Rodeo A Way Of Life For Young by Elton Bray Lawrence "Bud" Young's biggest love in life is the rodeo. The Northwest Mississippi Community College agricultural business and management technology instructor said "I am at a rodeo just about every weekend. When I'm not at a college rodeo with the Northwest rodeo team, I'm always going to another." He started riding bulls at age 12 with other boys who were 18 and 19. Although he may not be riding right now, because of three mishaps that resulted in a broken collar bone, he plans to be coming out of the bucking chutes this spring. He was also a bareback rider and steer wrestler. The steer wrestling only lasted for about a month because the steer would drag him to the other end of the arena. After graduating from Batesville High School in 1963, which became South Panola in 1965, he attended Northwest. From there the went to Mississippi Delta Community College, and Mississippi State, where he received his master's degree in animal science/meats and nutrition. Upon graduation from college he went to work for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). After working for about eight months, make the trip from Denver back home, and in 1973 was hired at Northwest as an instructor in Livestock Management Technology. In the same year he also started the Northwest rodeo team. He now teaches several more classes, and is still the rodeo coach. "I have a lot of fun at Northwest, and have enjoyed every minute of it," Young stated. "I've seen many changes in my 30 years here, and most of them have been for the better." One of his most memorable life experiences was his two terms as president of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA). Young said, "While president of the NIRA, I got to meet many people, and spent many hours on an airplane. It was probably one of the most rewarding experiences of my life." Young plans to retire in a year or two, but is in no hurry. Upon retiring, he plans to do some Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) work of which he already has knowledgeable because he never knows when he might need these skills being at rodeos. Nick Thompson, a horse farmer from Hickory Flat and a Northwest alumnus, said, "Mr. Bud has influenced many people's lives throughout the years, as well as mine. I was on the Northwest rodeo team while I was in school, and I took many of Mr. Bud's classes. Sometimes, when I went to one of Mr. Bud's classes, I would bring my bulldog to class, and Mr. Bud told me that it was one of the best students he ever had." Young passes on some "words of wisdom" to all Northwest students, which he has followed throughout his life." Never let anything stand in the way of your goals, but always be willing to pay the price." Young now resides in Coldwater, and has a son, Shawn, and a grandson, Chase.