- November 14, 2024
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Dan Cody said he doesn’t remember too much about Cracker Day 1971, even though that’s the one and only time he entered the bull riding competition.
“I probably didn’t stay on for five seconds,” he said. “A bunch of us just got together and decided to try it. Back then if you wanted to ride, they just said ‘go ahead.’”
Those riding in Saturday’s Cracker Day have to register by Tuesday, March 22 (call 437-3240).
Cracker Day now finds Dan Cody helping out as Randy Buckles cooks up the barbecue, something that is as big a draw as the rodeo.
Dan Cody’s son Dowlin participated in the activities for 24 years before joining his father and Buckles with the barbecue.
“I started riding calves when I was 4 years old and rode until I was 24,” Dowlin Cody said. “There’s quite a bit more to it now. Both of my boys ride.”
The one time he will leave the barbecue during this year’s Cracker Day will be to watch his son Lane in the bull riding event. His other son, Austin Cody, will be behind the scenes as he continues to recover from a severely broken leg.
Austin had already decided to switch from bull riding to working as a bullfighter before he broke his leg.
“The doctor says six to eight months and I will be able to go back to it,” Austin Cody said. “I’ve been helping my buddy Joshua (Vandenbergh). I have practice barrels at the house and I’ve been helping him out a little bit.”
His buddy, 19-year-old Joshua Vandenbergh, decided this is the year he will try his hand at bull riding.
“I always wanted to do it, but never wanted to ask for help,” he said. “I’ve known the Codys for a while now so I finally told them I needed help and they said ‘come over.’ They were kind enough to work with me.”
Vandenbergh said his training has been focused on form, how to hold his arm and keep his shoulder up. He has also practiced on the barrels. On Saturday he will mount the real thing.
“I knew what I was doing but not the extreme detail” Vandenbergh said. “With something like this you need to know the details.”
Vandenbergh said there is more teamwork in the sport than he realized.
“It’s a lot more than the rider,” he said. “A lot goes on behind the shoot, they won’t let you go until you are ready to go.”
