A Labor of Love: A Journey of a Girl and her Bucking Bull

From calf to full-grown bucking bull, Addi and her bull, Hard Labor has been through it all together.

It’s pretty common for little girls to grow up wanting to ride horses or have puppies, but it’s not very often you find a girl that grows up wanting to raise bucking bulls. Addi is that girl. Her parents, Jenny and Chad Drury are PBR and ABBI stock contractors, raising quality bulls and hauling them across the country for bull riding events and competitions. If you check the family out on Instagram (@NothinButTryRanch) you will find that they aren’t just raising bulls, they are raising animals that they call family as well and this story is a perfect example of that.

Having grown up in the bull industry, Addi was no stranger to how things worked on the ranch, so when a first-time heifer was having a hard time bringing her calf into the world, Addi stepped up to the plate to help take care of him. This is exactly how Hard Labor got his name and how the beginning of a great friendship started.

As Addi and Hard Labor grew up, their relationship grew stronger and with a quick scroll on social media, you will find videos and photos of Addi and Hard Labor playing in a pen together, cuddling on the ground next to a feeder, or Addi just sitting next to Hard Labor’s pen to keep him company. If you’re wondering if it’s common for bulls to have this type of relationship with people, I will tell you that bulls are a lot like people and they all have their own personalities. But what makes this relationship special is the clear love that this bull has for his larger-than-life partner.

Hard Labor made his PBR bucking debut in April 2022 and was quickly recognized as a force to be reckoned with the inside of the arena, but outside of the arena, he was still the big lovable bull that Addi knew and loved. Hard Labor made impressive bounds in his PBR career, it was only the next month that Hard Labor was chosen to buck at the PBR World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas. He made Addi proud that week and this was about the time that their relationship started to gain some serious traction on social media.

Unfortunately, it was also about the time that the Drury’s and Hard Labor’s lives would change forever. In June 2022 at a PBR Teams event in North Carolina, Hard Labor’s bucking career was brought to an abrupt end when he injured his back leg. The Drury’s didn’t waste any time and immediately sent him to the best of the best at Oklahoma State University to get the care he needed and determine the extent of his injury.

The injury that Hard Labor sustained was a career-ender, but the Drury’s were determined to do everything they could to help him recover and live a long, happy, and healthy life. The team at OSU took great care of Hard Labor and he quickly became a favorite, so much so that they had to put signs up on his pen to keep people from scratching on him so he wouldn’t move around too much. Addi visited him whenever she had the chance and would spend as much time as possible sitting and comforting her best friend.

After three months, (99 days to be exact), Hard Labor was released from OSU and was sent home in a cast to continue his healing process. Addi was thrilled to have her best friend back home on the ranch and while Hard Labor’s bucking bull career might be over, he will remain a part of the Drury family for the rest of his life. Here’s what Addi has to say about her friendship with Hard Labor,

“I’m thankful Hard Labor is home living his best life with me. He is my best friend and he means the world to me. He will never buck again, but his life is starting a new chapter. My heart is full because he is home being loved as he deserves. He is the most beautiful bull inside and out. He is my best friend and we have a bond that will never be broken.”

– Addi Drury

Make sure to follow the Drury’s on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates on Addi and Hard Labor, @NothinButTryRanch.

All Photos Provided by the Drury’s for the Spring 2023 Issue of Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine.