RED LODGE — Professional rodeo has never been an easy way to make a living but when you love it, you love it.
That's the story for Edgar, Montana bull rider Parker Breding, who's on the road this summer with a travel partner, not one, but two dogs, his truck and his trusty camper.
"Yeah, I got this camper from one of my former traveling partners. He's done riding now. Man, this is our home away from home," Breding told MTN Sports leaning against his black pickup truck with a camper in the bed. "It gets a little tight sometimes; we've got two dogs with us right now."
A pair of dogs and a pair of cowboys down the dotted highway. The other half of this travel tandem is Hawk Witt from Thermopolis, Wyoming, and his dog.
Breding said the dogs get along well. His was a surprise from his parents after a litter of seven was born at their place in Edgar.
"Her dad's name was Sparky and her mom's name was Lilly, so they just put it together into Spilly," Breding revealed with a smile. "I hate having to yell that name in the parking lot when she runs off like she's about to right now. But that's just become her, you know."
The two make a pretty good team with Parker planted No. 8 in this week's PRCA world bull riding standings.
Breding turned in a strong July, winning a semifinal round and nearly $5,000 at Cheyenne Frontier Days, placing second at the Xtreme Bulls Event in Red Lodge and earning another check at the Cody Stampede. You'll likely be able to see him at the PRCA's Yellowstone River Roundup which starts next Thursday at First Interstate Arena in Billings.
Breding also has his share of career wins, including several at the RAM National Circuit Finals. In addition to cash, that champion gets a pickup truck, or in his case, several.
"I guess (I've won) four pickups. I had the one ton first, then I actually had a half ton the second time I won it," he said.
The one he's leaning against on this day has over 130,000 miles -- payoff from his third win at the NCFR. And he wasn't done.
"(I've) got another voucher coming from winning the Ram Finals this year, too, so still trying to figure out what the heck I'm going to do with that," Breding added.
Maybe open a truck dealership? We know Breding is tall enough to see over the steering wheel. The long, lanky cowboy is proving it, approaching the million-dollar mark in career earnings in sport now dominated by smaller guys.
"What I do have going for me is, a lot of my length is kind of from waist up in my torso. So, I don't really have long, long legs like a lot of them taller bull riders do. I can kind of knee up and get away with riding a bull like a small guy does," Breding said of his riding style.
He's lost track of the number gold championship buckles he's won, but says he has close to 15 trophy saddles.
And if this cowboy didn't ride bulls for a living? One of his all-time favorite movies is Anchorman, so maybe a career in broadcasting?
"Definitely don't want to get into broadcasting," Breding laughed without hesitation. "But that Will Farrell makes me laugh no matter what."
No need to quit his traveling day job. Imagine the mischief Spilly would find strictly out of boredom.
"She likes to roll and become filthy like this so my camper can't ever be clean," he said watching his travel companion wiggle on her back in the dirt. "Yeah, I can wipe all this off and she'll just do it again."
