Starr’s Mill High School doesn’t have a rodeo team. In fact, few high schools in the Atlanta area do, but there are students like Starr’s Mill’s Bo Huddleston, that wish to compete in rodeo events, while representing their schools.
Huddleston, 18, is a bull-rider, plain and simple. The soft-spoken young man got interested in the event at the age of 14 and has spent the last four years competing in events on the Georgia High School Rodeo Association, as well as events in other circuits around the southeast.

For those unfamiliar to the sport, a rider must stay on a bull for eight seconds or more before points can be counted. There are two judges and the bull and the rider are judged on a scale of a possible 25 points, meaning that there is a chance for a perfect score of 100, although Huddleston has never heard of anyone achieving that score.

While Huddleston is obviously looking forward to Friday’s graduation, there are other dates on his calendar that he is eyeing as well, June 2-4, the dates of the the Georgia High School Finals Rodeo, which pits the top 20 cotestants in each event against one another. Huddleston has qualified for this meet yet again. Last year, he placed ninth overall. His highest finish this season has been a second place finish with a score of 73 at the Chatsworth rodeo.

The season wasn’t without its problems though. Huddleston broke his jaw in a rodeo before Thanksgiving and spent the holidays with his jaw, which now includes two plates and eight screws, wired shut. Six weeks after the injury, he was back up on the bulls. For him, the broken jaw was just another injury, one to go on a list that includes a broken collarbone and three staples in his head. One reason he was able to get back on a bull so soon is because, to Huddleston, being successful at bull-riding is as mental as it is physical.

“You have to want to do it,” said Huddleston, who has been riding in World Wide Rodeo Association events lately and placing within the top four in several rodeos. “It’s an adrenaline rush and I like the atmosphere.”

He has also competed in US Pro Rodeo events and Professional Cowboys Association rodeos as well. He has had tremendous support from his family and friends since he started riding bulls, and now his brother Lee, 14, has decided to follow in his brother’s footsteps. There are a few other locals that also compete in rodeos, including Starr’s Mill students Mary Walker (barrel racing) and Cole Ivey (bullriding).

Huddleston’s rodeo career will not end with the state rodeo in June. He has taken a job on a ranch in South Dakota this summer and plans on competing in some rodeos in Cody,Wyoming during their nightly rodeos, Cody Nights, while out there. He also has hopes for competing in Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events within five years. After this summer, Huddleston will attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural Collge, which has a rodeo team, and plans on continuing to compete in a number of rodeos in the area.

Today, his thoughts are on Friday’s graduation and soon after crossing the stage with his diploma, Huddleston will focus on having a strong finish at the state rodeo and entering his post-high school career with a good ride.

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