(calm music) - [Ghuan] As a child, I didn't even think being a cowboy was an option.
I saw more myself as the person that the cowboy wanted to kill or beat, you know, like the Indians.
(calm music) But what I realised through the years is that it's not a white or a black thing, it's a wrong or a right thing.
The wrong is winning in my community.
But I still see beauty in it, I still see hope.
And a person that has seen the horrors of the negative, but live in the way that things should be, and could be, to me that's a cowboy.
(upbeat music) ♪ Ah yeah ♪ ♪ Land of the sunshine and palm trees LA LA ♪ ♪ From the east to the west we flippin' ♪ ♪ Yippee yi yo yippee yi yay ♪ ♪ I'ma do it my way the fly way the only way to ride way ♪ ♪ Stay focused on the highway ♪ ♪ Right or wrong I knew this was my day ♪ ♪ Self made and I gots me a village, ready to loot the village ♪ - The cycle of the streets is a cold cycle.
We living in this little tiny box that says we got two paths to choose, no gang or gang.
- Your life is pretty much built on respect and survival.
You disrespect somebody, you getting your ass beat up our shot.
- [Fighter] Man, I'm gonna á*á*á*á* you up á*á*á*á*.
- Man just called him a bitch, so he had to fight him.
- [Man] You gotta know your surroundings, 'cause the hat means something, shoe strings mean something.
- Whether you in a gang or not, it's the streets man.
Keep your head on swivel.
- Gang related shooting.
- 10 homicides.
- An explosion of crime.
- Real Crip Compton, á*á*á*á*á*.
Kill 'em all, get 'em messed up.
- [Tre] The media only shows what they want.
Something positive is overlooked because the media pays for the negative.
- [Fat Pack] So growing up we imitating what we see as kids.
(contemplative music) We gonna be what we see, until we begin to understand that this is not the life.
- [Daughter] Daddy, are you ready?
- Okay, okay, okay, bye bye.
- [Johnna] Say bye to Daddy.
- [Reporter] 100 days and 100 nights.
The use of this hashtag has surged over the past week.
Two gangs are competing to make 100 kills first in South LA.
- When I was a kid growing up here in LA, every day we got helicopters, we got police cars, we got people getting murdered.
I really thought there was no hope.
So when I was 18, I went into the military.
They assigned me to Berlin, Germany first.
November 9, 1989.
We opened the wall up.
These people have a place that they can go.
And they can actually see, and live, and feel, and breathe a different life in the city that they are in.
It really showed me that change can happen in all aspects of life.
Now when I came back from the military, friends that I used to see every day, now they're separated from Crip, Blood.
They're separated from 50th Street, 40th Street, 30th Street, 20th Street.
I mean there's so many divisions with this gang stuff it's just like history repeating itself.
You just gonna fall in a rut, and that rut is getting worse and worse, generation after generation.
I was looking for an outlet.
Inside of the community I found an environment that takes me away.
(dramatic music) It originally started with people from the South that were cowboys.
They brought their way of living to California.
They was all day every day yippee yi yo, yippee ki aye.
(whistling) The Hill was actually one of many horse stables in South Central.
But black people couldn't rent everywhere, so that was where they all had to go.
And after a while they started becoming like a training ground for black cowboys, calf ropers, steer wrestlers, bull riders, and all around cowboying.
The first time I stepped foot on The Hill was 1999.
It's like an escape from my environment when I come to these stables.
Up here there's no gang banging.
Crips, Bloods, Mexican "Eme", down here they don't have any problems.
At South Central, nothing like it, nothing.
And I found utilizing the horses to give them something else to put into their brain, and reprogram the system that we live in, it has really lit another fire in me.
- [Reporter] There was a spike in gang shooting this weekend.
- [Ghuan] I can be a direct impact on my community.
Yeah, well.
- Friends, we welcome you to one of the most exciting sports of all time.
Are you ready for the original extreme sport?
It's cowboys versus beast.
(loud banging) Its the ultimate challenge of m (crowd groans) In bull riding there are no promises, no guarantees.
You pay your money to enter and you ride for the longest eight seconds of your life.
(timer buzzing) If you do it, it's a trip to the pay window.
You don't make eight, well, it's a smile and a handshake.
