B.J. Schumacher competes in the World’s Toughest Rodeo, which is coming to St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center on Friday and Saturday. He is a native of Hillsboro, Wis., located about 30 miles south of Tomah. He was nice enough to chat with us the other day about rodeo, the Packers and, frankly, questions that didn’t necessarily make sense.

RandBall: Let’s start here. You’re from Wisconsin. Are you a Packers fan?
B.J. Schumacher: Yes, and I was actually at the [NFC title] game the other day. It didn’t work out that hot, that’s for sure. … I had a beer, and it was frozen before I got to drink it. I’m dead serious. It was pretty bad.

RB: How did you get involved in this series?
B.J.: I have a place in Oklahoma, and some of the bullfighters that were in the tryouts for toughest cowboy were hanging out here. They told me they were going to the tryout, and I just packed up my stuff and went with them. Got my saddle shipped overnight. It was kind of a spur of a moment deal. … That was a few months ago, last fall.

RB: What do you think so far?
B.J.: I think it’s a neat format, and the prize at the end is what got me. … Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have cracked back out. I had hung it up, was better with the bullriding, and kind of forgot the rest of it.

RB: Has it been scientifically proven that these are the world’s toughest cowboys?
B.J.: Well, usually in rodeo, there are guys with special events. Normally, I just get on a bull at a rodeo. In this deal, you have to get bareback, saddle bronc and get on a bull. You have injuries. Usually, your one event is dangerous enough … that’s what makes it tough, trying to stay healthy through everything.

RB: What was it like to win the PRCA world championship title in 2006?
B.J.: It’s something … it’s like winning the Super Bowl. It’s like winning the biggest event that is possible for you to win. It was the greatest thing I’ve ever done. One of the greatest things I’ll ever be able to do. It never hit me until recently. Once it happens, you’re the same person, but everybody looks at you differently. I’m trying to do the best thing with it that I can.

RB: So you’ve been champion of your sport the same amount of times as Brett Favre?
B.J.: Yeah.

RB: How did that championship impact your life?
B.J.: I do a lot more stuff like this [interview]. … I talk to a lot more people. My time gets spread a lot thinner, and that’s one of the biggest things. I was more of a “to myself” person, and now I have to be more of a public person. I’m always on the road. I have bumps and bruises all over me right now. My hands hurt. I have a bunch of stuff that’s sore, but I have to ride to get paid. We ain’t on salary or nothing. We have to stay on to get paid.

RB: Last year when this event came to town, I had a chance to interview Chad Eubank, the rider with the grillz. What do you know about him?
B.J.: Everybody has their own personality. He’s kind of a standout, but that’s his deal. He wants to be the standout. A lot of guys out there just rodeo to make a living for their family. He wants to be recognized.

RB: The names they give the bulls are pretty creative. What would you say is your favorite bull?
B.J.: The bull I rode for the most points was Mr. USA. I like him. There’s some other ones … Mossy Oak Mudslinger. I rode him a few times. Won some pretty good money off that bull. Border Patrol is a really good bull.

RB: Do you find yourself constantly measuring your life in 8-second increments?
B.J.: I’m not sure I understand.

RB: Sorry, I just mean that you must know exactly how long 8 seconds lasts because that’s kind of your whole life, right?
B.J.: I’ll tell you what, 8 seconds can last forever. But sometimes it’s over too quick. When you’re going right, it’s one of the best feelings you can get. When the crowd is cheering, you know you’re going to get 90 points. … And there are times when you’re hanging upside down by your feet … then it’s lasting too long. It just depends on the position you’re in.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 4:14 pm and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.