Bulls, Booze, and Broken Bones: A Cowboy’s Story | Barry Brown

Barry Brown is an author, cowboy, horse breaker, bull rider, and rodeo competitor to whom the nickname, “The Bionic Bull Rider” has been, I think, very fittingly applied.

Barry began competing as a bull rider at the tender age of 15. Despite its perils, he fell in love with the sport, in which he continued to participate (either as a competitor or a judge) for the next four decades of his life.

During the course of his long career, he broke just about every bone in his body.

Fittingly, he received the nickname, “The Bionic Bull Rider” after he underwent an unprecedented surgery to repair a fractured sternum (with which he competed, unmended, for many years).

I was honored to have him as a guest.

On a scorching hot summer day, Barry was attired in proper cowboy garb: tall black leather boots, thick denim jeans, a long-sleeve Wrangler shirt, black neckerchief, and trusty cowboy hat. As he sat there fielding silly questions from me, absorbing the heat of the hot sun, he was completely unperturbed.

He was as patient, stoic, thoughtful, and gentlemanly a man as I’ve had the pleasure to meet.

He manifested, in the best possible way, the true “Cowboy attitude” to which I’ll be working on conforming myself in the coming months.

In the meantime…

Be sure to check out my Instagram page for shorts from this and prior episodes: @danielethanfinneran https://www.instagram.com/danielethanfinneran/

Twitter: @DanielEFinneran

Website: finneranswake.com

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My sister project, PNEUMA, on which I put out sleep stories, meditations, mindfulness content: @pneumabydanielfinneran

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Purchase Barry’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Bionic-Bullrider-Barry-Brown/dp/0979091918/ref=sr_1_4?crid=12HGBFR562WIH&keywords=barry+brown&qid=1687097647&sprefix=barry+brown%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-4

Tell me in the comments below: Do you think America can rediscover its “Cowboy/girl Swagger”? How can you implement the “Cowboy Attitude” in your daily life?

I can tell you this much: I’m going to begin by purchasing a proper hat!

With affection,
Daniel

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