Meet professional bull rider, Bill Henry. Born and raised in Utah, Bill’s journey to becoming a rider for the Florida Freedom team is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Tag along as he sheds light on his journey to the top of the PBR events, his unique riding style and the influence of his home state and family on his bull riding journey. From his early exposure to the sport, thanks to his older sister, to his dreams of competing in the Velocity Tour and the UTB tour, Bill Henry’s story is one of grit, determination, and deep-rooted passion.
Bill Henry
Instagram:
@billhenry2182
https://www.instagram.com/billhenry2182?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Shoutout to:
Bill Henry
The Henry Family
PBR
Florida Freedom
Alter Ego Ambassador: https://alteregorunning.com/
Miles & Mountains Promo Code: MMyr2
Meet professional bull rider, Bill Henry. Born and raised in Utah, Bill’s journey to becoming a rider for the Florida Freedom team is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Tag along as he sheds light on his journey to the top of the PBR events, his unique riding style and the influence of his home state and family on his bull riding journey. From his early exposure to the sport, thanks to his older sister, to his dreams of competing in the Velocity Tour and the UTB tour, Bill Henry’s story is one of grit, determination, and deep-rooted passion.
Bill Henry
Instagram:
@billhenry2182
https://www.instagram.com/billhenry2182?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Shoutout to:
Bill Henry
The Henry Family
PBR
Florida Freedom
Alter Ego Ambassador: https://alteregorunning.com/
Miles & Mountains Promo Code: MMyr2
Hmmm… 魚 Bill.
Speaker 2:Henry, how are you? I'm doing good, how are you Doing? All right man.
Speaker 1:You're a bull rider from Utah Yep and you're a reserve rider of the Florida Freedom. Congrats on making a team. By the way, man, Congrats on making the team, Thank you. And how did that come about, man? How does that? How does one rider able to hit or go on the team now?
Speaker 2:Well, it's pretty much just you kind of got to get yourself out there and so that the coaches can see you and everybody you know can see the way that you ride and stuff. Yeah, and you can have, you can be a really good rider and if you don't do nothing with that ability then obviously you're not going to get onto a team. So I've been riding in the PBR events and they seem to watch those pretty close for recruits and whatnot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, were you able to go to the combine that they?
Speaker 2:hold, I didn't end up going to any of the combines. They had three of them, I think. I'm not sure on that one, but yeah, I didn't end up going to any of those.
Speaker 1:All right, before we go any further, right in the PBR and you're 21,. But you've been in the game for a bit. You've been in the PBR for a while, haven't you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, last year was my full, was my first full season, I guess.
Speaker 1:I caught wind of you during Kenwick of 2022, right, so 2023. Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, okay. So that's the end of my first year in the PBR.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right. So I saw you 2022 at Kenwick you won. You won it and then 2023,. I saw you in Spokane, the velocity tour, and you got second. The first round, correct, the first day.
Speaker 2:I won the round the first day, and then I bucked off my well. I think it was just a one day deal.
Speaker 1:Correct. Yes, but then you were here in Kenwick as well again.
Speaker 2:So yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you get around. You get around 21 in your I mean dude, you're a veteran at 21. How does that feel, how does that sound?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I it's kind of hard for me to really find a way to fathom that because I feel like there's a lot that I still have to learn. But I mean I can see like somebody would you know. I mean I just feel like I'm still quite a ways off of my goals and there's a lot that I can still do. But but yeah, I mean, when you look at the bigger picture of things, I guess I'm I've been on quite a few compared to a lot of guys.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but when you watch, when, when I watch your rides, man, you're smooth, it's like you're watching one of the vets. You know the big guys, the big names. You know you are a big name. You know whether you're humble or not, you're a big name, especially in this household. You know, and I keep an eye on you throughout the year and thankful that you're here, so you know, big fan Anyways. But when watching, it's effortless, man, I don't know if it's the Utah, the guys that are coming out of Utah, man, you guys are quite the riders and now got to ask you, are you friends with all the Utah riders?
Speaker 2:And you know right, yeah, pretty much pretty much all of them, yeah.
Speaker 1:So. So I asked, I asked one of the brothers right If because I had him on one of the youngest one right and I asked them, is it the mountain stores or is it the water? So which one? Is it man, is it both, or is it the water that you guys just connect with and just end up being dominant?
Speaker 2:I don't know, maybe it's the mountain water, I don't know.
