West’s ‘96 bull riding title was like dream come true

Thursday, Dec. 4, 1997 | 12:41 p.m.

Something was not quite right.

As Terry West settled into the chute for his final bull ride at the National Finals Rodeo, the Andrews Rodeo bull Magic was not cooperating. The bull was leaning and squatting while West tried to get set.

If it was any other rodeo, West probably would have sat down, nodded his head for the gate to be swung open and taken his chances.

But this wasn't any other rodeo. This was the $3.2 million NFR and West needed a ride to stay in contention for the world title. So West backed off and waited for the bull to get upright again.

"There were too many chips on the table," said the 31-year-old cowboy from Henryetta, Okla. "I knew I had to ride to win the world. It was a real tense situation. Finally, I got set and nodded. It was a battle. When the whistle blew, I was tickled. Then I sat back and watched."

West felt better when his score of 86 points was announced to the sell-out crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center. However, the world title was not yet his. He would have to watch for one more rider, David Fournier.

It was similar to the situation West had experienced at the 1995 NFR. Then he covered his bull only to watch Jerome Davis do the same and win the gold buckle by $3,247.

"I was expecting the worst and I think that took the pressure off," West said of his wait. "Once I rode, the pressure was on David."

Fournier lost his battle by getting thrown by Beard Rodeo's bull Hightime Skoal.

With that, West had won the world bull riding title.

"When he got tossed, I was thinking 'I think I won the world.' I wasn't sure," said West. "I couldn't believe it was happening to me. I wanted to hit myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I felt like bawling. I got a little teary-eyed."

Because Fournier got bucked off, the two flip-flopped in the average standings. West finished third in the average race for $18,010, while Fournier finished fourth for $11,653.

West won the world title by $6,116.

In two NFR appearances, West has finished second and first. He won $70,806 at the 1996 NFR and finished with $125,424 in season earnings. West came to Las Vegas 10th in the Crown Royal World Standings with $54,618 won. He had been very selective in his rodeos, competing in only 48 of the 125 rodeos allowed to be counted in PRCA competition.

"My wife was pregnant and I wanted to stay home," said West, whose wife Michelle gave birth to their son, Trey Don, in November. "I'm kind of a homebody anyway.

"Sitting 10th, I knew I had to play catch-up. And I knew it wasn't going to be easy. But anything can happen here."

West made up ground immediately by winning the first round with 90 points aboard Northcott Rodeo's Fear No Evil. It lifted him from 10th to fourth in the world standings. He followed it by splitting second and third in the second round and then placing fifth in the third go-round.

"I came here healthy," West said. "I was worried about my legs. But they held up all week. I was worried about them getting sore, but my body kept saying, 'let's do it.'"

West added another first-place finish in the fourth round, but stumbled with no scores in the fifth and eighth rounds. He also did not place in the seventh.

West came back strong with a second-place finish in the ninth round and his crucial fourth-place effort the final day.

"At the NFR, you have to wait until that final one is bucked," he said. "I knew the rainbow was at the end of the road. I just didn't think this would happen."

* World Titles: 1996 World Champion Bull Rider.

* Hometown: Henryetta, Ok.

* Date of Birth: Oct. 7, 1965.

* Height/Weight: 5-8/140.

* 1996 Earnings: $125,425.

* 1996 NFR Earnings: $70,807.

* Year Joined PRCA: 1987.

* NFR Qualifications: 2 (1995-96).