PUEBLO, Colo. (October 18, 2010) - This morning, Jason O’Hearn admitted to getting a little teary-eyed when talking the upcoming PBR World Finals.
Qualifying for a trip to Las Vegas was a dream the 31-year-old first hatched half a life ago, with his best friend Ben Jones.
“That’s been a big goal of mine,” Hearn said, “and to reach that pinnacle, it’ll be emotional.”
Jones, 31, recalled the first time the two Australians competed in a Finals together. It wasn’t the World Finals, but the Grand Finals rugby match that pitted Jones’ Maitland High against O’Hearn’s Mountain View High.
At the time, they lived 30 minutes apart and hadn’t yet met. “My school won,” said Jones, “and every now and then I let that drop.”
“But we beat them twice in the regular season,” O’Hearn offered, “so they just got lucky on that last day.”
The two still feed off that friendly rivalry all these years later.
“I honestly wouldn’t be here without him,” Jones said of O’Hearn. “I know at the end of the day you have to ride bulls – when you nod your head it’s all up to you – but I’m just so lucky to have my mate, and he’s more than a mate. He’s like my best brother. We both owe each other.”
O’Hearn has qualified for the PBR World Finals for the first time this year. The last time Jones qualified was 1998.
Jones had no sooner competed in the Finals than he had his visa revoked, and experienced a time of “dark clouds” before finally returning to the United States in 2005. Then, in 2006, O’Hearn ruptured a disc in his back.
He sat out for 10 months, and wondered if he’d ever ride again, much less realize the dream he and Jones had shared.
“It was the hardest 10 months of my life not knowing if I would get to ride again,” O’Hearn explained. “It’s a dream come true. It’s unbelievable.”
The two friends are enjoying career years in 2010.
Jones has ridden in 28 of 30 Built Ford Tough Series events, and in large part because of his event win in Nashville, Tenn., is ranked 14th in the world standings. Nine of Jones’ career total of 11 Top 10 finishes have come this season.
After years of competing in Australia, O’Hearn came to the United States for the World Cup, entered a series of Touring Pro events, and qualified for 11 of the last 16 BFTS events. While he’s ranked 54th in the world standings, his $51,311 is good enough to be 39th in the qualifier standings.
“I’ve had other good years in my bull riding time,” O’Hearn said, “but this is definitely one of my bigger years.”
“It’s been so hard,” admitted Jones, who travels and shares an apartment with O’Hearn in Texas. “I’ve been on tour for two years and Jason’s just got back here, and he was going to (Touring Pro events). We were together, but going our separate ways.
“Now we’re both going to the Finals and it’s going to be awesome.”
While O’Hearn keeps his friend in check with reminders of the past, Jones is the one looking ahead. He’s also the one who keeps them both laughing.
“We were watching some videos and looking at some photos,” Jones recalled, “and that’s what it feels like – half a life – but we talk about it every day. We’re just on top of the world at the moment.
“Last night, we were back in the room and the bull riding came on television, and we both looked at each other and just cracked up. We can’t believe that’s us. I can’t put it in words.”
COMMENTS
