Bullheaded

restlessly behind the bars, but no details. As soon as RJ was set in the chute and Bobby Blue was fully suited up, Cody said, “All right, then, show us some magic.”
    “I’ll show you all right,” Bobby Blue muttered. He strode to the chute, swinging his coiled rope in his hand and climbed to the top.
    RJ took hold of his vest and Bobby Blue tried to shake him off.
    “I got this.”
    RJ tightened his grip and said, “Boss’s rules. Same for everyone.”
    Gingerly, Bobby Blue lowered himself over the broad brown back, his boots hooked onto the rails, and he let his rope drop to where Travis could catch it underneath and bring it up on the other side of Motherbucker.
    Immediately, the animal became angry, shifting in the chute as Bobby Blue drew up the rope tight and wrapped it. Finally Bobby Blue sat down and tried to get a good position. Motherbucker shifted forward and back, kicking a little.
    Cody crossed his arms in the ring to watch, a tiny smile tugging at his mouth. “Let’s go there, boss! You got less than thirty seconds to get out the gate or you forfeit the ride.”
    “But this isn’t the real thing!”
    “It’s always the real thing. Hurry it up.”
    Motherbucker started to kick and knelt down in the front, butt stuck up in the air.
    “Ready?”
    Bobby Blue shook his head. “Bull’s ornery. Let me get him up.”
    Travis said, “I’ll do it.” He looped a rope under the horns and yanked.
    Motherbucker reared up. All the way up, front legs pawing in the air, forcing Bobby Blue to lean forward and hustle to stay on.
    “Running out the clock,” Cody called.
    “Now!” Bobby Blue yelled back.
    Travis got the gate open in one smooth yank.
    Motherbucker shot out from under Bobby Blue, dumping him on his ass in the chute and charged wildly around the ring. Cody stood there with his arms folded, not bothering to move out of the way. Johnny jumped down into the ring, put two fingers in his mouth, and whistled. Obediently, Motherbucker trotted straight for him and he put his hand on the animal’s neck to guide it from the ring without using a halter.
    Cody bent and picked up Bobby Blue’s rope from where it fell and coiled it up to return it to him. Bobby Blue was up and slapping the dust from his jeans with the rope, a scowl on his face while the other three boys bent over, laughing their asses off outside the ring.
    “What’s so funny?”
    “You were riding a cow!” Aubrey yelled out. “A fucking cow! And you fell off.”
    Outraged, Bobby Blue turned to Cody. “What the fuck!”
    “Yep, Motherbucker’s a cow, but just to make you feel better, she proved she’s a real mother.”
    “You trying to make me look like a fool?”
    “You’re doing fine with that all on your own, son.” Cody clapped him on the shoulder and turned both of them to face the rest of the class. “Okay, comedy’s over. Bobby Blue here is the only one out of all of you who stepped up for the challenge, so you can quit laughing at him even though he fell off. One time or another you’ll all be on your ass and likely in front of an entire arena, so if you can’t stand the heat, it’s time to get out of the corral.”
    The other three stifled their laughter, but Cody could feel the tension in the shoulder under his hand. “So what Bobby Blue did right was volunteering—”
    “But he did everything else wrong!” Aubrey shouted.
    Cody grabbed the collar of the vest to hold Bobby Blue back as he lunged toward Aubrey. “And we’re going to learn from his example. What’s the first thing he did wrong?”
    “He didn’t check for udders?” Tommy cackled at his own wit.
    Cody hooked his arm around Bobby Blue’s neck and hung on to make sure he didn’t go anywhere, like to beat Tommy’s ass into the ground. “Very funny. Motherbucker is my prize female. She’s the dam of some of my best bulls and she bucks as good as any bull. She doesn’t like being ridden any more than they do.
    “Remember, once you’re in the chute the judges are timing you, so don’t forfeit by screwing around. The quicker you get out, usually the better the ride turns out. You won’t wear out the bull or yourself. “
    “The bull—cow sat down. What was I supposed to do?”
    Cody beamed at Bobby Blue. “Good question. By the time a bull hits the show, he knows what comes next as good as you do. That bull is trained to get out and buck and that’s what he wants to do. If he goes down in front and you got a good seat, I