Bronc riding is a physically demanding part of any rodeo competition. There are two categories: saddle bronc and bareback bronc riding. Most rodeo stars compete until they are between 30 and 40 years old. After that, the body can’t take the rough and tumble activity. However, one grandpa is still bareback bronc riding in a rodeo at 71 years old.
The rider is Thomas Rector, a former bareback bronc champion. He is retired now, but he promised friends he would get back on for one more ride. He did, and the grandpa wowed the rodeo crowd. His talent has not faded with age!
Jennifer Smith posted the video on TikTok. Other than showing the rider’s age in the captioning, the video offers no information about where the rodeo is. One of the commenters, Rusty Kent, supplied the name in his comment, “that was Thomas Rector. at one time he was a bad cat in the bareback riding.”
Thomas earned his fame before the Internet. For now, we have this short 12-second video. The video doesn’t show Thomas’ entire ride, but he showed strongly out of the gate. As the bronc bucked its way out to the center of the ring, Thomas held on tight, bouncing with the rhythm of the bucking horse. He still has what it takes.
With bareback bronc riding, there is only the horse, the rider, and the rope. Once the rider gets his grip and signals the crew, the gate flies open, and the bronc takes off. Safety riders in the ring grab the riders when they inevitably fly off the bucking horse while rodeo clowns race in to calm the bucking bronco.
Please share Thomas’ adventurous ride.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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