If you haven’t read it already, I’ll share with you where the idea for Give the Lady a Ride came from: television. Two shows, both on Country Music Television (CMT).
Cowboy U was a reality show that aired from 2003 to 2007. It featured eight city slickers who had to learn all about ranch life. The first thing that happened when the contestants arrived at the ranch-of-the-season was their luggage was exchanged for cowboy duds. That meant the women had to do without their nail polish and electric hair dryers.
Activities–aside from adjusting to a more rustic lifestyle and learning to ride a horse–included calf-scrambling, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and yes, bull riding. Even the women had to learn.
The show’s stars, Rocco Wachman and Judd Leffew, used a type of bucking device to teach their dudes to ride. Sometimes it was a barrel suspended by ropes between two trees, sometimes an actual bucking machine. The former bull rider I interviewed said he’d start his riders off with a bull rope on a horse–so that’s what I did.
I thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was always fun watching these folks shift from having their noses turned up to truly enjoying the challenge.
Once it was taken off the air, Ty Murray, founding member of Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR), stepped to the chute. Ty and his now-wife Jewel hosted some stars from TV, movies, and sports on their 2000-acre ranch right close to Stephenville, Texas. Since my family once owned a ranch out there, I put my imaginary Circle Bar Ranch in the area. Of course, I took a little license with some of the rodeo arenas in my story, but the location is the same.
Some of the folks involved in Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding were musician Vanilla Ice, actor Stephen Baldwin, Ultimate Fighter Josh Haynes. These guys and several others got the full bull-riding experience–thrown, hooked, stomped; broken arms, cracked ribs. Ty started his riders off on the barrel too, and when they graduated from his school, they rode an 1800-pound bull in a live PBR rodeo. But, compared to the real riding professionals, they looked a bit like cyclists with training wheels.
Both shows were fun for the same reason it’s fun to watch anyone adjust to being out of their element. Take your fish-out-of-water comedy, where the players take everything seriously, and throw some animals into the mix, and you’ll get a few giggles. Of course, I got more than that. I got a spark to my imagination.
New York socialite Patricia Talbert is my “fish out of water,” and a bull is thrown into the mix–making for one fun ride!
This week’s drawing isn’t related to bull riding, but if you like horses, you’ll love this pen holder! To win, all you have to do is leave a comment with the answer to this question: What is the bell on the bull rope for?
Several years into it, and this blog still refuses to be categorized. It's eclectic and includes everything from writing posts to snippets from my ordinary life. 
Linda W. Yezak 
That’s an easy one! The bell is the weight that causes the rope to fall away from the bull when the rider lets go… one way or another. 😉
LikeLike
Absolutely right! I love the bell my cover designer found for me–it had a cross on it. We’re definitely using it on the cover!
LikeLike
My son does rodeo, he’s a header for team roping. At 6’3″, he’s too tall to ride the bulls! (And momma is happy about that.)
LikeLike
I’m not sure why the bell is there other than as a weight to help the rope fall off when the ride ends. My husband was in a couple of rodeos when we were in college and he got to do bull riding. Scary!
LikeLike
Oh wow. I love to watch them ride, but it’s so dangerous! I’m glad your husband survived his riding days!
You’re right about weighing the bull rope. Good luck in the drawing, and thanks for your comment!
LikeLike
I have no idea, but I’m looking forward to seeing your book in print. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks, Lorna! I can’t wait to get my hands on it, too!
LikeLike
Did I ever tell you that my very first novel was inspired by Ty Murray? Great minds! 😉 (I will have to admit, however, that Ride is infinitely better than my attempt!)
LikeLike
You didn’t tell me that! But we did have a discussion on CW one time about Justin McBride.
LikeLike
What Pegg said.
LikeLike
That’s good enough, Sheila!
LikeLike
This is interesting, Linda. Wish I’d know about that program. Your book sounds like a fun read.
LikeLike
Thanks, Mary.
Yeah, both shows were fun. The only reality shows I enjoyed watching!
LikeLike
Hi, Linda!
The bell adds weight, which pulls the rope off the bull at the end of the ride.
LikeLike
Yeppers, that’s what it’s for! Thanks for dropping in, Janalyn, and good luck in the drawing!
LikeLike
Congrats on the contract! I saw the blurb on Sandra’s High-Five Friday blog. It was very encouraging to me, as I’m on the road to publication. Good luck with the book!
LikeLike
Thanks, Barbara! Good luck with yours! The road to publication is rocky, but comes with terrific rewards. Tighten your seatbelt!
LikeLike