Subject:  CCRIDER SET TO RETIRE |
Author:
Dakota
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Date Posted: 23:10:36 10/01/03 Wed
Well it's final: Cody Custer Has decided to hang up his spurs. Needless to say I'm Highly upset.
PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDER CODY CUSTER RIDES FOR FINAL TIME
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (September 30, 2003) – World Champion Professional Bull Rider, Cody Custer (Wickenburg, AZ) will ride for the final time at the 2003 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on November 6-9, 2003. After riding bulls for 19 years, Custer has decided to retire from competition. Custer is one of the founding fathers of the PBR dating back to 1992, and he is still an active Board Member.
“Cody Custer's impact on the sport of professional bull riding as both an athlete and a positive role model has been tremendous. His grit, determination, and try are apparent to anyone that has seen him compete, and are qualities that I have always admired in him. It is very fitting that he is making the decision to leave the spotlight while he is among the top bull riders in the world, rather than retirement choosing him. The night that Cody Custer rides his last bull at the World Finals will be a memorable night for our sport,” said PBR CEO Randy Bernard.
Custer has had a successful 19-year career. He has qualified for the PBR World Finals a total of nine times, National Finals Rodeo eight times and captured the bull riding World Championship title in 1992. Custer is presently 23rd in points on the PBR’s elite Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) and has won several PBR events during his career.
He has had success on the PBR’s U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Challenger Tour as well, winning 11 events throughout his 19-year career. Custer declared, “I’ve been places, met people and seen things that many people only dream of. I will certainly miss the thrill of bull riding, but I am excited to see what God has in store for me next.”
PBR Board Member and fellow PBR World Champion (1997), Michael Gaffney declared Custer the “traveling warrior.” “He represents an all-around true human being. He is a great rider, a tremendous friend and a great ambassador for the sport.”
Ron Weiner the President of ASE and sponsor of Custer mentioned that, “Cody has amazed us throughout relationship. He is a gifted man who personifies the very best aspects of Christian influence in professional sports. He continually demonstrates his enduring faith by his bottomless energy, courage and convictions, all while constantly teaching and mentoring. All of us at ASE are honored and proud to be associated with him. Personally I am also honored and proud to be considered his friend.”
Above and beyond having a thriving career, Custer is a co-founder of Pro Bull Riding Outreach (PBRO). The PBRO was designed to hold church services at the majority of two-day BFTS events, as well as the PBR World Finals. Custer, along with several other bull riders, have spoken at churches and held outreach events in conjunction with the PBRO. Custer plans to continue speaking at churches, as well as conducting rodeo Bible camps after he retires.
Wiley Petersen who is currently fourth in the race for the PBR World Championship attends church services with Custer at PBR events. He acknowledged Custer as one of his “heroes.” Petersen stated, “Cody would do anything for anyone if he had the resources. He would give you the shirt off his back. Besides being an excellent bull rider, he is a great representative for the PBR and the sport of bull riding. He has had a successful career riding bulls, but I feel sometimes he is over looked. Anyone who has ridden with Cody knows, that he is one of the most consistent bull riders there is.”
Custer above all, thanks God for his talents, but he also mentioned that he credits his career to numerous people and sponsors that have stood by him. “World Champion bull fighter Rob Smets came into my life when I was 11 years old, married my aunt, he has been Uncle Rob ever since, now I call him brother (in Christ). I love you man, thanks for taking so many thrashings for me. Tandy Freeman is my Doctor, but more than that, he is my friend. Thank you for keeping me together all these years, I know I made it rough on you sometimes,” stated Custer.
Custer also thanks his entire family “Mom and Dad thank you for all the sacrifices you’ve made through the years for my career. My brothers Danny and JimBob as well his wife Tina have supported me no matter what. My wife Stacey for sticking by me through the good times and the bad, and my children Aaron, Lacey and Brett you are the joy of my life. I love you all.”
Custer recognizes the PBR organization (Randy Bernard, Michael Gaffney, Tuff Hedeman, Cody Lambert, Clint Branger, Ty Murray, Tom Teague, Justin Monsen, Wiley Petersen and Aaron Semas) and his sponsors, Ron Weiner with ASE, Jeff Stauffer with Herculiner, Jiimmy Smith with Ultra Wheels and Carl Stressman with Wrangler. “Teresa Underdown is a great friend and her expertise is immeasurable. I could not have done any of this without the support of all of these people,” mentioned Custer.
The PBR is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado and has over 700 athletes competing in more than 100 PBR sanctioned competitions. More than one million spectators attend PBR events each year. In addition to the weekly shows on OLN (Outdoor Life Network) in the United States, the PBR broadcasts competitions in Canada, Australia, Sweden and Russia. This unprecedented television coverage has made bull riding one of the fastest growing spectator sports in America and around-the-world.
For more information please contact Camisha Klumb, PR Manager at 719.471.3008, ext. 3118 or visit www.pbrnow.com.
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