Biography
I got my start in the sport of rodeo riding some rough stock in the mid 70's, I didn't do
very well but found I had a love for the sport. I was a member of a horse club and one
of their projects was to put on two rodeo's each year. I found working in the production
of these events was more my liking. I have worked in the ring crew as latch man and
gate man, announcer, and bull fighter, I also managed to do some photography also.
I raised Quarter Horses for a while, and also stood a foundation stallion. I became
involved with the AQHA and worked as the event manager for many AQHA events in
Virginia.
I started covering NASCAR events as a reporter and photographer in the late 80's
working for a local Virginia newspaper. While I was working at these events, I met a
crew chief named Jeff Hammond, who at that time was working with driver Darrel
Waltrip. We soon found out we both had the same feelings about rodeo. Hammond's
liked team roping and myself bull riding. He told me about a PBR bull riding his friend
was putting on in Charlotte, NC and wanted to know if I wanted to cover it. This was
back in 1996, I covered the event for my paper and realized I had found something I
could really enjoy. I went to 3 events that year and was invited to cover the PBR finals.
While working at the PBR events I met and formed a friendship with then event
photographer Gary Jenson, who gave me the knowledge to pursue this sport. With his
guidance and knowledge I was able to have articles and photo's published in the Pro
Bull Rider Magazine. I later worked some PBR events as the ring photographer. Living
on the East Coast made it hard to cover many of these events, so I dropped back and
worked bull riding's in VA, NC, and Maryland. I started working with Humps N. Horns
Bull Riding News, eventually working full time as a feature writer, photographer and
marketing. I now work as a staff photographer with the Bull Pen Mag., and the Quarter
Horse News as a freelance writer and photographer.
Today my wife Leigh and I work mainly with the American Bucking Bull Inc.(ABBI)
events. I cover their events and write articles on the event along with photo's. I also
write for the Quarter Horse News. I write feature articles on the breeders and other
things pertaining to the sport. I also travel to many ranches taking photos of their
ranch and livestock, helping them with sales and promotion of their animals, I also
cover livestock auctions, writing about the sale and animal's sold.
It has been exciting watching the sport of bull riding grow along with working with the
bulls and their owners. It has also been rewarding being a part of the success they
have accomplished.
BullFighter, after one of the Events
