Columbia Falls bull rider makes professional debut

Columbia Falls resident Cody Sorenson realized his dream of becoming a professional bull rider last month as he made his debut on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit in Kalispell.

Sorenson, who has been riding bulls since he was 14, was bucked by both bulls he rode at the Rocky Mountain Extreme event at the Majestic Valley Area Feb. 14 and 15. Though Maverick and Little Secret got the better of him this time around, Sorenson was not deterrred by his performance.

“It went kind of rough for me. I was a bit rusty, but it seemed like everyone was. It was the start of the PRCA season,” he said. “Little Secret had one heck of a jump on him and he got the better of me. I will have to get some more practice in before the next rodeo.”

That next rodeo will come on the road as Sorenson says he looks forward to traveling the PRCA circuit this season to hit as many as 20 rodeos.

“As long as my body is willing and I have the funds to do it, I am going to ride in every rodeo I can this year,” he said.

Sorenson said he was a little nervous as he was set to make his first professional ride in front of friends and family in Kalispell, but the nerves quickly faded.

“It was cool, but nerve-racking at first. After riding those two bulls, I realized that the PRCA is pretty much the same as riding in any other rodeo,” he said. “I got to meet some guys that have been doing this for a while and I hope that I can keep competing with them for the rest of the season. It was a lot of fun.”

Sorenson is no stranger to the Kalispell area rodeo scene, having been riding bulls in local rodeos since he was a sophomore at Columbia Falls High School.

Sorenson got his start at the Majestic Arena’s Brash Winter Rodeo Series in 2014 and was the top bull rider at that summer’s rodeo series at the Blue Moon Arena.

Sorenson said he grew up around rodeos and cowboys, looking up to his uncle, Buddy, who was an accomplished all-around cowboy, and his grandfather, Bill Anderson, who rode and broke broncs for a living.

Sorenson also received training from retired bull rider Wade Toren, even riding some of Toren’s stock at local rodeos.

“The first time I rode one of Toren’s bulls, I won a $200 paycheck and I just thought it was the coolest thing,” Sorenson said. “Ever since, I have been hooked on it. I have had a lot of support from my friends and family and I am enjoying the heck out of it.”

Sorenson says the PRCA circuit will take him all over the country this season, but he hopes to ride a few rodeos as close to home as possible, including one in Great Falls in Jan. 2020.

Sorenson said he is also considering riding in the Big Fork summer rodeo July 5-7, but he might be riding in Wyoming at that time.