Speaker 1:Cause, hey, I appreciate you. Utah guys, man, you guys bring it and you guys, you guys are all business. You know there's no one that rides like you guys, man. So you know, seeing you in 2022 and then seeing you twice in 2023, what are the chances of you going back to the velocity tour in 24?
Speaker 2:Yeah, they're good. I'm planning. I entered a Kearney Nebraska and it's on the 16th of this month, so that'll be and that's a touring pro. But you know, after that that's kind of when I'm really going to put the grind on them and go to work.
Speaker 1:So Velocity Tour and Spokane, you're going to be there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm hoping to get on the UTB tour. Okay, I mean that's the ultimate goal is to get up there where I'm competing.
Speaker 1:Well, I'll buy my ticket then.
Speaker 2:Top 15 or so yeah.
Speaker 1:When did all this start? When did your bull riding career start?
Speaker 2:And Um well, I rode cabs ever since I was just a little kid, Mm-hmm. I think I got on my first cap when I was five or six Okay, somewhere in there and then just kind of stuck with it since then.
Speaker 1:So Are you from the household of rodeo athletes?
Speaker 2:Um no, my dad, he grew up on an ranch and he didn't rodeo or any of his siblings or nothing. They didn't do any of it. But my sister, my older sister, she started breakaway roping and barrel racing, doing all the things. And so then my dad started the junior rodeo series here in Manila. Okay, um once we kind of got interested in it and then we, just all three of us, my sister, me and then my younger brother, we've kind of just been going with it.
Speaker 1:All right, when did you know it was for you? Like, hey, bull riding was it's for me. You know, like, when did you know you had it?
Speaker 2:Um, probably when I was in like a sophomore in high school.
Speaker 1:Were you part of the high school rodeo scene there? Uh yeah, yep, why. Why you could have done everything else. You know you could have done other sports or you had plenty of sports you know to choose from. Why rodeo?
Speaker 2:Well, uh, we actually didn't have that many sports. We live in a pretty small town. We've got basketball, uh, track and golf here. Those are the only sports, but uh, regardless, I know I would have chose rodeo.
Speaker 1:Is rodeo scene bigger than the regular sports there.
Speaker 2:Um, no, basketball is is pretty big thing here All right.
Speaker 1:Who were you thought? Who were you thought All right, why bull riding?
Speaker 2:Um, I don't know, it's a lot funner than anything else. I feel like I mean team rope and I it was. It was good and stuff, but I just didn't get that was as fun I didn't think especially hauling around horses and you know, taking care of your horses everywhere you go and stuff. It's just a lot less headache, I feel like, and it's a lot more fun.
Speaker 1:So okay, so the adrenaline rush, you like that? Yeah, when? When do you think? Uh, you know, the adrenaline rush was for you. How old were you?
Speaker 2:Um, I don't know, probably eight or nine is all.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I rode this big ol' Holstein steer and, uh, I don't know. I just thought I was pretty cool once I got that sucker covered. Then after that, that was I don't know.
Speaker 1:How did mom think or feel about you riding bulls?
Speaker 2:Uh, she's good with it, she's. She says, as long as you know that's what you like doing, I'll back you a hundred percent. I mean, obviously she gets kind of scared if I get hurt or whatever. But yeah, but you know she's, she's way good about it.
Speaker 1:Even when you lived under their roof, she was okay with it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Yep, okay, all right.
Speaker 1:All right, that's awesome man. Okay, talking about the mountains, the Utah boys, you guys are bad man, you guys are. You guys are one of a kind man. Um, you're on the team. What's next man? What's next? You said you said something about uh, nebraska, but like what's next in your career bull riding career, being 21?
Speaker 2:Um, I mean just fighting for a world champion, I guess?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean that's, that's the ultimate goal. Um, I've been working out a little bit more lately and, um, yeah, just trying to get the edge that that them guys have got to be a world champion. You know, I went to the uh Frost legacy uh bull riding school just recently, uh, like last weekend, and it's it's pretty neat being down there with those guys and and learning all the stuff. You know, I I kind of thought I had it figured out and then I go there and there's a lot more to know about it than than what I do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, I know now, but yeah. Just just take not, not not telling secrets, but what is one thing you took out of that that you didn't have?
Speaker 2:Um, confidence is like huge, like I feel 50 times more confident after being there at that school and just um just knowing you know the bulls moves and how to how to counteract them. I guess. Okay, I got you. Just totally understanding the entire mechanics of it. It was huge.
