Seen: Green Country Cowboys of Color Rodeo
By CORY YOUNG on Sep 1, 2013, at 2:23 AM Updated on 9/01/13 at 3:15 AM
SEEN
Stepping into Antique Restorations conjures up a time when consumer goods were made to last.
As a news photographer, I am accustomed to disappointment. I have been to a lot of assignments that don't turn out like I hope.
It was my first time to experience a rodeo, in person.
And as I walked toward the center ring of the Green Country Cowboys of Color Rodeo 2013, I was a mere fence-link away from an 1,800-pound, ferocious, growling, slobbering bull. What did this city boy from Denver, Colo., do? I stepped back, waaaaay back!
However, I saw everything from steer wrestlers wrestling steers to the ground, to ladies zipping at blazing speeds, and even bull riders getting thrown to the ground by bulls.
As I shot photos, I realized the true emotion that goes into these athletes and what intrigues these fans to watch. Even though many athletes were knocked down, each participant I saw got up.
One was Tulsa bull rider Nathan Burkhalter, 31, who did not stay on his bull long enough (8 seconds) to get a score in this particular event. He said the "danger factor" keeps him coming back for more.
"It makes me feel like a gladiator," he said. "At first ... you're nervous and you're scared, but you just gotta convince yourself that you can ride something 10 times bigger and faster than you are. Once you ride it, you feel 10 feet tall."
Editor's note: Seen is a weekly feature showcasing the work of a Tulsa World photojournalist.
Original Print Headline: SEEN: The Life of Rodeo
SEEN
Stepping into Antique Restorations conjures up a time when consumer goods were made to last.
As a news photographer, I am accustomed to disappointment. I have been to a lot of assignments that don't turn out like I hope.
