A lot of bulls: riding events will be hwld in Gordonsville

By Sandy James
Review Staff Writer
Published: May 1, 2008

Several local entrepreneurs are changing the sports lineup in Orange County.
Home-style (don’t tell Mom) bull riding has always gone on in the back lot at most farms as aspiring young cowboys test their skills, but now the real deal is coming to Orange.
Bull riding is gaining in popularity and a few local men who supply a lot of the bulls for distant events decided it was time to showcase some bullish talent in their own neck of the woods.
Matt Lamb, Wes Begoon and Scotty Michael formed the BLM Bull Co. They supply bulls for Southern Extreme Bull Riding Association (SEBRA) sanctioned events.
They recently received SEBRA sanctioning to hold events in Orange County.
“This has been in the works for more than a year. We own some of the bulls that are seen on TV,” said Matt Lamb. “We raised some of the bulls and bought others from all over the country. Most are kept in Keezletown, across the mountain. We haul them up and down Interstate-81 a lot,” said Lamb.
Begoon takes care of the bulls and is considered the public relations man. “We currently have more than 50 bulls. We lease to several rodeos,” he said.
BLM had bulls in the SEBRA finals in February.
“We even have a son of a Professional Bull Riders Bull of the Year,” Begoon said.
The average age range of the bulls is 3 to 10 years old. They are mostly cross-breeds and they are bred for bucking.
“It really helps the odds. You can’t make ‘em buck, they just gotta want to do it,” Begoon said, in his mellow cowboy vernacular.
Most greenhorns think the cowboy is doing all the performing, but the bull receives equal billing in this show. The cowboy has to stay on the bull for eight seconds, but both are judged on their performance. The rider is scored on the degree of control exhibited and the bull is scored on the degree of difficulty. Riders wear protective vests and bull horns are blunted. Begoon said the bulls are valuable athletes and are well cared for.
Five local bull riding events are planned for the season. The first event, with bull riding and women’s barrel racing, will take place May 3, at Oakland Heights Farm on route 15 between Orange and Gordonsville.
“People will be coming from all over the country,” said Lamb.
For more information call: Matt Lamb at (540) 222-1824 , Wes Begoon at (540) 569-0606 or Scotty Michael(540) 820-1532, or see the web site http://www.blm-bull-co.com/