Speaker 1:Appreciate your honesty, man, that's huge, just as a bull rider like yourself, a PBR star, saying confidence, you know, and me telling you how just watching you that's like effortlessly, you know, you tall boys, and especially you, you know, and you saying confidence, man, that's huge. So I appreciate your honesty man, seriously, bill. Thank you yeah for sure. So Spokane and then, what else Are you able to do? All three series, the challenge, the velocity and the unleash of these?
Speaker 2:So the challenger series that goes on during the team series, so that's pretty much like the velocity is to the UTBs, okay, and then. So then when the team season is over and the regular season starts which is, you know, right now they're just getting started with the regular season then they've got the UTBs and the velocities and the goal is to get you know to be on the UTBs. So right now I've got to go to some velocities. Hopefully, you know, be winning right, right when I go into it, and then, you know, get called up to ride on the UTBs, okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I see Mr Frost he does all circuits, man, so all riders have that opportunity, or just Mr Frost?
Speaker 2:No well, so the highest level would be the UTB Correct and then and you can do whatever you want. I mean, like, once you get to that point, like if you want to go back to the velocities, you can, if you want to go, because he does a lot of PRCA stuff and that's a totally different right like deal. So, yeah, he definitely gets on a lot of bulls. Yeah, because he does pretty much all of it so yeah, yeah, and it's interesting to see.
Speaker 1:You know one moment. You know these riders appear, you know the high end, and then they're in the middle and then they go lower and it's just like how are they able to do that? Let's get the hungrier kids on. Or you know riders that are trying to make it. You know, make a name for themselves, you know. That's why I ask so, how, how is it to be a PBR bull rider man? How do you maintain?
Speaker 2:It's pretty good. I mean, I definitely wouldn't trade it, you know, for anything else. I get to see a lot of country and you know I kind of have an excuse to travel everywhere. So I mean that part of it I've seen more country than a lot of you know, 50 year old, 50, 60 year old people, you know.
Speaker 1:So this 42 year old man. I'm kidding, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean it's, yeah, it's a neat experience. It gets kind of tiring at some points, but yeah, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, all right. When traveling when traveling, do you eat homemade food or do you cook for yourself? Or do you eat, you know, fast food, gas station food? Well, typically I do a lot of flying.
Speaker 2:So I mean, I don't, you know, I pretty much eat out when I fly anywhere, but kind of all of the above, I try to keep it on the healthier side of things. But yeah, I'm not very good about packing lunches or anything like that when we go on the road.
Speaker 1:So no peanut butter jelly sandwiches for you.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, not really.
Speaker 1:That's a staple question, so I was going to ask Bill Henry how he makes a peanut butter jelly sandwich. But if you don't eat them, then that's okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:When, in the ring or in the ring, you know what pumps you up, man, right before ride, what gets you pumped to go eight seconds.
Speaker 2:Um, that's a good question. I mean it kind of just, um, like once you get going, like right at first, I mean just the entire atmosphere just jacks you up like crazy. But like, once you get to go into a bunch of them, then you're kind of like you know every single one of them, velocity tours, they look the exact same in the building, like they set it up, exact same every single time, right, the only difference is the stadium, you know, is different, same arena in a different stadium, and so it kind of does get old and you've got to. You kind of just got to force yourself to, you know, get jacked up about it and always thinking positive thoughts.
Speaker 2:Um, somebody told me one time that, uh, the symptoms of being nervous and being excited are the exact same thing. The symptoms are the exact same, you know. So it's just what you portray it as. Like you just got to. Whatever you tell yourself you are, I mean that's what you're going to be. If you're nervous, you say that you're excited. All of a sudden it's like a switch flips and you're and you're just excited, and uh, I mean, that's kind of what I do when I get nervous, but, um, like when I'm, when I'm kind of just down and like not really hyped up or anything, I just think about, you know, um making the 90. Point ride or and just hearing the crowd and stuff and that just pumps me up.
Speaker 1:So okay, all right. When getting ready, do you, do you hang out? Are you alone? Do you isolate? Do you listen to music? Or you had Zen? How was it for you?
Speaker 2:I mean, usually we'll be like back in the locker room and then you just kind of rosin your rope and we talk to each other. I mean it's just kind of, you know, another day in the office, back in the locker room and then, um, you know, take your rope and head out to the deal when you're about up and put it on your bowl and say a prayer and Gotcha, I mean that's about it. I mean it's what's your? Go to music.
