Texas Heritage National Bank PBR Challenge – Sulphur Springs, Texas presented by Priefert Ranch Equipment

By Ted Harbin
Posted Friday, August 14, 2009

Wacey Munsell knows what it means to stand in the winner’s circle. He’s done it plenty in his relatively short career.

This year during the Texas Heritage National Bank PBR Challenge presented by Priefert Ranch Equipment, set for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21-22 at the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center, Munsell returns to defend his Professional Bullfighters Daisy Protection Bullfight Tour win in Sulphur Springs. Representing Team CNB Bank, the Ulysses, Kan., bullfighter will compete with Chad Dowdy of Bristow, Okla.

And while Munsell’s just 22 years old, he’s a handy veteran and the inaugural PBF world champion, winning the coveted crown in 2007.

Dowdy is a crafty bullfighter, using his 29 years around livestock to showcase a better understanding of bulls to make the moves necessary to be a standout in protection competition. Dowdy knows the sport, having fought bulls for 14 years. In his career, he’s won the 2001 Miller Lite Bull BlowOut in Denton, Texas, the longest-running protection bullfight competition in the world; was twice been an event MVP in 2008 and has won the honor once already this season; qualified for the Super Bull Finals in 2001; and was voted to work the International Finals Rodeo in 2005.

He calls himself an adrenaline junky, but it’s not roller coasters that drive his rush. There’s no greater rush than stepping in front of a bulls, he said.

“Because of the way they judge these protection bullfights, you’ve got to be really aggressive,” Dowdy said. “You’ve got to be on top of your game. If you ain’t that caliber every time, then you’re just going to be in the back of the pack. It makes you step up your game so much.”

Before he claimed the 2007 world title, Munsell – a third-generation bullfighter – had made a significant name for himself in freestyle bullfighting. In 2004, he was the youngest ever to be allowed on the TwoBulls Protection Tour and the World Championship Rodeo Bullfighting tour, finishing as the world champion, earning the gold buckle just eight days after his 18th birthday.

That same season, he was approved for his PRCA card when he won the National Finals Rodeo’s Bucking Stock Sale. In 2005 and ’06, he won the freestyle championship when it was associated with the PBR World Finals. He’s also won the California Rodeo-Salinas freestyle championship in 2005 and ’06.

Together, Munsell and Dowdy may have a smaller stature than most in the competition, but they very well might have the biggest hearts.