Published: May 03, 2007 09:16 am         

Roper Bud Ford finds success inside Texas

Rodeo Insider column

When roper Bud Ford competed in the National Finals Rodeo 11 years ago, it appeared that his first time qualification would be a mere prelude of things to come.

But he since has not advanced to the Las Vegas championships. After garnering the 1996 NFR berth, Ford opted to curtail his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association activities because he was tired of battling soaring road costs.

No more taking a gas guzzling rig to big-time rodeos in cities such as Denver, Pendleton, Ore., and San Francisco, Calif. Instead, the Texas cowboy has focused on thriving at smaller local and regional rodeos for the most part.

“When I went to the National Finals in 1996, I won more than $119,000, but I was paying off my credit cards the next year,” Ford said.

On the weekend of April 26-28, Ford tied for second place in tie-down roping at the Elder Dodge Henderson County PRCA Stampede in Athens after turning in a time of 9.6 seconds at the Henderson County Fairpark Complex. He also finished first in the same event at PRCA shows in Lufkin and Mesquite.

Entering three Texas PRCA shows in one week fits the Everman cowboy’s strategy of managing a profitable rodeo career. With gas prices running between $2.50 and $3.00 a gallon in recent months, the expense of traveling the national circuit can be daunting.

But Ford earned more than $4,000 at the three rodeos after spending about $500 and he stayed within a half day’s driving distance of his home in the Fort Worth area.

Ford, 43, has been a stay-close-to-the-house cowboy most of his life. He honed his skills at the Kowbell Rodeo in Mansfield, a former weekly rodeo that employed Ford’s late father, Billy, for 38 years.

When Ford was in his 20s, his roping peers and fans maintained that he had the ability to compete on a world-class level.

In 1995, he made his big move by winning the tie-down roping title at the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo. A year later, he finished fourth in the world-title race with $119,003 after earning $65,545 by finishing third in the average at the NFR

His success was an attention grabber. Today, 1980s NFR qualifier Sylvester Mayfield, former world champion Fred Whitfield and Ford are the only African-American competitors who have earned National Finals berths in tie-down roping.

“I wanted to make the Finals at least one time to see what it was,” Ford said. “But it just costs too much to play that game. When you rodeo like that, it will cost a man $80,000 to win $100,000 and it ain’t worth it.”

Ford said he earns more money by competing part time and operating his auto parts trading business. His schedule for the first week of May: compete in annual PRCA rodeos in Beaumont (May 2), Fairfield (May 3), work at his parts business in Everman (May 4) and rope at the weekly PRCA show in Mesquite (May 5).

Ford regularly practices at his arena in Mansfield, a long, narrow fenced-in strip of dirt that sits in a shaded low spot. He also thrives on training roping horses on the 42-acre family property.

“A lot of guys rodeo for the bragging rights,” Ford said. “But the problem with that is bragging rights won’t pay the bills.”



Briefly

Topper, a two-time the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association/American Quarter Horse Association champion tie-down roping horse in 2003 and 2005, died April 5 after being struck by a car in a hit-and-run accident. Topper was owned by eight-time National Finals qualifier Stran Smith of Childress.

Chad Castillo of Lipan earned about $10,000 for winning the Championship Bull Riding tour stop in College Station, and Sean Willingham pocketed $41,988 after winning the Professional Bull Riders show in Nampa, Idaho.

The Bossier Country Dodge PRCA Rodeo is May 4-5 in Fairfield and the Crockett Lions Club PRCA Rodeo is May 10-12 in Crockett.

Northeast Texas Community College won the 2006-07 men’s team title and Texas A&M snared the women’s team championship in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Southern Region.

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Brett Hoffman is a 20-year rodeo columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.

     

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