MILWAUKEE — 40 of the best bull riders in the world are in Milwaukee this weekend for the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) two-day “Unleash The Beast” Tour on March 9 & 10 in Downtown Milwaukee.
Nebraska’s Conner Halverson is ranked No. 38 on the World list.
“I grew up watching bull riding and I always loved it and it was something I always wanted to do,” Halverson tells Wisconsin’s Midday News. Now in his 20s, Halverson has been riding for 16 years.
“I got my start when I was really young riding sheep, and then just kind of progressed on with it.”
Sheep?
“When you’re real little, 4 or 5 or 6 years old you get on sheep and calves and steers and as you get older and grow you get on a little bigger animal,” Halverson explained.
Halverson admits he’s had some close calls given the unpredictable nature of an animal weighing upwards of 2,500 pounds, and his goal on each and every occasion is to stay on the bull for the requisite 8-seconds.
“It’s the longest 8 seconds that I’ll ever experience.”
Click on the sound bar above to learn more about Halverson’s life in bull riding.