Tuff Hedeman
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Richard Neale "Tuff" Hedeman (b. 2 March 1963, El Paso, Texas) is a retired 3 time PRCA World Champion bull rider, as well as the 1995 PBR World Champion, and is the current president of the CBR.[1] He was also the president of the PBR until leaving to go to the CBR, and is also known for having been one of Lane Frost's closest friends.
[edit] Professional career
Tuff won many junior rodeo growing up. In 1980 he won the New Mexico High School rodeo bull riding and All Around titles. He won the Team roping title and All around again in 1981. After highschool he attended Sul Ross State University. At Sul Ross he was a member of the rodeo team, competeing in bronc riding, team roping, steer wrestling, and of course bull riding. Hedeman filled his PRCA permit at one rodeo in 1983 as a bronc rider. Hedeman married Tracy Stepp in May of 1986. He would go on to qualify for 11 NFR's. By 1993 he has surpassed $1,000,000 in career earnings, and won the 1986, 1989, and 1991 world titles in the PRCA. A neck injury at the National Finals Rodeo in 1993 kept Tuff out of the arena for the entire year of 1994.
Tuff was very instrumental in starting the Professional Bull Riders, or PBR. In 1995 Tuff won the PBR world Championship. Tuff just missed winning the PBR World Title in 1996, coming in 2nd place that year.He finished 3rd in the world during the 1997 PBR season.His last ride was at the PBR event in Odessa, Texas in 1998, when he landed on his head after getting thrown off and herniated a disc in his previously-injured neck. After some consideration, Tuff Hedeman eventually retired in 1999. Hedeman was leading the PBR World Standings in 1998 at the time of his unfortunate injury .
He is well know for a horrible wreck that took place in Las Vegas at the PBR finals where Tuff drew the great bull Bodacious. Tuff's face was shattered requiring 11 surgerys. Tuff competed 8 weeks after the famous hit.
[edit] End of career, retirement and after
He is now the Current President of the Championship Bull Riding after abruptly leaving the PBR Around 2002 for undisclosed reasons. Tuff, Tracy, and their 2 boys now live on a ranch near Morgan Mill, TX. He also adds color comentary on TV to many rodeo broadcast. He spends his free time traveling to bull ridings, and team roping.
