Photos by Dwayne Black Cowboys at the Bierema Rodeo during Russell Bandwagon Days Saturday feel the adrenaline of riding bulls.

RUSSELL — Juul Heegen of Brandon, South Dakota, stood on the long wood deck flatbed trailer just about 10 feet from the announcer’s table.

He glanced over the bull riding arena as he took a few deep breaths and waited for his turn to saddle up inside the bucking chute. This is his way on getting focused on his upcoming bull ride Saturday night during the Bierema Rodeo at Russell Bandwagon Days.

“I pray to focus, and it really helps me calm down right before the ride,” Heegen said.

Besides generations of operating farmland, Heegan says his family has a long history in bull riding.

“My grandpa used to ride, my dad rode and then I have cousins that ride,” he said while waiting. “It just really pushed me to like to ride more and I tried it, and I really liked it. I’ve gotten hurt a lot; my whole front of my leg is numb, my stomach, a bunch of stuff has happened, but you really get into it and it’s really big family sport. Everybody around you becomes family. They just push you to be your best.”

Noah Callahan of Newell, Iowa, was also waiting to get on a bull. He has been bull riding since the age 9.

“I went to a rodeo with my aunt for the first time. Watched the bull bucking — like I want to do that. It was kind of scary at first, not gonna lie, but then, I just got on so many bulls that it was like daily thing. It mattered to me no more,” he said. “It’s a hard life. You gotta really want it.”

Elijah Olson, of Sioux Falls, feels the same way about bull riding. However, his bull riding career may be coming to an end by next year.

“I’m basically a cowboy junkie,” he said. “I love anything that runs and drives. Run into the ground and have a good old time. Life is all about just living. Taking day by day. Don’t sweat the small stuff or even really big stuff because a lot of stuff’s out of your control. You might as well keep on pushing.”

Callahan and his girlfriend Tori Miles just had a little girl. Miles enjoys watching Callahan ride the bulls and is supportive of his cowboy desires.

“It makes me nervous sometimes,” she said, while holding young Miley. ” But we’re still young. This is something he’s really interested in. I find it very interesting. I thought about getting on them.”

Callahan has plans to working in the Texas oilfields next year.

“I’m just trying to get all the bull riding out that I can before I go travel for work,” he said.

All three cowboys admitted they are addicted to the adrenaline rush that comes with riding a bucking bull.

“People say it’s like riding a tornado. It’s like being in 200 mph windstorm. You’re getting blown around, you barely have any control. You just need to try and focus yourself and stay with it. You’re not gong to be able to control that bull. It’s controlling you,” Heggen said.

“The adrenaline rush is absolutely insane,” Olson said. “You get on and then your legs start spreading across and you can feel all the bones and stuff and you realize you’re finding yourself in some messy situation. But when you go out it’s just like your mind goes like clear and everything. You’re just focused on staying on, but then you fall. Usually it don’t hurt because you have so much adrenaline. You feel it later.”

Callahan says it’s important to get “your mind trained up.”

“It’s an adrenaline rush for sure,” he said.