ProRodeo Sports News - August 20, 2021

“I wish I would’ve known what I know now back then when I was going hard. I think it would’ve made my career a little better, but you know, I can’t complain too much.” One thing he wishes he would’ve done is make a harder push at qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo. He admits he looks back at those years often, but also realizes he did what he could with what he had. “I think about it a lot, to be honest with you,” Bell said. “But back then you have a family to take care of and you had to take care of business for them. I couldn’t quit my job back then and go rodeo full time. It just wasn’t really in the cards for me then.” He said that with his age has come knowledge, something that could keep him on the rodeo trail for years to come. “I’m definitely not as agile as I used to be though, I can tell you that,” Bell said. “I tell them boys, ‘If the steer is halfway or more down the arena,

Still to this day Bell wishes he could be out on the ProRodeo trail, competing for that famous gold buckle, but he knows it would be a lot tougher in today’s rodeo landscape. “I like to stay closer to home nowadays,” Bell said. “I feel like if I went out there with the big guys, I might be able to place in a few rodeos, but I’m not going to be able to win unless everything goes absolutely perfect. I know it’s a lot tougher and dang sure harder to win rodeos right now.” Next month, Joe will turn 67 as another rodeo season will come to an end. As far as his future in the sport, he’ll take it day by day. “I’ve been telling everyone just let me get through this year, I’m not going to guarantee anything,” Bell said. “I’m not going to make any promises to nobody, I’ll just see what happens going forward and see how I feel. No matter how much longer my rodeo career goes, I will definitely have enough memories to last me a lifetime, that’s for sure.”

I’m not getting off, so don’t worry about it.’ I’m not going to run one down the pen like I used to, thinking, ‘Hey, I have a chance.’ I don’t have a chance now, I’m not taking that chance to get hurt.” Even with a few bumps and bruises Bell has remained rather healthy. In turn, his longevity gave him the opportunity to hit the road alongside his son, Joey Jr., a five-time NFR qualifier in steer wrestling (2002-03, 2006-07, 2009). His father remembers those days like it was yesterday. “I was as proud as you could’ve been at that time,” Bell said. “When they ( Joey Bell Jr. and his traveling partners) were going to some of these rodeos, they used to call me and I’d meet them at different rodeos all across the country. I’ll be honest, I wish I could do it again. It’s just one of those small things that you remember and never forget.” Having his son as a traveling partner wasn’t too bad either. “You know, when Joey and I went he was the best traveling partner for me,” Joe Sr. said. “I don’t know if we didn’t have a choice because we are family or what. It always worked out for us.” As for Joey Bell Jr., he wouldn’t have had it any other way. The quality time with his father is something he’s forever grateful for. “I mean it was awesome, when I first started rodeoing my dad taught me everything I know about the sport,” said Joey Bell Jr. “At the same time, it was just like traveling down the road with any other cowboy, but you always had that fatherly figure there.” Occasionally, Joe Sr. gets a call from his son about rodeo. “He stills call me once in a while to tell me what I’m doing wrong or what I should be doing on these runs,” Bell said. “We’ve always kind of had a competition among us to see who’s going to win the most. I hate to say it, but he might be a little bit better than me nowadays.” It’s become somewhat of a weekend tradition for the Bell family. “My mom (Robin) will get the videos from the runs and first thing Sunday morning I’ll get the videos and go through them,” Joey said. “Sometimes he doesn’t want to hear what I have to say, but we enjoy it.”

Robin Bell photo

The Bell family (left to right): Joe Bell Sr., Joey Jr., Joe’s wife, Robin, and son Kenny.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/20/2021

ProRodeo.com

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