We need some hand clapping, foot stomping, kind of enthusiasm.
Hold that bull now.
And we wanna know, are you ready?
(audience cheers and applauds) Ladies and gentlemen we've had cowboys from Wyoming, Montana, Utah and everywhere in between.
But this next cowboy comes from Compton, California.
Ladies and gentlemen in chute three this is Chris Byrd from Compton, California.
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Come on cowboy.
(contemplative music) (audience cheers and applauds) Looky here, that's why I'm telling you it's just another day in the office for this young man.
And it's worth 79 points.
Ladies and gentlemen thank you very much for joining us on this beautiful evening.
Remember, always sit tall in the saddle.
Watch out for low branches.
- [Competitor] Hey good work, Chris.
- Congratulations, you looked good out there man.
- With a seven seven, Chris Byrd here's your money, fourth place, you had a good run.
First one out of the chute and you covered it.
- [Competitor] Well, y'all some smiley sons of bitches.
- We just won money, why wouldn't we be?
♪ Theyll put your ass down for wearing the wrong hat ♪ ♪ Come around here talking mess around and get jacked ♪ ♪ This is how we do it how we... ♪ - In the summer it can get a little wild you know.
Kids out of school, and they ready to just shoot.
My family was into gangs.
I kinda watched them, learned from their mistakes.
My brother got shot at right here, at this corner, gang related.
And then my uncle ended up getting shot right here, right in front of the house.
Too much drama, man a lot of drama.
Can't really talk about it.
Don't want to talk about it, anyway.
♪ We making money boy I gotta steady looking ♪ - When I was young, the room we were staying at, it was a drug house.
Our house got raided twice.
Helicopters all came, and the police, and that's why I left.
(contemplative music) We stayed in a hotel for about a year or two.
My mom, she was struggling, but she always provided for us.
I ain't never seen her breakdown, you know what I mean?
Made me stronger.
Hey... Back in the day it was like a lot of real black cowboys back there.
That's where Charlie Sampson and all them come from.
- [Announcer] Thata boy, Charli - [Announcer] Charlie Sampson.
- [Announcer] Remember this cowboy, remember the bull.
(announcer's voice drowned out by cheering) He has beautiful balance doesn't he?
- [Announcer] Oh, he certainly does.
- He started at The Hill, got his pro card, and just started going all around the world getting a couple of sponsors, and ended up winning the World Finals.
- [Announcer] Sampson was destined to rewrite the history books, becoming the first black world champion in rodeo history.
You're the World Champion Bull Rider, how do you feel about it?
- I'm just happy to be in this position right now.
- [Announcer] You're a great champ, and a good representative the sport of rodeo cowboy, thank you.
- [Charlie] Thank you.
(coworker talking in background) - [Calvin] In a couple minutes.
Oh, good morning.
- [Coworker] Good morning.
- I always wanted to be a veterinarian, when I was coming up as a kid.
But living in this community, you gotta work to eat.
So I just got to go with what pays the bills at this time.
Appointment?
My friend Fat Pack had told me he bought a horse.
I'm like you bought a horse, what you mean?
He was like yeah, my family always did this.
He had moved his horse to a different horse stable, which was The Hill.
And when I was down there, it just was a totally different feeling.
(Old West music) I mean I was pretty much riding horses in the city that I was from with people just like me.
And when everybody was riding, I didn't have anything to ride.
So that's what motivated me, and made me want to get my own horse.
I like this one right here.
- [Fat Pack] I like the way that she looks.
- [Calvin] Me too.
- Calvin was the last person who come down to the horse stable, that didn't have a horse.
Come on, my fella.
He was trying to find somebody to let him ride a horse.
- Oh, you got a horse I can borrow?
- So he'd get a horse.
Now he need a saddle, so now he gotta go ask somebody can he borrow a saddle.
- Then I go to the next dude, you got a bridle?
- Now he gotta go borrow a bridle.
- And by the time I piece up everything, I still missed the ride.
Woah.
- [Handler] Okay, now let me show you this here.
- When it holds you back for so long you get tired of it.
So you just be like, man I gotta do something about it.
I gotta do something about it.
(Old West music) - [Syd] Go ahead Cal, put it to her.
- Let me get a feel for her first.
