Most people only see eight seconds.

The eight seconds when the chute opens, the horse explodes into the arena, and a saddle bronc rider does everything he can to stay in rhythm until the whistle blows. But what most people don’t see are the thousands of miles on the road, the long nights, the gear that gets trusted every time you nod your head, and the lessons learned the hard way along the way.

My name is Will Stites, and I’m a saddle bronc rider competing throughout the Northeast and across the country. Over the years I’ve qualified for some of rodeo’s biggest stages, including the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo and the NFR Open four times, while competing at more than 50 rodeos a year across the eastern rodeo circuits.

Like most roughstock riders, my life revolves around the road, the arena, and the gear in my riggin bag.

That’s exactly why I created Inside the Riggin Bag.