Ep. 110 - NFR Saddle Bronc Rider Kade Bruno of Idaho
Today’s guest that we are excited to have on the podcast is Kade Bruno who has had an explosive 2022 with a dozen or so rodeos he has won this year. Our co-host, Joe Harper, is actually one of Kade’s traveling partners for the past few years so we let him do the introduction for Kade. Joe was the veteran saddle bronc rider that took Kade under his wing, but Joe got banged up pretty good over the years which resulted Kade switching over to travel with Jack Bentz and Wyatt Denny.
Time On The Road
“You’re on the road a lot,” says Kade. There are a lot of good rodeos and they are all spread out. You can drive from California to Washington to Montana and back to Kansas all in a few days. During entering, it’s best to try to make circles, but when you’re entering and on the hunt for the NFR you are on the road all the time. There’s no pulling over to take a nap, its just keep the tires rolling and trading off drivers.
Back Story with Rodeo
Kade’s parents were both into rodeo, including a dad that was a bull rider. In fact, Kade thought he was going to be a bull rider and in his sophomore year of high school he started riding broncs better than bulls. “I picked it up way faster and was staying way healthier, and over time I was riding broncs better and better and bulls worse and worse,” says Kade, whose father said that he would support him with whatever he chose. Looking back his decision was the best for him.
Special Moments on the Road
His first year riding professionally, Kade was honored to get to ride alongside and be behind the chutes with his icons. Getting to experience things like Taos Muncy’s retirement ride and more was a big deal. Those have set with him the most! Even meeting and getting to ride with people like Joe, our co-host, were big moments to be able to get their feedback and insights.
The 2022 Big Moment
At the NFR Open, formerly known as the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, Kade had drawn really well the year before when it was in Kissimmee, Florida, and made the 8-man go-rounnd. It was his favorite rodeo by far that year so to get to come back this year in Colorado and win it. “You always see buckle presentations and watch them on TV and to be the one standing on the trailer with the saddle and the buckle,” says Kade about that experience. Leaving that rodeo was the first time he had the thought that “this is it, this might be my shot to make the finals.”
The cell service was terrible at the rodeo so his phone was dead but, luckily, his grandparents had made it to watch. After he was on stage and got his saddle and buckle, took the pictures and they got their addresses to mail them, he ran to find his grandparents. He borrowed his grandmother’s phone to call his dad and let him know.
“I probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now if it wasn’t for the way I grew up, seeing the pictures on the wall of my dad riding bulls, and I am definitely doing what I’m doing today,” says Kade about his dad, who is his mentor, coach and parent all rolled into one.
“Having your family behind you is the big one,” says Joe. Whether it’s your parents, girlfriend, wife, etc. you have to have them behind you to get down the road.
NFR Preparation
“It’s truly just another rodeo,” says Kade about his NFR debut. “More than anything, I’ve mentally prepared.” Watching lots of videos at the Wright boys and Brody Cress and their first NFR’s and how they have succeeded. Finding clips and videos, whether it’s a podcast or a YouTube video about mindset and mentality.
“They light it up there for ten or twelve days in Vegas - it’s a fun environment to be in but, with all that being said, it’s just another rodeo. I’ve rodeo’d all year long to be here and there are 40 other guys behind you that would love to be here and you have to show up for them.”
Financially Qualifications for the NFR
It took more money than ever to even make the NFR. Just a few years ago, the 15th hole would have been leading the world. This has presented an extremely tough season for everyone.
“There’s a bunch of young kids that … are really young, just in college, and then there are the older guys like Zeke [Thurston] that are still riding like they do,” says Kade. “My hats off to the PRCA and all the communities out there that are making great rodeos.”
There is too much money to be made and everyone wants a piece of it. Each contestant is fighting day-in and day-out to get out there and win those monies to make the NFR. It’s not a me versus him or us versus them. There are a lot of great saddle bronc riders out there and it’s a great community right now that tries to pick everyone else up around them to benefit not only them and saddle bronc riding, but also rodeo as an industry.
How To Get More Rough Stock Riders
The bronc riding is the deepest event going right now, as is the bull riding. The real rough stock numbers that are lacking is the bareback riding. We are in a shortage of bareback riders with 9 out of 10 rodeos not filling the performance. It could be that bareback is an aggressive event on the human body and that means that after they start hot and heavy, they get injured and have to sit out. We see that with Richie Champion who is sitting out this year as well.
