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Bruce Lee enters his fourth season at the helm of the Ranger rodeo program, taking over for longtime Northwest rodeo coach and Agricultural Business and Management Technology instructor Lawrence “Bud” Young in August 2009.

In Lee's first three seasons, Brian Dowdy and Lucas Boatwright have gone on to represent Northwest at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in Wyoming in the bull riding event.

Lee brings with him experience as an educator, rodeo coach and a colorful slate of hobbies including saddle making, riding problem horses and managing his trained purebred Brahman bull—A-One. He and A-One made their debut as he announced on board the big bull at the college’s Bull-A-Rama in September.

Most recently, Lee was a vocational agriculture instructor at Two Rivers School District, Fourche Valley/Plainview campus in Bluffton, Ark. Prior to that he was a graduate teaching assistant and rodeo coach at Murray State University in Murray, Ky., while working on his Master of Science in Agriculture Education. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in General Agriculture from Murray State.

Originally from Indiana, Lee has done summer work as Assistant Rodeo Director and Saddle and Harness Maker at Frontier Town Theme Park in North Hudson, N.Y.

Other agricultural experience came at Tyson Foods Inc., in Springdale, Ark., where he worked as a field service technician and also as furrowing manager in the swine division.

“We are excited to have someone with Bruce’s experience, both in the classroom and in the rodeo arena,” Dean of Career, Technical Education and Workforce Development Jerry Nichols said.

At Northwest, Lee’s teaching slate includes all classes in the Agricultural Business and Management Technology curriculum in addition to Soils and Animal Science classes. 

“Rodeo teaches self-discipline, perseverance and a lesson in courage,” Lee said. “But I also want kids to learn that they’re going to have a life after rodeo, that’s why they’re in college, to learn. We always put the education first.”