Taking the bull by the horns: Semas to join Placer Athletic Hall of Fame

Eight seconds doesn't seem like a long time — unless you're on the back of a 1,500-pound bucking Brahma bull. "But it seems like forever," according to Auburn native Aaron Semas (Placer High Class of 1985). He should know. He's ridden bulls in rodeo competition for more than 20 years. For his exploits in high school and professional bull riding, Semas will be inducted into the PHS Athletic Hall of Fame on April 30. The professional top-tier bull rider was raised on the Semas Ranch in Auburn on Mt. Vernon Road, which he called "an amazing spot to grow up." He credits his supportive parents, Stanley and Sandra, for teaching him a good work ethic while living on the ranch, riding horses and working with cattle. "There was always something to do on the ranch," Aaron Semas said. Placer High offered several sports during his time on campus, but there was no rodeo team. So the 5-foot-8, 150-pounder joined a District 3 high school rodeo team comprised of competitors from the Lincoln, Grass Valley, Auburn, El Dorado Hills and Folsom areas in monthly competitions. The teenager competed in team roping, calf roping and bull riding. Semas won the district team roping title and made the state finals in bull riding, eventually becoming state champion in his senior year, 1985. After high school, Semas joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1987 and competed in his rookie year in 1988. Two years later, he was in his first National Finals Rodeo, an event featuring the top 15 riders in the world standings. Semas went on to reach the national PRCA finals seven times. In 1992, Semas became one of the founding fathers of the Professional Bull Riders organization and served on its board for more than 10 years. He retired in 2003 as one of the most consistent and toughest bull riders the sport had ever seen. Semas qualified eight times for the PBR Finals, was once ranked No. 5 in the world and several times in the top seven. He's proud of his participation in the organization, which began to televise stand-alone bull riding events nationally. Semas won some of the biggest rodeos during his career — Denver, Houston, San Antonio, and Auburn three times. "I rode plenty of outstanding bulls," he said. In the rodeo competition, riders are assigned a bull by a random draw. The animals are selected for their tendency to leap, plunge and spin when a human is on their backs. The secret to staying on for eight seconds comes from getting on the bulls a lot, Semas said. "Timing is important," he said. "It's important to take the power away from the bull. You move to counter his move and stay on the middle of his back. It's a matter of using muscle memory until it becomes second nature." A recent article in The Sacramento Bee referred to a study by a sports epidemiologist at the University of Calgary that said, "Rodeo isn't just an unsafe sport, it's even more dangerous than playing football." Semas agreed, saying, "Bull riding is not a sport for everybody. When you get on a bull, you're betting on your life. There's always a chance to get hurt real bad." He planned to retire at age 35, but he was having an outstanding year so he postponed his decision. But the next year, 2002, Semas retired at age 36 after a bull landed on him, causing a concussion, one of several he endured during his career. In 2003, Semas was inducted into the Professional Bull Riders Hall of Fame. He became a member of the Ring of Honor, an award given annually to individuals who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the sport. It's the highest honor a professional bull rider can receive. Semas lives in Brock, Texas, west of Fort Worth, on a small-acreage ranch where he raises horses and helps his wife, Tami, train them. Tami still competes running barrels in rodeo competitions. He has two children, both of whom did some rodeo but were more interested in other athletic outlets. Son Myles played football while daughter Madison ran track. The Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony will be held in the Placer High School Auditorium on April 30. A pre-ceremony reception will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the induction ceremony at 7. Tickets for the reception cost $25 until April 15 and $35 after, and are available online at placerathletichof.bpt.me. The 7 p.m. ceremony is free of charge to the public.