08/19/2026
Rodeo is the most unique life. It’s not for everyone, and I get it. Some people think those of us who live this life are crazy—and honestly, they might be right. 😂
When a 13-hour drive feels like just another day. When you measure sleep in hours instead of nights. When caffeine and ibuprofen become part of the daily routine. When you wake up in another town, another state, or sometimes another time zone and have to remind yourself what day it is.
There’s something about this life that’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t lived it.
The miles. The dirt. The early mornings and late nights. The constant loading, unloading, driving, shooting, working, and doing it all over again the next day.
But probably the hardest part is the people you leave behind.
There are birthdays you miss. Family dinners you don’t make it home for. Weekends spent on the road instead of around the people you love. There are moments when you realize you’ve been gone longer than you planned, and you start missing the simple things you used to take for granted.
But then you get back on the road.
Because there’s a bond in rodeo that is hard to put into words. You meet people in parking lots, arenas, back pens, hotels, and along the highway, and somehow they become family. You can spend one night with someone and feel like you’ve known them for years.
Rodeo people understand the sacrifice. They understand the crazy hours, the long drives, the exhaustion, and why you keep going when most people would have already gone home.
Because they know that feeling.
This life has taught me more than I ever expected. It’s taught me patience. It’s taught me grit. It’s taught me that sometimes you have to keep moving forward even when you’re tired, homesick, discouraged, or unsure of what comes next.
And more than anything, it’s taught me to trust God with the road ahead.
I’ve learned that sometimes the places God takes you aren’t always comfortable, but they’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5
The wins are incredible. The losses hurt. The miles can be exhausting. The time away from home can be hard.
But every mile, every arena, every person, every lesson, and every opportunity becomes part of the story.
It’s not an easy life.
It’s not always glamorous.
But it’s a life I’m incredibly thankful for.
And after everything this road has given me, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. 🤠🙏
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Ben Andersen at Rodeo Billings
