• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Jesse Bail - healed up and back on the circuit

Liberty Belle

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
1,818
Location
northwestern South Dakota
I thought some of you might be interested in this story in the Rapid City Journal today about one of my favorite cowboys. Jesse is a family friend and was raised with my boys. We just love him and wish him well.

Rodeo: Bail healthy for next go-round
By Joe Kavanaugh, Journal correspondent | Tuesday, January 06, 2009


RAPID CITY — With the National Finals Rodeo in the books and a few weeks off to celebrate the holidays and heal old wounds, the time has come to clean off the spurs and kick off a brand new season on the professional rodeo circuit.

Once again, the chase for prize money begins, culminating in early December as the top 15 qualifiers in each discipline earn a trip to Las Vegas and the spectacle that is the NFR.

The first big event on the 2009 calendar is the National Western Stock Show in Denver — Jan. 10 through Jan. 25 — followed by the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo here in Rapid City. The Stock Show rodeo begins with the always exciting and dangerous PRCA Extreme Bullriding event on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31 with the other rodeo events from Feb. 5 through Feb. 8.

One South Dakota cowboy hoping to begin this year a little better than last is Camp Crook cowboy Jesse Bail, who remembers last year's Black Hills Rodeo — the part of it he remembers at all — a little less fondly than he would like.

"I had a bronc flip over on me and a big old bull rips me down and whacks me in the mouth. This happened on the very first round, this young horse flipped me underneath and screwed up my shoulder pretty bad, might've kicked me a little goofy besides, and then right after that, maybe an hour later, the bull hit me in the mouth and gave me stitches and knocked out a tooth and knocked me out a little bit, too," says the 29-year-old Bail before pausing for a wry chuckle. "Knocked me out a little bit, but I don't remember the whole day, actually, so I don't know for sure what happened."

Even though Bail, true to the cowboy way, came back to ride a couple nights later in Rapid City, the die was cast on a very frustrating year in which he did not make the national finals.

"The shoulder injury was a rotator cuff, and I went to San Antone and wasn't healed up yet and hurt my ribs down there which led to a whole bunch of other little things throughout the winter and spring. I had to take a little time off, and though I went hard after that and should have made the finals, but I just didn't ride very good I guess."

Riding good has never been a problem for Bail. Growing up on his grandfather's ranch outside of Camp Crook, he competed in saddle bronc, bull riding and steer wrestling while at Harding County. He won the state all-around title and then went to Oklahoma Panhandle College and tacked on a National Collegiate Rodeo all-around title in 2000.

After that, he was lured to the professional rodeo circuit — a lifelong dream dating back to pre-grade school days when a few of his first riding experiences were on the back of some probably pretty surprised milk cows.

Success came quickly in 2001. He finished fourth in world all-around and ninth in saddle bronc, and in the following year, he vaulted to second in all-around and eighth in saddle bronc. In 2002, he was the winter series points' leader in both events, an achievement never before accomplished.

Health problems behind, Jesse has high hopes for 2009.

"I'm ready to go again. I can win the all-around if I stay kind of healthy even though the ropers tend to do real well since they can go on forever and not get hurt. When you are riding in two rough-stock events, it can be hard to stay healthy sometimes," he said. "I'm starting out in Denver on the 20th and am planning on making the finals in both events and going on from there."

Then, demonstrating the ability to ignore painful memories as befits the nature of a man who makes his living climbing on the back of livestock unfavorably disposed, Jesse says he is excited about returning to the Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo. He has ridden in nearly every Black Hills Rodeo since turning professional in 1997 and sees no reason to end that string this year.

"It's always good to come home. The crowds are good and always cheering for you and that makes it a lot of fun."

://rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2009/01/06/sports/local/doc4962fd020925f427571994.txt
 

Latest posts

Back
Top