Billy Hendrickson
Billy Hendrickson
Meet: Billy Hendrickson
Arlee cowboy hits PRCA trail this summer
By CASEY TRANG of the Missoulian.
Billy Hendrickson's college rodeo days might be over, but that doesn't mean he's through with riding.
After four years of competing for the University of Montana's rodeo team, the cowboy from Arlee brings his spurs to the Montana circuit of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
The 22-year-old bronc rider makes his first stop of the summer Sunday at the Arlee rodeo, which begins at 6 p.m. and continues Monday at 2 p.m.
The event is the first of 32 stops on the year for the Montana PRCA, most of which Hendrickson will hit.
As for Sunday's event, Hendrickson enters his hometown rodeo with humble expectations. He says that he just wants to place for a paycheck.
Hendrickson is up in saddle bronc riding in Sunday's first performance. His brother Levi is up the same night in bull riding.
Q. First of all tell me about how you started riding broncs.
A. Well I just kind of grew up around ranching and started riding calves when I was about 6 and went from there to steer riding when I was about 13 or 14 and then I started to get on horses. That's just how I got started. It's kind of a lifestyle.
Q. Your family is really involved in rodeo. Tell us about that.
A. It's just kind of our thing, we just kind of enjoy doing it and our whole family kind of kicks in. It's just what we do, I guess. It's just who we are and part of us, I suppose.
Q. Were you scared the first time you rode?
A. No not really. I was just kind of excited. I've never really been nervous for some reason.
Q. What's more important in bronc riding, being smart or strong?
A. I'd say it's more of a mental game than a physical game. If you keep your head in it it lets you go further in the sport, I think, rather than being physical.
Q. Your hometown rodeo in Arlee is Sunday and Monday, what can folks look forward to at the event?
A. They can look forward to good horses, good livestock, good bulls, just a small-town good time. There's going to be a lot of things going on so there should be something for everyone, I imagine.
Q. Cowboys and cowgirls are encouraged to wear pink on Sunday at the rodeo to bring awareness to the fight against breast cancer. Are you man enough to wear pink?
A. I think so, I've done it before once at MissoulA. It's not too big of a deal.
Q. Do you have any pre-ride rituals?
A. I just kind of concentrate on what I need to do. I just kind of relax and go out and have some fun. I don't make it into something that it isn't. You can't be too hard on yourself, you just have to relax and let it go and whatever happens, happens. That's how you do it.
Q. What's the worst injury you've had riding?
A. Last summer I hung a stirrup and was kicked in the back two or three times. It hurt me pretty good but I didn't break a bone or anything. I was laid up a week or so, but that's about the worst really. It's not too bad.
Q. What else do you have in store for this summer?
A. Well, I'm just going to do some ranching and hopefully a lot of rodeoing. That's about the extent of things. Hopefully it works out.
Lightning round
What's the all time greatest rodeo movie? Probably “Eight Seconds.”
Who's your favorite past or present professional bronc rider? I'm going to say Billy Etbauer.
All-time toughest bronc to ride: There's a lot out there, so I can't really say there's just one.
Stetson or Resistol? Resistol.
What is the right age for a kid to ride his first bronc? I'm going to say 14, 15 somewhere in there.