He may have retired from bull riding two years ago, but Cord McCoy never retired from being a cowboy.
McCoy, a six-time PBR World Finals qualifier who also earned a bull riding qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2005, has gained fame through his three stints on the CBS-TV reality series, “The Amazing Race.” On the program, he and his brother, Jet, were fan favorites all three seasons in which they competed for the $1 million prize.
On Saturday night, Cord McCoy began another race toward another $1 million prize, competing in saddle bronc riding at the World’s Toughest Rodeo in Moline, Ill. The event served as a qualifier for The American semifinals.
McCoy sent a text late Saturday that he was bucked off his horse in Moline. He will take another shot at qualifying for The American at next weekend’s World’s Toughest Rodeo in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
His ride atop Three Hills Rodeo’s Pearl Snaps on Saturday marked the first time since September 2004 that McCoy has ridden a bronc in competition. He made a name for himself in rodeo by competing in all three roughstock events.
He earned five International Professional Rodeo Associations titles doing so: He earned the IPRA’s Triple Crown for 2002 by winning the all-around, saddle bronc riding and bull riding gold buckles. That year he also set an IPRA earnings mark with more than $100,000 in earnings. He returned to the top in the all-around and bronc riding in the 2003 season.
The last time McCoy competed in bronc riding, he suffered a serious head injury when he was bucked off his horse during the short go-round at the Oklahoma State Fair PRCA Rodeo. As he fell toward the ground, the horse kicked his back feet, with one connecting the side of the cowboy’s head.
Though he recovered, McCoy focused his attention on bull riding. He mounted his first bull in competition seven months after his injury, in April 2005. He did well enough that year to earn his only qualification to the NFR. He then turned his attention toward the PBR until retiring from it in 2013.
Now he’s in another race for a big payout. Anybody that knows him isn’t surprised.