They do call bull riding the most dangerous sport on earth.
But, bull riding can prepare you for so many things in life.
Courage, respect, discipline.
My dad was a bull rider.
And I rode bulls.
And now to see my son do it,
it makes me really proud.
So you kind of got that internal battle of
shoot, my kid's only 16 years old and I'm letting him risk his life.
Because every time it's life or death.
I want to prove to myself that
I can be the best.
That would be a rite of passage really,
is just becoming competitive and moving up through the
bull riding ranks into the pros.
I always feel at home when I come back to the arena.
The family property where I grew up.
I grew up riding bulls up on the hill.
We had a practice arena up there.
My dad owns the property now,
and my grandpa built this place so that the kids
would have somewhere to come back and practice,
and have an opportunity to ride bulls.
I'm Bo Vocu, and I'm 16 years old.
And, I'm a bull rider.
My Indian name is Little Warrior.
It comes from my great, great grandpa.
I'm Northern Cheyenne and Oglala Sioux.
They're the Great Plains Indians.
When you hear the Battle of the Little Bighorn
where they killed Custer, that's the two tribes I'm from.
I'm proud to come from a family of bull riders,
because it'a just like carrying a legacy.
I'll get on Fuzzy first.
Fuzzy?
Yeah.
This weekend, we'd like to see him be the tour champion
in the Junior Bull Riding.
He's number one in the Juniors,
but a win in the Open, he can move up to number one in the Open.
And, for a 16 year-old to be doing that,
it's amazing.
I'm pretty much ready.
Running some bulls.
It'd be big if I won this rodeo,
because it'd move me up in the standings.
I'd be leading the INFR.
It's something you grew up watching, you see people win it,
and you just think, I want to be him one day,
I want to win that.
That would be a rite of passage really,
is moving up through the bull riding ranks into the pros.
This one's just going around the loop twice.
Them Navajos do that.
Load up!
Were you sleeping?
My dad always says, the person who rides the most, wins the most.
You got to be ready.
Every time.
So that's pretty much what I've based it off of
is the person who rides the most, wins the most.
Get your mind right now.
This weekend, when we get to our event in Oklahoma,
the bulls will be a little buckier.
But, he'll be tuned in from practicing tonight,
so we're excited to get down there.
Yeah, today is just getting tuned up
before we have to go down to Oklahoma,
and get on some buckier bulls.
- You're ready? - Yeah.
Very ready.
A lot of gas now.
Let's go!
Ride now, Bo!
Ride, Bo!
Ride, Bo, ride!
Ride, Bo!
Hustle! Hustle! Hustle!
Staying healthy is always a challenge.
Last year, I broke my hip.
Then I went to the INFR and I re-broke it.
But, you just got to keep going.
I believe Bo Tyler's going to be...
a world champion.
He's got the drive, and he's athletic, and
he has learned from-- listened to good instructors
and people helping him.
I think he's going to be world champion many times.
I'm proud of him.
I want to prove to myself that I can be the best.
It's preparing myself for that next step.
'Cause as soon as I turn 18, it'll be, Build Ford Tough,
which is the top bull riders in the world.
So, preparing myself to get there,
'cause I want to be the best, nothing else.
We're going on about 20 something events,
and here he is still in the top four, you know.
And he's been number 1.
And tonight, he can be number one again.
After a win tonight, he can move up to number one.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2017
Ioway Legends INFR Tour Rodeo!
The Indian Rodeo is a little different.
You'll see a lot of the people here travel with their families.
We all look out for each other's children
and we all support each other.
So everybody here knows everybody.
And we each hit the same rodeos.
It ties back to our Native American culture.
We were very nomadic.
We'd move, we'd follow the buffalo.
We'd have a big hunt or a big battle.
And then we'd celebrate and then we'd move on.
It's scary for--
Now being a parent, a bull can end your life...
instantly.
Every time, it's life or death.
But as a bull rider,
that's the furthest thing from your mind.
And it has to be, because you got to go into any battle,
whether it's any sport or anything, positive.
And you know it's there.
You always know it's there, but--
but it's, it's-- you put it away.
My name is Scott Hill.
I'm a basic EMT for Extreme Sports Medics.
I've been with them for about six, seven years.
I've seen broken tib fib, broken legs,
broken arms.
I've watched people get knocked out on them.
Watched-- they get gored, stepped on.
I consider bull riding
to be one of the most dangerous sports in the world.
You're going to get hurt.
It's not a question of, if you're going to get hurt,
it's when you're going to get hurt.
I say a quick prayer before I get on,
just to watch over me and keep me safe,
but this is the most dangerous sport on earth.
I mean, it's always going to be there that, you might die this one.
But, you just got to put that in the back of your mind,
like, you're not gonna.
You're just going to...
you're going to ride this bull and just get out of there.
You just don't think about it.
When you get on a bull, it's...
it's life or death every time.
You could go out there and make the best ride you ever did,
or else it could be your last.
I mean...
you don't want to think about it but, if a bull runs in and
you're already doubting yourself on what he's going to do then,
that bull has already beat you in your head.
Hey, jump for jump, Bo Tyler. You just do what you do.
Just like practice.
You're going to be like at black bull.
Just like at home, you hear me?
No big moves.
He comes around, you're strong enough, you can get back away.
Just keep your feet in him.
Stay squared up.
When you get on top of that bull, it's a--
it's like having a mental checklist in your head
about what you have to do in the chute, just in the chute alone.
Make sure your rope's where you want it to be.
Make sure everything’s strapped up.
If you wear a helmet, you want everything to be right on there,
‘cause you could mess up your face pretty easy.
Just making sure everything's ready.
Like, you know it's ready,
so you don't have to worry about anything else,
except for what the bull's going to do
and how you're going to match his moves.
Load up!
Go!
Have some fun!
How you feeling?
A little sore.
Ain't too bad, though.
I should be all right for next weekend.
All right. That's good.
That's always the best part.
What did I do wrong on him?
Not much, he just... he was pretty bucky.
Really bailed out there.
You just had to get around there a little more.
Yeah.
When he takes that jump out there and hits hard,
you got to really reach back to that front end,
but he was all that, you know?
Those are the kind of bulls you'll be getting on when you...
when you move up into the PBR's [Professional Bull Riders] and stuff, so...
Yeah.
You'll be ready for them.
Well...
I didn't quite do what I came here to do but,
just happy I was able to spend this
opportunity with my family, and...
travel to all these different places.
That's what it's all about.
I think anytime Bo Tyler walks out of the arena healthy and whole...
it's a good day.
And I know at the...
at the end of the road, he's going to accomplish a lot.
If--
rodeo is your dream, go after it.
It's out there.
And if you want it bad enough, you're the...
you're the one that can
accomplish your dreams.
And, after I'm gone,
I hope my kids, my grandkids keep having rodeos,
and pass it on.