And I like the sound of that.
Okay I'll do that, I want him then.
- [Handler] Just tell me what you want to do.
- [Fat Pack] It takes a lot to be into horses, to ride horses.
It takes time, and it takes passion, it takes money.
- I don't know what he does to have the money for it.
But he finds away.
(Old West music) Well I call her Jazz, like you know, '‘Jazzman.
A lot of people don't get a great horse on their first time.
But when I first laid eyes on her, I felt like I had a connection.
- With Jazz he's a different dude.
Jazz gives him a getaway, gives him an out.
You know he gets to be himself.
- [Fat Pack] Hey, it's time to leave, hey.
This gonna be about running, about putting on something.
That's why I said get up here with me, that's all I said.
- [Calvin] Nah, get on back here with me.
(calm music) - [Fat Pack] You see how I do it?
(Calvin and Fat Pack talking in distance) Where y'all at man, come on man.
- Hey, knock it off.
(contemplative music) The first time I went riding with him, we was riding down Broadway.
(talking in distance) And as we was riding, Fat Pack kept looking in my face.
And he could see, when he looking in my face I'm looking like a little kid, I'm having fun.
And I'm just cheesing.
My smile's so big, but I'm having fun, cars honking.
And when he was looking in my face, he was like you like this huh, Cal?
And from that moment, it just was a totally different feeling.
(shouting in distance) - [Calvin] Get them girl.
Get them girl.
(contemplative music) To not have yourself broken by these LA streets, you have to find yourself a release so that you don't find yourself being part of the problem.
- Taking you away from all these streets, all the kids coming up here early in the morning, clean the stalls and be ready.
- It's which one you gonna do?
You gonna ride horses, or are you gonna go gang banging?
And I chose to ride horses, you know what I mean?
I'm a cowboy now, full fledged.
It has changed people's mentalities through the camaraderie of the cowboy lifestyle.
(contemplative music) Then the fire changed everything.
- [Reporter] A plume of smoke climbs into the sky as firefighters work to save several horses trapped in a stable fire.
- I did everything possible, me and a few of my other guys.
- [Reporter] Calvin Grey came upon the flames and worked to keep them from spreading until firefighters arrived.
- I hopped the gate, grabbed the garden hose, started trying to put the fire out.
The pressure was too low, so I had to back off.
The horse was actually on fire too, and he stood there, and he started shaking.
And it was crazy, I just watched the horse just pretty much just burn.
And there was nothing I could do.
- Somebody tried to burn the same horse in another stable prior to this act.
(dramatic music) The owner, he was racing his horse.
He was beating these guys out of a lot of money.
He knew who had tried to attempt to burn his horse.
But he didn't want to say nothing, and the people that do know something about it, they ain't gonna know nothing about it either.
So we got to suck it up, and now we got to deal with the bullá*á*á*á*á*.
- [Reporter] A June 17th fire uncovered numerous code violations at the Athens barn.
- Take a look behind me, these are the stables in question here where the animals were being housed at.
And the property itself looks in poor condition, just a row of dilapidated shacks.
- There were makeshift corrals and barns.
There was electricity strung up everywhere.
We recognised that it was just not safe for the animals.
The property was too far gone.
- A couple of stalls got burned.
But they used that against us to get us out of there.
- [Reporter] This morning horse owners at a South LA stable have less than an hour to clear out after city officials declared the buildings unsafe.
- It was over 100 something horses out here that just had to get moved, just shut us down like that instantly.
- [Calvin] I mean they just pretty much just snatched the life out of everybody.
- The owner of the property said he's gonna tear it down and rebuild it, but I need y'all help, move all this.
He said the right á*á*á*á* to get the á*á*á*á*á*á* to move.
They moved.
When the fence got up, and the city came down here and signed off, he was never to be heard from again.
- [Reporter] A taste of the country in the heart of the city, a place where people can get off the trouble on the streets and onto the back of a horse, a way of life everyone agrees is worth trying to save.
(somber music) (calm music) - [Voicemail] At the tone, please record your message.
(beep) - Hello Mr. Tokaruk, how are you?
This is Ghuan Featherstone.
I'm calling about your property located on Figueroa, the old horse stables.
