Cottonwood cowboy will make a run for the National Finals Rodeo

Danny Webb, 20, of Cottonwood

Bareback rider, Danny Webb, 20, of Cottonwood has been participating in the sport of rodeo as long as he and his family can remember.

He rode is first steer in a competition when he was in sixth grade. Before that, Webb and his cousin Steve Peebles of Redmond, Ore., would go out and mow the family's lawn, then take the cuttings a quarter of a mile up the hill to the bull pen. One of the boys would give the breeder bull some grass and the other would hop on its back and go for a ride.

"Steve and I would hop on the bulls that were petable in the pasture and let em' buck. We would fall off, then we would get back on. It was great," said Webb.

Webb's father Bob had also told him that he could start riding rough stock once he could successfully stay aboard a 55-gallon barrel draped with carpet that was placed on a trampoline.

After moving to Shasta County, Webb joined the District One high school rodeo team. He rode bulls and roped during his freshman year of high school. During his sophomore year, he began riding bareback horses. Webb qualified for Challenge of the Champions three years in a row, along with competing at the state level and went on to compete at the National Level. Western Texas Community College began trying to recruit him while he was a junior in high school, Blue Mountain College in Pendleton, Ore., as a senior and Feather River College in Quincy, the first time the scouts watched Webb ride. Webb has attended all three colleges on rodeo scholarships and enjoys being closer to home.

He is currently attending Feather River College on a rodeo scholarship, is majoring in Equine Business and will graduate with a bachelors degree when he finishes college in 2010.

This past year Webb competed at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming and placed fourteenth in the nation. During the college national finals, Webb competed with broken ribs and wore two protective vests that hampered his riding. Webb recently competed at the Northwestern Regional Finals in Las Vegas and came in first in the bareback event. On the college rodeo circuit, Webb is currently ranked fourth in the nation. To Webb's career credits, he placed third in the California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association's State Finals for 2008. Earlier in December, Webb won the first round at a National Finals Rodeo Bucking Horse and Bull Sale.

Webb will be 21 years old next month and is planning to make a run at the National Final Rodeo for 2009 by riding on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit. This will also be Webb's rookie season. In the past he was only a permit holder. To qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, you have to compete in at least 70 rodeos, and be ranked within the top 15 riders in the world. When you are entering your rodeos for the season, the 70 rodeos picked by the rider are the ones used to qualify to compete for a spot at the National Finals. The National Finals Rodeo is held over a period of ten days during the month of December.

While out on the road, Webb drives from one rodeo to the next depending on how far apart they are. He and his traveling partners, Steve Peebles and Kevin Gruden, stay in their cowboy camper and lead a simple life going from one rodeo to the next.

Webb enjoys visiting children in hospitals and takes each chance he gets to work on special rodeos for disabled children. He also enjoys spending time meeting fans, signing autographs and talking with them.

The things that Webb enjoys most about being out on the rodeo trail is the simple lifestyle, making friends and most of all riding the best bucking stock available.

Webb is currently looking for sponsors to help him pay for fuel while making his way down the road to the National Finals in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Rodeo Association rodeos. For Webb, riding during the winter run is the best because it is a slow time during school. To make it through the winter run, it takes about $5,000. In the spring, things pick up a bit on the circuit. Webb is also competing on the Feather River College Rodeo Team in the bareback and team roping events. The PRCA has over 100 rodeos per year. Feather River College competes in ten.

When Webb is not on the rodeo trail or at school, he spends time training for the next ride and also works for his parents at their restaurant in Redding.

"I think Danny has a good chance at qualifying for the National Finals," stated fellow bareback rider Alex Meroshnekoff. "He has a lot of talent."

Webb will spend the last part of January and the first part of February in Fort Worth at a rodeo riding three to four head of bucking horses.

The bareback event in rodeo is one of the most physically demanding events.

"Riding bareback is like sitting in an electric chair and getting the shock of your life," said Webb. "Some of the horses are predictable and are less physical to ride than others."

Webb's greatest fans and supporters have been his parents, Bob and Jeanette, his brother Travis, who rodeo bareback horses in high school, and his sister, Cheyenne. Webb also attributes much of his success to his sponsors, friends, traveling partners and those who have believed in him thus far.

Webb is a 2006 graduate of West Valley High School in Cottonwood.