There’s going to be a lot of dirt kicked around at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in Ivins, Utah Friday and Saturday, but it won’t be because of any dancing—just a lot of bull riding.
“So you get people right on the front row with dirt down their shirts," said Cyndi W. Gilbert, vice president of Diamond G Rodeos. "So you get all of these people who are used to seeing opera and all of these high-end plays and they end up with bull riding.”
Gilberts sister company, Crusher, designed the arena that the cowboys will compete in.
“We created an arena so that it was pretty safe," Gilbert said. "But you can’t put a horse in there, you can’t put pick-up men, nothing. All you’ve got is bullfighters and the bull and the cowboy.”
Forty cowboys from as far away as Australia are gathering for the Professional Bull Riders Show. The prize? Twenty-thousand dollars and a gold Rolex watch.
Strider Leverton is from Vernal and has been riding bulls for more than 10 years. He will be there tonight and tomorrow.
“All you gotta do is stay on your bulls and you’ll be able to make a living," Leverton said. "That’s about all there is to it. Just gotta stay on and make the whistle.”
Leverton said your mindset is crucial.
“Yeah, it’s a lot of mindset," he said. "You’ve gotta stay positive. You’ve gotta make sureyou wanna do it cause if you dno’t wanna do it you’re not gonna do good in it at all.”
The event at Tuacahn is one of many throughout the year leading up to the world championship taking place in Las Vegas in Oct.