th grader on our team to qualify for the District Meet but I had a NBBA Futurity that Saturday morning so I stepped aside.  Come to find out, I had plenty of time to do both. Then Toby’s grandfather “Pop” passed away and that was a shock for us all.  With Pop gone, this only leaves Toby and Nan to take care of all the stock.  It became apparent that I was going to have to step up and get to Oklahoma every chance I can to help them.  Toby and I just kicked the dirt and wondered what would be next.

 June, we loaded up the bulls and headed to Tunica again. We should have just stayed home.  We lost two tires and an axel.  The bulls did not place in the money. The air conditioner at the hotel blew hot air.  My mom got locked out of her room and you just cannot imagine the ordeal that was.  Harrah’s will never be the same!  To top it off, she got a speeding ticket in Arkansas coming back home.  Paula Deen’s was good as ever and Houston’s mom, Melissa, got hot at the “Let it Ride” table so all was not a loss!
 
 Summer rolled on and I was still struggling to cover a bull.  I was at Toby’s during the week and back in Saginaw on the weekends when there was a TYBR event. At the YBR Bucker’s Ball in July, Tuff Hedeman and I partnered on the purchase of an Apollo heifer donated by A. J. Jones.  I also did a deal with Tommy “Poppy” Roberts on a bull calf.  At the end of July, TYBR finals were held.  I sat in 5th place without covering a bull.  That tells you just how difficult a step up it is to ride Pee Wees.  First round of Finals, I covered my bull and I was so proud!!  Second round, I buck off and landed on my elbow… HARD!   The EMT’s told us to go to the emergency room but we did not have time.  We had to drive to Duncan, OK that night for a NBBA Futurity the next morning.  Then I was supposed to zoom back to Saginaw to ride the Short Go on TYBR Finals.  We stuck the arm in a sling and north we went.  I was in so much pain but I knew that I had to be in Duncan.  We bucked the bulls and still did not place in the money.  I hung out and helped Toby as much as I could with one arm then we headed south to Fort Worth and the doctor.  Needless to say, I had fractured my elbow and was not able to ride TYBR Short Go.  I ended that season with a 6th place trophy.  The worst part of all this was YBR Youth Bull Riding World Finals started in 3 days and there was a documentary film crew coming to film me riding at the YBR for a second world buckle.  With the film crew in tow, I went to the doctor the day the YBR started.  He had overnighted a special brace in for me to wear while I rode.  The strength of the bulls was just too much for my injured arm and I bucked off in the first round.  I withdrew from the competition before I did any further injury.  Toby and I went back to Oklahoma wondering what else could possibly happen as summer wound down.

 A new school year started with me in the 8th grade.  BMOC!  NBBA Finals came and went with no money or buckles for us.  Football started and once again I was punter, kicker, running back and outside linebacker.  The Wayside Wildcats 8th grade White Team was UNDEFEATED and District Champs and I was selected as the Most Valuable Player!  Then I made the “C” Team in basketball and that was okay.  I went to Oklahoma to spend a few days before Christmas.  I planned to go home on Christmas Eve; return to Toby’s the Sunday after Christmas and stay until New Year’s Eve.  Then the BLIZZARD hit and I could not get home!!  I was away from my mom on Christmas.  Feeding in the ice, wind and snow was beyond anything imaginable.  Then we started losing stock to the weather and that was the final blow.  I do not care if I ever see another snowflake again!

 I made it home to ring in the New Year with my mom.  We ate our black-eyed peas and greens in hopes of good luck and lots of money in 2010.  God willing and if the creeks don’t rise, freeze, or dry up this is going to be a great year!!!