Eight Seconds at a Time

Tristan O'Neal

It starts with people. It ends with people. And in between, there’s a bull.

Tristan O’Neal does not ride alone.

Never has. Never will.

In fact, he admits that from Day 1, riding was someone else’s idea — it was his brother who got him on a bull. Eventually.

Yes, the beginning of Tristan O’Neal’s bull riding career began, as probably a lot do, with a classic brother dare that went a little something like, “If you do it, I’ll do it.” And so it was —a brother’s respect on the line, a challenge thrown down and a course set in motion.

There was a just one little hitch. “I ended up chickening out the first year,” confides Tristan.

As expected, a fair amount of ribbing followed, and Tristan endured a long, cold winter of flak. When the opportunity presented itself again, he was more than ready.

“He gave me so much crap, the next year I did it. I was terrified the whole time, but I did it once and have been hooked ever since,” Tristan says.

This may have been the start of something new, but the influence of family and friends is something that has always been a deep-rooted part of Tristan. Which is part of what makes the rodeo in Belt, Montana, one of his favorites and keeps him coming back every year.

“It’s not quite a hometown rodeo,” says Tristan, who hails from Valier, Montana, “but it’s close enough. One of the closest of the year.”

So there’s lots of family in the stands. Lots of friends. His fiancée (now wife). “It’s fun to have them around,” he says. “It’s a lot more pressure, too, but it’s a good time.”

Another appeal of the rodeo in Belt is its place on the calendar. It marks the beginning of what rodeo cowboys call the “Summer Run,” and it’s a time when they’re all feeling good, excited to see each other again and excited to ride.

But for Tristan, what sets the Belt Rodeo apart is its strong small-town vibe. “Everybody’s super friendly. Everybody’s having fun. There’s never any fights or issues. It goes well, and the crowd’s into it,” he says. And like his own family and friends, many of those in the stands are directly connected to those in the chutes.

What’s true of Belt is true of rodeos across Montana. “Montana is a big state, but it’s still a small town. Everywhere you go, you know someone,” Tristan says. Once again, it comes down to the people that make up the rodeo community that keep Tristan coming back. Spending so much time on the road, chasing circuit titles and qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo can be a grind, but it’s the relationships built with humans — as much as the ones with bovines — that make it worthwhile.

“Your buddies are No. 1. I mean, my traveling partner, we've been doing it together since we were little. We've been through hell and back and hospitals and flown all over the country. And I'd say it's the people you're around. They're hard to beat,” he says.

You hear it time and again: Rodeo is more than an event — it’s a community.

If you happen to be at the Belt PRCA Rodeo one of these years, consider introducing yourself to Tristan O’Neal. He’d be happy to add you to his list of friends in the stands.