West comes back from injuries to claim first BRO title

      When you drive into Henryetta, Okla., on Interstate 40, a large sign tells you that the town of 6,000 is the proud home of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman and former world-champion cowboy Jim Shoulders.
      The civic leaders might want to add Terry Don West's name. West won $287,500 by capturing the Wrangler Bull Riders Only World Championship on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
      West's 91-point ride aboard Wooly Bully was broadcast live nationwide (outside Las Vegas) on Fox, the first time a rodeo event was shown live on a major network.
      "Henryetta's a small town, and we don't all get cable," West's wife Michelle said. "Now, finally we're getting where they can watch."
      What they saw was West win rodeo's largest paycheck. It came just two nights after he suffered a concussion and facial lacerations when Bananarama pinned him against the back of the chute.
      "I don't know how I rode this bull tonight," said West, who has won a BRO-record $409,123 this year. "This is the only bull I got to get on this week. I didn't ride (Friday) night because my body's not right.
      "I listen to my body a lot, and it told me not to ride (Friday) night, but I was dang determined I was going to ride tonight."
      Because West had a cartilage tear in his left knee and sustained a sprained right ankle when Wooly Bully stepped on him after his eight-second performance, he elected not to ride Bodacious.
      Although other cowboys wanted to ride Bodacious, event organizers did not have enough time to find a replacement for Fox's live broadcast.
      Shane Thurston was the only other rider to make the whistle in round three. He hung on to Nitro to win $162,500 to push his season earnings to $211,673. Justin Andrade, the defending champion, failed to stay on Switchblade but finished third to earn $117,933.
      West, 31, has won four major bull-riding titles, including the 1985 and 1991 International Pro Rodeo Association crowns and the 1996 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association championship. His latter title came in the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack.
      "This is a dream come true, along with my (PRCA) buckle," West said. "Riding one bull for that much money, my gosh, how much is that a second?
      "When I was 20 years old, I said I'm going to ride bulls until I'm 30. I'm 31, and I'm still riding because of the money. When I was 20, I might win $15,000 all year. I'm grateful to be a part of the Bull Riders Only Association, and I just hope it gets bigger and better."
      Three years ago, West and his wife were living in a single-wide trailer on seven acres. They recently purchased an 80-acre ranch.
      Michelle West got emotional when talking about how good the BRO was to her family, which includes two sons, Chance (12) and Trey Don (five months),
      "If it wasn't because of this organization and how they treat their cowboys, we wouldn't be here today,'' she said.
      So how about that sign on Interstate 40?
      "They better change that sign," Michelle West said. "We might just have to buy our own."