Speaker 1:Um heck.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I mean I honestly don't listen to a whole lot of music. I mean really, Okay. Yeah, it's, I don't know, Maybe like some ACBC or something like that. Okay.
Speaker 1:So the arena music is enough for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, gotcha, gotcha. All right, I've got the best music you know professional sound guy, and so oh yeah, my headphones can't compete with that? No, no, no.
Speaker 1:If you weren't bull riding, riding bulls, what would you be doing?
Speaker 2:Um, probably just ranching man, same same as what I do now. Uh, ranching right.
Speaker 1:Okay, favorite writer to watch All time and now.
Speaker 2:Um, well, I like to watch Kai Hamilton because he's um, he's about the same height as me and about the same weight and everything, and so and I really liked the way he rides. He just like handles what he's got so well, you know, and so I like to watch him because he's pretty similar to me. But, um, jb Mooney is probably my all time favorite.
Speaker 1:Okay, you think uh Kai's going to take a couple, uh couple of days at the NFR. Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm sure he'll win a couple rounds. I'm sure.
Speaker 1:Or is or is Mr Right going to take it all? No, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, I don't know. I think Josh and Kai are definitely in the running there, but Stetson, he's going to have to slip up a little bit in order for him to, you know, take the lead. So it's going to be tough, it's going to be good watching, I think.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, yeah it is. And that after seeing him at the Pendleton Roundup man, I was just like God, is this guy beatable? Oh you know I know he is but geez.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Favorite event to watch outside of bull riding.
Speaker 2:Um probably steer wrestling.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's. That's going to be a good one to watch too, and in a far yeah, yeah, I always wanted to be a steer wrestler.
Speaker 2:I was never big enough, though. Yeah, okay, okay yeah.
Speaker 1:Don't nasty Jesse Brown and Wags and she's okay, favorite bullfighter.
Speaker 2:Oh man, I don't know if I.
Speaker 1:I'm a bullfighter guy, so always have to ask this question.
Speaker 2:I mean I guess probably Probably Cody Webster, I guess Cody All right. So yeah, I mean, I don't know, I've never really thought about that, but no, it was like all right.
Speaker 1:You never thought like, okay, if, if I don't get eight seconds, I get bucked off. You know, this guy's fighting for us, I'm going to be in good hands. You never have that thought. Uh-uh, okay, that's all for this, for you, I mean.
Speaker 2:I've got like, uh, I used to have some pretty mean practice bulls and I'd buck them out here at the house with no bullfighters, and I've gotten run over a few times and so, but I don't know, it's never really been something that I've been worried about, you know, and maybe it's because I have been ran over and ended up just fine out of the deal. I've never, you know, I've never been scared of that aspect of it. So I never, never really crossed my mind. I mean, I know they've saved me a bunch, but yeah, it's, as long as there's bullfighter I'm happy.
Speaker 1:We're almost done, we're pretty much done. But I got one question, man, and hopefully you could answer it. You know, and you know you being a veteran at the age of 21,. It's quite the fee. It's remarkable, especially you know, with me and my age. You know, and what I do for a living. What would you tell kids who are coming up in the game, man? What would you tell a listener who's listening to this, who wants to go into the game? What would you tell them?
Speaker 2:Never doubt your abilities. Um, I mean, I think that is the number one reason why guys buck off is because they don't trust their ability and trust the process, that they know what they're doing. And it's the number one reason I buck off. I know it because, um, I know how to do it, I know how to ride bulls. But you know, when you don't trust the ability, then you fall off, and it's an easy thing to do. You get to doubt in yourself and so I just say, yeah for sure, just be 100% confident in what you're doing, just take it to them, I guess.
Speaker 1:Well, you got something going on. I mean not, not every rider is on a team, right? So, bill, you got something.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, to be on a team with those guys is that athletic freaking specimens, I mean, it says a lot. You're one of them and, and you know, every time I see you on a bull you know in person, live in person and on the TV I mean, dude you, you, you crush it. So, um, you're doing something right, man. So I appreciate your honesty, I appreciate your time, bill, and, uh, I look forward to seeing you in the show dominating, conquering it and just being the veteran that you are now man, but more dominant, like up there. So I appreciate your time, bill. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure, thank you, yep, okay, until next time, okay, okay.