Just for the Helluvit

"Just For The Helluvit" is about amateur rodeos; Ranch Rodeos. That where the contestants are working cowboys who compete for not a lot of prize money, a buckle and bragging rights. The cowboys compete in all kinds of events but the classic is Saddle Bronc riding. This is not the typical collection of bucking horses and their riders. This is really about the power and athleticism of horses that just like to buck. It's about Cowboy and Saddle Broncs competing just for the helluvit.

Way back when cowboys depended on horses to earn a living they mostly had to break and train their cow ponies themselves And, no doubt, the first cowboy competition happened when one cowhand said "Bet a dollar you can't ride that big brown horse over there." These days Rodeo is growing, international national professional sport. Thanks to television and corporate sponsors, professional cowboys ride for fancy buckles and big bucks ( no pun intended). Today's rodeos have all the glamour and flash you'll find at a half-time an NFL game, too. There's plenty of action too. At Ranch Rodeos most of the events spring from a working cowboy's life; calf roping, team roping, penning cattle, doctoring a steer. But there's nothing like Saddle Bronc riding. It's classic. While many of the riders have a fan base, so do the broncs. And when horse and rider come charging out of the chute for the longest 8 second ride there is, the audience's heart beat increases dramatically. It's pure cowboy vs horse. This is a book about real working cowhands and real broncs. A collection of action pictures and lively text that focuses on the power and athleticism of the horses as they come out on top! Unlike the cowboys though, they get no prizes, no buckles, no bragging rights. They do their best to show the cowboys who's boss. Just for the helluvit.

Ask David Ullman and he'll tell you he's a big fan of amateur sport. Especially ranch rodeos. "Ranch Rodeos are keeping the spirit of the working cowboy alive and well in Canada and the USA. And for me, Saddle Bronc riding is the classic cowboy event. So it was natural for me to photograph it. But, when it came time to review the pictures what struck me most was the power, strength and athleticism of the horses. These are not the typical bucking horse pictures; for the most part they're pictures of the horses when they win." After a long career in the advertising business David is finally creating things, books and pictures, for himself. "I've had so many exciting things in my life...motorcycles, fishing, traveling, photography to say nothing of my career in agency creative departments... developing collections of pictures and writing about events, places, adventures is just plain fun." David's humor and directness results in lively reading and pictures that prove a point.