McCracken Springs, Utah
Words & photos by Ivan McClellan
Last year, in his debut season, 21-year-old American bull rider Keyshawn Whitehorse won the Rookie of the Year title. This season the expectations were high, but early on he struggled with his grip. Increasingly severe pain in his right hand required numerous doctor visits until a PBR specialist diagnosed it as early-onset arthritis. He returned to his home in Navajo Nation to recenter and regain the focus that propelled him from humble beginnings on the reservation to become one of the top professional bull riders in the world.
The Whitehorse home sits between four sacred mountains in the high desert of rural southern Utah. Growing up here, Keyshawn and his cousins would run free from dawn to dusk with the land as their playground. Focused less on school than rambunctious activity, he began bucking calves by the time he was eight.
Keyshawn and his father, Norbert, learned the sport together by watching PBR events on TV and practicing on a makeshift barrel behind the house. Norbert still travels to competitions and pulls Keyshawn’s rope as he enters the chute.
At an event in Green Bay, WI, Keyshawn enters the locker room with his dachshund “Pistol Pete” and methodically prepares for the competition. His father created a warmup routine consisting of reps of dynamic stretches to stay loose and prevent injury.
Unlike the shiny silver champion belt buckles worn by most riders, his multi-colored beaded buckle was made by his grandmother. The eagle feather pinned to his hat belonged to his grandfather. His necklace and bracelets are traditional hand-tooled silver and turquoise. He proudly embraces his culture, and that’s one reason fans love him.
Lastly, he straps on bright green fringed chaps and a protective vest emblazoned with the logo of his sponsor the U.S. Border Patrol.
Keyshawn persistently prays before he rides. The ritual is a blend of Navajo tradition and Christianity that asks for protection and for communion with the bull he is riding. Rather than dominating the animal, he prays for a partnership. Both of their lives depend on an exceptional performance on the dirt.
After anointing his body with burnt cedar and kneeling to pray one last time he calmly enters the arena.
PBR events are the pinnacle of American patriotism. Every cowboy hat in the maximum capacity crowd is removed during the national anthem. As the riders enter the stadium through pyrotechnics and promo models, they are greeted with raucous, drunken cheers. It’s a modern-day gladiator event where fans don’t want to see anyone hurt, but don’t want to miss it if they do.
Before fellow bull rider and friend Mason Lowe died at a competition in Denver, Keyshawn told him to have a good ride. “Hard Times,” the bull that crushed Lowe’s chest competed the next day. From physical injury, concussions, to death; the dangers are well known, but he puts them out of his mind and is grateful every time he walks out safely.
