A COWBOY IS made in eight seconds. That's the time required in a competition to stay on a bull to count as a “ride.” Any less than that is a failure. Professional bull rider Boudreaux Campbell, who grew up in The Woodlands, knows all too well that riding a live bucking bull is nothing like a scene out of The Urban Cowboy.
At the age of 3, Campbell attended a rodeo with his father Jay, a former bull rider, and became immediately intrigued by mutton busting. A few weeks later, Campbell returned to the rodeo as a competitor and has been hooked since. Fast forward to 2024 and he is one of the preeminent talents at the Professional Bull Riders Unleash The Beast, Jan. 26-27, and a contender for this season’s PBR World Championship. Campbell, 25, is one of the top 40 riders in the world participating in the elite competition back in Houston for the first time in five years. The upcoming tour stop is at Toyota Center, the home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets.
Campbell first broke onto the PBR scene in 2020, making a stellar second-half push to qualify for the first PBR World Finals of his career. At his first appearance at the sport’s most prestigious event, Campbell went a near-perfect 4-for-5, including two 90-point rides, winning the World Finals, and catapulting from No. 33 to No. 3 in the world to capture the coveted title Rookie of the Year.
During the 2023 individual season, he returned to top form and finished inside the Top 10 for the third time in his young career. He is currently No. 22 in the standings, having logged four Top-15 finishes to date. Now a key member of the Carolina Cowboys on PBR Teams, Campbell is also featured on the Prime Video docuseries “The Ride.”
The highlight of bull riding for Campbell is the challenge. “More than competing against the other riders, the part I like is the adrenaline rush by conquering the beast and the feeling when you did your job well and safely,” said Campbell. He also enveloped the culture immediately when becoming pro. “People in the sport are so loving and friendly and I’ve met so many great families.”
Champion bull riders can have a lucrative career, but it requires a lot of endurance and stamina. “The most difficult part of the career is staying in tip-top shape, going to the gym daily, eating healthy, sleeping and just staying well in general.” Campbell adds, “There are trials and tribulations every day in this sport. You can be on top of your game after one competition and at the very bottom the next.” Campbell knows he can’t be a bull rider forever, but he says, “I’ll be in this industry forever in some capacity.”
When not traveling or training for a competition, Campbell enjoys basketball, hanging out with family and friends, roping and riding horses. “I’ve been immersed in western lifestyle for as long as I can remember, and around horses and cattle since I could walk.”
The young ladies may wonder, is the exuberant and ambitious cowboy single? Yes!
ISHIDA Dance Company with Juliet Doherty and John Wannehag (Photo by Amitava Sarkar)
