By Tom Smith
The Southern Extreme Bull Riding Association is sending their young guns to the International Youth Finals Rodeo in Shawnee, Oklahoma again this year. Last year SEBRA had three representatives competing in the IYFR. Brian Canter, Corey Atwell, and JB Mauney. The three cowboys have been competing in SEBRA bull riding events as well as IPRA / SRA co-sanctioned events. They are fast making names for themselves in the sport of rodeo.
At 5�-3� and 110 pounds Brian Canter is a prime example that a man should be measured by heart and try and not by physical size. The 17 year old cowboy is a world champion in the making. Last year he won the coveted SEBRA Championship title and also won the SEBRA rookie title. On June 13th Brian won the 2005 North Carolina High School Bull Riding Championship. He also won the 2004 state high school championship and finished in 5th place at the National High School Finals in Gillette, Wyoming. At last years IYFR in Shawnee, Brian finished in 3rd place out of two hundred contestants. He won the short round and $4,500 dollars for his efforts. Brian was really impressed by the caliber of the competition at the IYFR. �There were some kids out there that could really ride bulls� The people of Shawnee treated us great, I am really looking forward to competing there again this year.�
JB Mauney bucked off his bulls at the IYFR last year but says that the experience instilled in him a determination to win. �I couldn�t get over how good the competition was�There was high school kids there who were riding in the PBR...The IYFR was the biggest event that I had ever been to. It was a great experience.� The experience paid off for JB. This year he won the Lufkin, Texas CBR event, and took home a $10,000 dollar check. JB is currently sitting 4th in the SEBRA standings. He has been competing in SRA / IPRA co-sanctioned events and is looking forward to getting his IPRA card and traveling with his partners to professional and SEBRA events.
Corey Atwell who was featured in the May issue of Pro Rodeo World, loved the experience he gained at last years IYFR and is really looking forward to competing there again this year. �I couldn�t get over how nice everybody was to us� the whole town was really friendly� there were huge crowds�� Corey who competes in many SEBRA events has been hitting the road hard with the IPRA this year. As of June 10th He is currently ranked 5th in the IPRA world bull riding standings and is ranked 3rd in the rookie standings.
Jason Cahill�s loved his IYFR experiences. The Cleveland, Missouri cowboy rode there back in 1998 and 1999. He says �The IYFR was the best rodeo I have ever been to�the town treated us like royalty. The IYFR is like the NFR to a kid.� Jason, a seasoned competitor has been traveling with Brain, Corey and JB this year and has been stressing the importance of maintaining a positive attitude to the younger three. �These three cowboys can really ride�they are going places� traveling with them keeps me feeling young. I hope that I can pass on some of the things that I have learned, and maybe learn a few things from them.� Jason who is sponsored by RodeoAttitude.com is currently ranked 10th in the SEBRA standings.
SEBRA directors Tom Smith and Chan Canter are real proud that these cowboys are representing SEBRA at the IYFR and at IPRA rodeos. Tom states, �These guys have what it takes to become a true champion� They represent the sport of rodeo well. I hope that the experiences at the IYFR and SEBRA help them in their professional careers.