Bennie "Bob" Patrick
PRCA Bullfighter & Barrelman

There's a fellow named Bennie
who'll help when you're down. To
those folks who know him he's
more'n a clown. – From Rob Haddock's "Ode to a Bullfighter"

Bennie “Bob” Patrick saves lives with his humor, his skill and his devotion to his faith. A member of the PRCA and the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys, Patrick believes in having the best day everyday. Which may seem a little challenging when your chosen profession is to face 1,000-pound bulls full of attitude. But this is when Bennie is at his best, in the center of an arena, in the dirt, drawing the crowd to its feet.

"I started in rodeo when I was 5 years old," Patrick said, "I was the kid who liked to hang around the clowns' tent and help them with their act, feed their animals. Then, when I was 16 years old, a gentleman named Joey Steverson gave me the chance to be a bullfighter."

As an ambassador of rodeo, Patrick has traveled across the United States working both professional and amateur series events. A perennial favorite of the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo, Patrick enjoys working area youth rodeos in his home state of Colorado. It allows him to be a role model just as his heroes had once been to him.

"I try to encourage these kids in their faith," Patrick said. "We hold cowboy church services in the grandstand on Sunday mornings during rodeos. When you compete in a rodeo, you might be competing for a gold or silver buckle. But we are always reaching and searching for higher goals. Goals that keep one humble, even with an entire arena standing and cheering for you.”

Patrick will be staying on after the rodeo to conduct Cowboy Church Services, 9 a.m. Sunday June 13 at the Plainville Saddle Club arena. Pancake feed to follow the service, hosted by the Plainville Saddle Club.