Potter cowboy chases championship dream

Starting tomorrow, a Potter cowboy will enter the rodeo ground at Panguitch, Utah, chasing a long-held dream of becoming a world champion.

It's been a long time since Barry Shephard began riding in rodeos. He first began trying to stay atop broncs as a bareback rider, and with a measure of success. At the time, he thought bull riders "were crazy," as they tried to remain aboard one-ton, horned behemoths whose only intent was to rid themselves of the people who dared to climb on their back.

But Shephard's cousins rode bulls, and they told him time and time again how much he would enjoy bulls. He eventually agreed to try, and on his first try "yard darted," cowboy slang for being thrown hard onto the earth.

But he was hooked. That would have been the perfect opportunity for him to walk away and remain a spectator during the most dangerous rodeo event, but that wasn't even a thought.

"I said, 'that's cool, can I do it again?'" Shephard said. He got on four different bulls that day, and after that, "I sold all my bareback equipment."

Thus began the journey toward this week's rides. He first came in the money in Page, Arizona, where he was the 1988 bull riding reserve champion. Since then, there have been a lot of twists and turns in his rodeo career, in addition to those on the bulls.

In case you've begun to do the math, you're right. It doesn't seem possible that a cowboy from the 80s could be riding for a championship today. But it's true. Shephard was 24 at the time.

Today, at 53, Shephard is competing in the Senior Professional Rodeo Association, which he joined in January 2015, after fulfilling a promise – one of the turns over his career – that took him away from the sport he loves so much.

That promise was because of another love, that of his wife Nina and then-newborn daughter Hope.

"I made a promise to Nina," Shephard said. "That I would quit riding until Hope was out of high school."

It was a promise easily made. But the request was one easily understood. After watching her husband heal from numerous injuries, including one where his face was shattered, Nina wanted to make sure he was around to care for their daughter and family.

But Nina wasn't at all surprised when Barry announced several years ago that he wanted to return to rodeo. It shocked others, particularly Hope, who was dead-set against the idea. But Nina understood the sacrifice Shephard had made, and knew how hard the choice had been on him. Even so, it wasn't easy.

"As a friend, I want to see him succeed, to do good," Nina said. "As his wife, I think we should be doing things together."

But that's not the whole picture.

"I've lived with him not riding," Nina said. "I've seen how miserable he was."

Just as when they were younger, Nina loves to watch her husband ride. She would be there watching him for every ride if possible, but one of the twists of their reality today is that he remains home, working two jobs as a backup in case rodeo winnings aren't enough.

The couple said finances are probably the hardest part of it. When he covers, or successfully rides, enough bulls to finish in the money, Shephard may win enough to cover expenses toward the trip to the next rodeo and entry fees. When he doesn't, they have to dip into the reserve built through Nina's jobs.

But they accept those challenges, like others before them, as part of their 22-year marriage.

With Nina's support, Shephard continues to work toward his championship goal.

Shepard has a good start toward meeting that goal. This year, Shephard finished the regular season third in the world. Covering the right bulls, he could well realize the dream.

If not, he'll likely continue the chase.

"I want to finish my dream, my goal," Shepard said, "and that's to be a world champion. If not, I hope to win a few more buckles, a few more go rounds."