I'm interested in talking to you about what we can do with the property as far as purchasing it from you, or leasing it from you.
Could you please give me a telephone call, because I have this sense of hope that one day The Hill will come back and be beneficial to our inner city kids out here.
So we can make something happen.
So give me a call.
Have a great day.
The Hill was closing, and Tokaruk just disappeared.
I know he had some tax issues but the last that I heard, when I spoke with him, that he was handling the tax issues.
- Looking for something.
That's making it smaller.
- [Daughter] Okay, Dad.
- That's not helping.
(laughter) Okay here you go, alright.
Oh wow.
This property is subject to power to sell and will be offered for sale at auction.
So he hasn't paid the state tax collector since 2012.
(laughter) This means that we could actually purchase The Hill.
Yeah.
(upbeat music) The objective is to get all of this cleared out Where we were got taken away from us, but we can bring it back better.
That's Ely right there.
That's the man, he can fix anything.
Tell them Ely, you can fix it.
If it's broke, he'll fix it.
(engine tries to crank) The Hill, that I've always thought was better than where we were.
Oh I need him.
Yo bro, we got a bin right.
So we need a central location again.
And this is the central location.
This is the heartbeat right here, The Hill.
One day it's gonna come back man, if not here, somewhere.
Yeah.
♪ One day I'm gonna own this railroad ♪ ♪ And everyone will ride for free ♪ - The weekend before last I went to Fort Mojave, before that Queen Creek, weekend before that Scottsdale, the weekend before that Tucson.
I been to Arizona quite a bit.
- [Chris] alright boys.
(engine starting) (calm music) - Me and Chris, we knew each other from The Hill.
He kind of paved the path, you know like.
I wouldn't say he gave me the idea.
I always wanted to ride bare back horses but, he made it like man, it could really happen, like it's doable.
- I want to travel the world, just Rodeo and live off the road, that's what I want to do.
To make the finals, that's what you got to do.
The goal is to climb up into that top 15, and having a shot at getting that gold buckle, where all the best are.
Just being in the yellow chutes... because you made it to the top after that.
(calm music) For me to get to NFR, We need to enter anything and everything.
Just keep on riding, keep on going.
(upbeat country music) - I don't want to sound like race plays a part.
But hell, we are the only three black kids that are here.
People do look at us differently, even though I don't feel any different, you know what I'm saying?
I'm no different than any other bare back rider in the world, they all put their pants on just like I do.
But I mean, perception's a killer.
- [Announcer] Well the sun is out, the sky is blue, and the stands are full here in Cave Creek.
Folks we couldn't ask for a better day from Road Rodeo.
We go down to the bucking chutes and get ready for Christopher Byrd from Compton, California.
Who else out there is from Compton?
(audience laughing) - [Chris] We're overlooked because we're from Compton, and that's the only thing people know of us.
Gang bangers, you know, shootings, killings, the murder capital.
So it's like, if we're not gonna look out for each other who will?
- [Announcer] The judges take their positions.
(dramatic music, overlapping voices) Derrick Fennels slides down on a 1200 pound bull.
Christopher Byrd.
Warms up his rope, gets his wrap set.
Go, man!
A call for the gate and we're outside!
There's the nod and here's the ride!
Horse buckin' cowboy stayin' right in tune.
Do it, do it.
Oh no!
Out the back door.
Stay with him!
And... he cannot last.
Christopher Byrd tryin'.
Oh, just shy of the eight second clock.
(timer buzzing) (calm music) Well folks I hope you had a good time out here.
Don't forget to take your belongings... - We are different but, end of the day, everybody in the rodeo arena helps everyone.
They embrace us like anybody else.
There are cowboys that are asses.
But for the most part, most of the good ones that you actually want to be around are as humble as they come.
- I mad a bad... - It wasn't a bad spur over... - (Tre) The camaraderie is different.
They understand what it takes to make it to that level.
(hammers banging and power tools running) - The Hill foundation is up and running.
And it's gonna happen.
The building right there, kids get to school in and everything.
And we don't have to have it where you have a lot of horses.
The horses that are there, are utilized for the programme.
It ain't about building The Hill up like it was.
It's about creating something totally different, totally you know, totally different.
