Billy Etbauer is a legend, there’s no disputing that. His accolades from the rodeo arena are unparalleled and speak for themselves. Last weekend he officially passed the $3 million mark in career earnings in a single event: The only cowboy to have ever done so. (Trevor Brazile is over $3 million in earnings competing in three events.)
As an observer of the sport, there are a couple of things I’ve noticed about Billy during my stint in the media covering the sport.
The first is the reverence his fellow bronc riders—and roughstock riders for that matter—show for him. Ask any bronc rider under the age of 35—and some older than that--who their hero is and, almost to a man, they’ll tell you Billy Etbauer. There are only a couple who ride like Billy—strike that, no one rides like Billy--but there are a couple who emulate his go-for-broke style a little more than the rest.
Even the ones who don’t copy his style aboard a bronc have a deep respect for his attitude and approach toward the sport and life. I think Etbuaer’s influence and example as the living embodiment of Cowboy Ethics has rubbed off on his fellow competitors—especially in the bronc riding.
I’ve been in many rodeo cowboy locker rooms at championship events. As you can imagine, at times it gets a little coarse. But as I move from group to group in a locker room, there’s always a different feel in the corner where Billy’s getting ready. The laughs might be just as loud—Billy’s is instantly recognizable—but the subject matter is never blue and it’s obvious the crowd defers to Billy’s sensibilities.
The other strong memory I have of Billy is from an interview I conducted with him two years ago. He’s known for his rote answers and I was determined—in my arrogance—to get him to say something new. Of course, he didn’t and I believe that’s because he truly approaches his bronc riding in the simple and straightforward way he expresses to the media. That’s why he’s successful. During the course of the interview, I gingerly suggested that at the age of 45 every year might be his last and asked if that changed his motivation. I don’t know if he meant to, but he bristled up. Immediately I saw the fire of a true competitor in his eyes who, despite stiff joints and a bad back, can still spur the hair off any bronc they run under him.
He gave me a polite answer, but in his eyes and body language I could tell I offended him. I felt bad. But at the same moment I was thankful for a rare glimpse into the competitive soul of a man who many consider the greatest bronc rider ever. This year will probably be the first year in 21 that he doesn’t qualify for the Wrangler NFR. But if Billy tells me he can ride broncs until he’s 75, I’ll believe him.
