An Interview with
PARKER BREDING
Rodeo Life: You’ve qualied for the Wrangler Naonal Finals three mes, what have
you learned from these aempts at the World Title that will help you throughout
this season and hopefully get you another run at being a World Champion
Parker Breding: One of the biggest things that I have learned is dealing with the
pressure of it all. My rst nals I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well. I was
worried about what everyone else thought and if I belonged there or not. It didn’t go
as I planned. The second year I got hurt. And last year, a lile bit of the same, I was
doing really well and then I got some inuries in the h round and things fell apart.
I think a lot of it is I needed to relax and stop thinking so much about what anybody
thought or trying too hard. If I can get back there again, I should have my mental game
right and be able to do some damage and hopefully when the smoke clears, I’ll be on top.
RL: What are some of the hardships you’ve faced in rodeo and how did you get
through them How do you bounce back when you go through a rough patch
PB: Persevering and ust keeping going has been the most eecve soluon I’ve found
for overcoming hardships. Inuries have been a huge one for me – I guess anyone
would probably say that. I’ve had some good ones over the years, thankfully
nothing maor, but a lot of nagging inuries that have forced me to change some
things throughout the season about my riding and a lot of mental problems have
come out of that. Just trying to keep my head up and push forward without thinking
too much about the negave things has been something that I’ve had to ght through
and struggle to get done. I think with age I’m starng to get it gured out.
RL: What are your seasonal goals this year What is the ulmate goal for
your rodeo career
PB: Last year I had set a goal of winning 200,000 dollars in the regular season, I have
never goen up that far before. I got really close I came about 15,000 dollars shy.
This year, I have set a goal for 300,000 dollars and I know if I’m going to get anywhere
close to catching Sage Kimzey, or whoever is out in front of me, I’m going to have to
be around that mark. I made some goals of winning 300,000 dollars in the regular
season. I don’t know if I’m exactly on pace for that, but I’m going to keep ghng for
it. The ulmate goal is denitely to win that gold buckle. I’ve come close a couple of
mes now and I know I can do it – I’ve got a lot of support behind me telling me that I
can do it. The ulmate goal for me is to have that gold buckle and to be able to make
something of myself outside of rodeo.
RL: How has your father inspired and helped your career as a professional cowboy
What is it like following in his footsteps
PB: My father has been everything for me as far as Bull Riding. He told me when I was
lile that I didn’t have to be a Bull Rider if I didn’t want to. hen I was lile, I didn’t
think I really did want to, it scared the daylights out of me thinking about riding a bull,
but I found myself doing it and ended up loving it. From there he has been my biggest
inuence. He has helped me in every aspect whether it was how to take care of myself
and my inuries, how to stay mentally grounded and on course to other things like
entering rodeos and traveling. He’s been my go-to for every area. I feel extremely
blessed to have an inuence like that in my life.
PRCA ProRodeo photo by James Phifer
Rodeo LIFE 31