- He's hustling, he's looking at buildings, trying to rent it out so they can have fundraisers, so that they can rebuild it, they want to really put the stables back and make it like a fun place where you can bring your family and your kids, so you're not just sitting there in the street with some chairs and a table.
(upbeat music) - And do what, what you mean about... (overlapping voices) - You bounce through, and bounce out.
- When?
- Just all the time.
Good idea, you got it started, but what happens to it?
- Nobody put any money into it.
- Those some good ideas you have.
But when it comes to putting it down, nothing ever materializes.
You gotta believe bro, that's what I'm telling you.
I'm trying to convince you.
That's why I'm hollering at you, real talk.
- 'Cause you want my opinion?
It's a done da da, that ain't gonna happen.
-(Fatpack) Everybody saw it as just a dream.
But you got a person like Ghuan who's willing to take some losses to chase the dream.
As for us, we don't necessarily jump on board because, we've never learned to dream.
- This is what I'm saying, your idea is the same... - Nobody has stepped forward and said okay, let me just commit to trying to make this happen.
Ain't no... - It's like we're stuck and complacent on this street.
I'm not happy on that street.
And I sound crazy for wanting more.
I'm not trying to be a religious leader or a politician, or anything like that.
I'm just on the side of right, because wrong is winning.
Candle lights all over our city streets where once somebody walked.
Because guess what?
They were real niggas, and they got to throw their gang sign up.
They got to wear their colours, and they went out like a real nigga.
They ain't one of them fake ass doctor niggas, or one of them bullá*á*á*á* ass lawyer niggas.
He was a real nigga, so he got to die in the street.
This is what they got us aspiring to be and become.
It gets bred in you, and it's a cycle.
(helicopter blades spinning) - Here's the latest at six, one man was killed.
It all happened on the 400 block of East 138th Street in Willowbrook.
- [Fat Pack] Young cowboy who rode with us, he lost his life.
He rode horses, loved horses, grew up around horses, rode bulls with Chris.
- He was real close to Chris.
For it to go down like that, happen like that, it's just, it's just crazy.
Investigators say for some reason, 24 year old Dominique Barnett pulled out a gun.
Jerrod Taylor got into a struggle with his friend.
During that struggle he was shot.
- [Tre] If someone in the cowboy world dies, we'll put on black pants, white shirt, cowboy hat, and we'll ride our horses.
(somber music) (somber music) ♪ ...Star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free ♪ ♪ And the home of the brave ♪ (audience cheers and applauds) -[Announcer] Nod, ride, rope, fl and tie, that's how you do it.
And our tie-down ropers are gettin' set to go.
These guys are looking for a good clean ride.
Our judges are in their position.
(loud bang echoes) Calf's out of the chute.
- [Tre] In that arena, having any kind of a negative thought is dangerous.
Cowboy's got him down.
Those thoughts bring doubt.
And if you're doubting yourself, you might as well not go to the rodeo.
- [Announcer] Our bull riders are up next.
Five men have thrown their name in the hat to ride tonight.
Only one has qualified thus far.
Christopher Byrd from Compton California.
Here's one of the young guns of our game.
He's the final bull rider tonight.
This is the last chance to unseat the leader.
Now, back up, back up.
Okay, okay.
You good, you good?
(dramatic music) He just needs eight seconds and he can win this thing.
- Yeah.
- Lets go.
They're lookin' for the nod.
Come on now, Byrd.
Come on.
And he's out!
(beeping) Yikes, first jump out of the bucking chute.
The cowboy just couldn't hold on.
(dramatic music) - You know you have the top 15 in the world going at it.
It's a dog fight out there.
You gotta be right man, you gotta be ready.
- [Announcer] He could win now, he only needs 8 seconds.
Christopher Byrd, he slammed to the Arizona dirt.
Here we go, coming to the left.
Wow, what a jump!
Uh-oh, cowboy's over the front end.
Oh!
Down just a little early.
- [Announcer] Chris Byrd in the American Desert bucking chute straps in for the ride.
And he's out of the chute.
Come on, come on.
Whoa!
That's gonna knock him down in the ring.
- You get down on yourself, and you just fall into what you think is a slump.
- [Announcer] Come on Chris.
Bull comes out, steers to the left, over the top.
