#191 Chris Anderson | Mike Swearingen, Hard Way Bull Riding & Life on the Rodeo Road

About this episode

Chris Anderson shares his journey into bull riding and life on the rodeo road.

“I watched Mike Swearingen spur this bull to death and I said… that’s who I want to ride bulls like.” Recorded last fall at Mike Swearingen’s Rodeo Reunion in Wyoming, New York, Doug Simcox and Sam Swearingen sit down with northeast bull rider Chris Anderson — a guy who came into rodeo later than most… married, with kids… nearly 30 years old… and still went all in. Chris talks about getting his start at a backyard rodeo… discovering Mike Swearingen’s rodeo school… chasing rodeos across the Northeast… and building a life around bull riding. The conversation dives into: • Mike Swearingen’s Rodeo School • Starting bull riding at nearly 30 years old • Rodeo life with family on the road • Early northeast rodeo days • The Hard Way Bull Riding Association • Darlene Spafford’s important role behind the scenes • Weekly bull ridings, fair circuits, and legendary bulls like Flatline • Mike Swearingen, Sam Swearingen, and the riders who helped shape a generation of northeastern bull riders This episode is full of rodeo stories, old friends, hard-earned memories, and the kind of conversations that happen when rodeo people gather after decades on the road. Beyond the Chutes… presented by…

People in this episode

Host: Doug Simcox

Guests: Sam Swearingen, Chris Anderson

Topics covered

• bull riding
• rodeo life
• northeast rodeo
• family
• rodeo history
• Hard Way Bull Riding

Keywords

• bull riding
• rodeo
• northeast bull riders
• Mike Swearingen
• rodeo school
• family life
• rodeo stories
• Hard Way Bull Riding

Sponsors

ParaSight System

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hard Way Bull Riding Association

Books & works: Flatline

Places: Wyoming, New York

More episodes of Beyond the Chutes

• #190 Inside The American Rodeo with Lane Peterson | The Road to Arlington, $2 Million & The Eastern Regional Finals · May 19, 2026 · 40 min
• #189 Rolling Smooth: Behind the Scenes of Podcasting on the Rodeo Road · May 12, 2026 · 37 min
• #188 Cowboy to Full-Time RVer: Stan Cromlish’s Rolling Smooth Story · May 5, 2026 · 38 min
• #187 Jim Swearingen | He Set the Table for a Rodeo Dynasty · April 28, 2026 · 20 min
• #186 American Rodeo Eastern Qualifier: Winner Interviews - $2 Million on the Line · April 21, 2026 · 30 min
• #185 The American Rodeo: From Lexington to Arlington: Winning Rides, Big Stakes, One Step Closer · April 14, 2026 · 1h 17m