The bareback numbers are down at the junior levels as well. While it is the same old community, there is definitely a shortage. It helps when you get an older mentor for rough stock to take youth under their wings. There are a lot of talented guys that are running great rough stock schools. The other area is making sure we get youth the right equipment that fits them for safety reasons, as well as broncs that match them.
There is no instant gratification when it comes to rough stock events. You are going to get bucked off, you are going to hit the ground, you are going to think the judges didn’t score you right - that’s going to happen to every single one of us. You have to think about the distance you go and not get discouraged or mad over not getting instant 90 point rides. Ninety point rides aren’t built in days, they are built over the years with mindset and practice.
2022 National Finals Rodeo - Game Plan
Keeping himself with HIIT workouts to stay in shape, the big part of the preparation for Kade was mental preparation. Taking horses one night at a time and know that it’s an average. Do your best each night and leave the rest on the table.
“You never know, those horses are horses and you never know what trip they’ll have. You don’t want to set a trap for them, just take it for what it comes and walk away happy,” says Kade.
Hopeful match-ups: “That’s tough!” Says Kade who has been fortunate to get on some great horses throughout his career, but there are a few horses that he hasn’t gotten on. Miss Valley of the Franzen’s is one that he’d like to win. He’s ridden Black Tie who got the halter for horse of the year who bucked him off at Cheyenne Frontier Days to potentially win the Daddy of’em All! Get Smart, in her retirement year, has been an awesome horse for her career and Zeke just had a dominating ride at the Canadian Finals - it would be a treat to get on her for one of her last two trips at the NFR.
Eliminator Pen: The one that’ll be the toughest is Killer Bee. “He’s nasty, he bucks, he’s up and down, he jerks people over his head and shoots them out the back,” says Kade. “He’s a gamble every time and he bucks really hard. A lot of people hate him…. I think that’s one of the hardest horses to ride and one of the nastiest, dirtiest bucking horses there is out there.”
Meet the Bucking Pens
The One Pen
Nicest, 19-21 point hoppers out there. They should all be able to ride them and be anywhere from 80-87 points.
The Two Pen
Still buck but are step above the One Pen. They’re a bit more of a handful.
Semi Eliminator Pen
May have a move or two that you don’t know where it’s going to go through.
Eliminator Pen
You can win the e-pen night with an 83 point ride - they’re nasty.
TV Pen
These are the best to ride, flashy, etc. The horse that wins the NFR horse of the year is going to most likely be from the TV Pen. With these horses, if you stub a toe - they’ll buck you off. When you are doing things right, it’s awesome, but that’s where you’ll see some of your most spectacular backoffs. It’s exciting to get on these horses because you know you can be 90 but you also know that you can get bucked off. It’s the dream of every bronc rider to get on these pens.
Horses you can see are Black Tie, All or Nothing, Onion Ring, Get Smart. These TV pens horses separate the riding if everyone really comes to riding. You can find tune things and maybe make one look a little better than someone made them look before.
2023 Rodeo Plan
“I hadn’t thought a lick about it until the other day,” says Kade who was traveling to Las Vegas for a rodeo with Mitch Pollock and he asked for the plan. Rodeo hard through the winter rodeos with the Chase Hawks rodeo on December 18th, right after the NFR and right before Christmas. “I am going to all those same rodeos I went to this year.”
We just ran over a quick plan and made sure we were on the same page. Circuit Finals and a handful of other rodeos are already counting for next year. “I’m not going to miss a beat and as long as I can stay healthy, I’m going to keep going.”
RULE CHANGES
ADD A RULE FOR A 30 SECOND TIMER FROM THE TIME YOU CRAWL IN UNTIL YOU NOD YOUR HEAD. The reasoning behind this, is that sometimes guys will wait past an honest shot for a hopeful better shot that results in stalling rodeo. Especially with how much we are on the Cowboy Channel now, with TV being involved it bores viewers to death when they sit there watching a guy just fidget on a horse that’s giving them an honest shot.
As we are putting on a production for these rodeos, it hurts some of the horses in the long run by teaching them bad habits. Maybe it’s a young guy whose nervous or scared or even just told wrong. It can ruin some of those horses in the chute. If we are going to be on tv and a production, we have to run it like one and as cowboys we have to do our part to help it run smoothly by not taking up too much time.