- [Derrick] And you just like, man, dude I'm buckin' off, maybe I need to just, I just need to stop and just take a break.
- [Announcer] Chris Byrd in the American Desert bucking chute straps in for the ride.
(timer buzzing) That is gonna affect his ranking.
(contemplative music) (calm music) - He told me, babe I got a horse.
And I say you got a what?
I can tell the emotion when he got home.
- Calvin is Calvin.
He likes to... he likes to... that stable is his life.
- I don't know, we manage, right.
- [Calvin] I don't think we gonna see much crowds though.
(car horn) Hey!
- [Syd] But when we go to 98 we gotta go back too... - [Calvin] They was looking, they was looking.
They was peeking.
Going back that way.
- I was in between jobs.
But I make a little bit more money now.
So you know I've been partying a lot.
♪ I said it, I meant it ♪ ♪ I had money I spent it ♪ ♪ The life of the party I might have been sorry ♪ ♪ But now I can say that I'll never regret it ♪ ♪ Let's ride.
♪ (upbeat music) - Me and Kendra, we've been off and on on our relationship.
'Cause she heard a lot of different stories, but she really didn't know.
I like to say I'm better than I used to be.
But at the same time I'm just doing what make me happy.
Y'all ready, let's go boys.
(upbeat music) ♪ The life of the party I might have been sorry ♪ ♪ But now I can say that I'll never regret it ♪ - [Chris] Walk it out.
♪ Let's ride.
♪ ♪ Do it all till the day I die let's ride ♪ ♪ Motherá*á*á*á*á*á* let's ride ♪ ♪ Tried it all, 'cause I can't decide, let's ride ♪ ♪ Motherá*á*á*á*á*á* let's ride ♪ ♪ Do it all till the day I die let's ride ♪ ♪ Motherá*á*á*á*á*á* let's ride ♪ ♪ Tried it all, 'cause I can't decide, let's ride ♪ ♪ Let's ride.
♪ ♪ Let's ride.
♪ (contemplative music) - When you're fighting your head or something, and you just need to go back to basics.
Gary Leffew, he's the man to go to.
He's got a lot of champions that come out of his school.
He'll get you back going on that champion path.
- I heard a lot good things about him.
He got a DVD, I used to sleep with it on, you know what I mean?
Listened to it, it was good.
- Go on, go on, go on, there you go.
Get around there, go on, go on, go, get up, get up.
You had him.
Okay let's take a little look, slow motion.
Lot easier to pick things out when we slow her down.
We're lined up with it, right shoulder in, your head's on the outside.
A little bit on your butt right there, that bull's pretty low right here.
Where your butt goes you're gonna go.
That's why we go to bars you know.
Where the butt goes, the cowboy goes.
Too straight away, and then come on back, come on back to that position, stick your chest out.
See how that locks you in there?
Every day a bull rider gets out of bed with an 1800 pound mad as hell bull facing him.
But the battle is not in the arena, it's before you ever get on that bull's back.
(dramatic music) When you make up your mind that you can do it or you can't do it, either way you're right.
- Hello Mr. Tokaruk.
Not to bother you sir, but it's imperative that we speak.
Please just answer your phone or call me back as soon as possible.
it takes a lot out of you.
I gotta explain to my kids why I'm away.
I have to explain to my lady why I'm putting so much time into something that isn't bringing forth anything, nobody else cares, but me.
You start to feel some type of way, like why?
(contemplative music) - [Chair] Our next item up, members is item number six, and that is regarding a conditional use permit.
- This is absolutely ridiculous.
Horses should never be a line item and take huge chunks of monies that could be put to better help and to better serve the basic issues of human life.
(audience applauding) - If you approve the Equestrian Center in the improvement plans for Magic Johnson Park, then shame on you and shame on the Board of Supervisors.
(audience applauding) - One last statement.
- Good afternoon, I'm speaking on behalf of the inner city, South Central Los Angeles, born and raised.
This is about the youth.
We're living in an environment where we glorify gang banging and dope dealing.
We have kids that can load a gun at the age of six, and don't even know the history of black and brown cowboys.
And we think that's the way of life.
But it's not.
I was fortunate to be on a horse before I knew how to walk.
Horses was my outlet.
