'I was just thinking about holding on,' cites young bull rider
5-year-old Magnolia cowboy has 'practiced' on Grandma's cows

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

On his first visit to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and with his brand new black, cowboy hat, Zachary Perry stayed on the mechanical bull for the full length of the ride. -- Staff photo by Carolyn Rost

March 18, 2004 -- The mechanical bulls at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo can buck and pitch like the real thing, and people of all ages like to try their riding skills. Fortunately, the bulls are in the middle of a large, soft pad, so if the rider ends up on the floor, it's usually safe.

One rider, Zachary Perry, a 5-year-old from Magnolia was having the ride of his life and managed to stay on the "bull" until the end of the ride. The operator of the mechanical bull didn't hesitate to give Zachary a good idea of what a real bull ride might be like, but the youngster rode like a professional.

Zachary, son of military veterans who met during Desert Storm, Gerald and Vicky, was attending his first Houston Livestock Show, along with big sister, Ashley, 8. He even had a brand new black hat for the ride, and the annual livestock and rodeo event.

The 5-year-old said it was his first time on a mechanical bull, but he had "practiced" riding cows at a grandmother's home.

When asked what he was thinking during the ride, he didn't hesitate to answer. "I was just thinking about holding on!" he smiled.

Zachary said the worse thing he could think of about riding bulls would be if you "got bucked off or had the horns hit you while you were falling."

It may have been Zachary's first bull ride, but we predict it won't be his last. Even though his family has recently located back in Texas, riding is already in his blood!