And I want kids to be able to experience what I experience every time I get on a horse, and that's freedom.
(audience applauding) (phone ringing) - Hello, hello.
I said we gonna go to the DMV in about 30 minutes.
- [Kendra] Is your home boy, what?
And what you mean 30 minutes?
- In 30 minutes 'cause I got the people here.
And, but I already set it up, okay?
(contemplative music) Hello?
Kendra, she moved to Vegas.
I was making calls to her trying to see if we can work it out, but she had her mind made up.
The problem, just you know what I was out there doing.
I went to the extreme with it.
It wasn't about the horse, it was just about what I was doing with the horse.
I wanted to be a player and I just got caught up with what I was doing.
Eventually she said if you want your family you'll come out here with us.
(zippers zipping) - Well, today we're gonna be heading down to Ventura, California, they got a rodeo.
(horn honks) The bull I have, he's a cool one.
Hopefully the one I win it on, he should be the one I win it on.
I just got to finish him out and I will, he's a good one.
(contemplative music) - Friends welcome to the Ventura County PRCA Rodeo.
- Welcome rodeo fans, it's time to get this party started.
(audience cheers and applauds) Tonight, you're gonna watch some of the top PRCA cowboys and cowgirls compete to qualify for the Circuit Finals Rodeo.
Some will walk away with gold buckles, and others only with shattered dreams.
Get ready, 'cause it's rodeo time.
(audience cheers and applauds) Come on Ventura, are you ready for some bull riding?
(audience cheers and applauds) (dramatic music) Well, no qualifying rides so far here tonight in bull ridin'.
We've got one cowboy left to go.
Byrd, you're up.
Coming through, boy, coming through.
From C-O-M-P-T-O-N, the city of Compton, Chris Byrd is gonna be the cowboy.
Shredder is the name of the bull he's drawn.
That bull is the toughest one out there.
- [Handler] Stay clear of that well.
Ready?
- He's eight seconds away from a trip to the Circuit Finals.
(bull growls) The cowboy gets set.
(calm music) Come on Byrd!
(calm music) (timer buzzes) Holy moly, right at the buzzer.
Our judges coming together.
How many people think the cowboy was there for eight seconds?
And our officials say... Well, he was there.
(audience cheers and applauds) The kid from Compton, California, tonight's bull riding champion.
- [Competitor] A good ride, Chris.
(inspirational music) (crickets chirping) - Life is a challenge, that's just how it is.
But when you're a cowboy if you have a challenge, you try to overcome it.
Man I had fun up here, you know how it was.
Those days, I loved those days.
But unfortunately, those days are gone.
If we are to rebuild, we need to come back up with a direct focus.
We're from different places, different demographics, but we here together.
And we're doing something different that the community hasn't seen.
They don't have rival gangs together anywhere else in LA.
Yeah, we don't have no color lines.
Yeah, we don't see all of that, we ain't doing all of that.
So now if we can take that and twist it to where as it impacts our society, that'll be cool.
I don't have the answers, you know.
But I know that y'all are the answer.
I'm looking at everybody, I'm looking at all of us.
We are the answer.
(humming) If I'm not actively trying to bring about change, who is?
And if I'm not actively trying to bring about change, what am I doing?
Regardless of my feelings and discouragement of not getting any support, it's still something I'm gonna do.
If it takes me till I'm 70 years old, it's worth bringing back.
If I can't do it there, I can't do it there.
But if I can build a place, and I'm helping 10 kids a month, and it's impacting them in a way that they want to go out and be a positive influence to the world, I've done something great with my life and my time.
(inspirational music) - [Calvin] I mean I'm looking for a change.
Go out there to make my family work, you know.
If you're gonna tear somethin' down, you should build it back up, too.
(inspirational music) (train horn) - Everybody want to be at the top.
I'll get there.
Just gotta keep on going.
Wherever the wind blows.
Wherever the wind blows.
(inspirational music) - [Rapper] This had to be anticipated, it had to be.
This had to be anticipated.
I know you knew I wasn't gonna let that one go.
You knew it man, come on now.
♪ I heard all the rumors yeah ♪ ♪ Watch them grow like tumors yeah ♪ ♪ I took the high road to the lie road ♪ ♪ Became the road everybody rolled with ♪
