Ride Till I Die Review – A Riveting Ride through the High-Risk World of Bull Riding

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Category: Indies, Docs, Foreign Film

Published on Monday, 11 April 2022 14:05

Written by Janet Walker

Ride Till I Die, from Gravitas Venture, brings to the screen a look inside the high-risk world of championship bull riding, and the high physical cost, the emotional toll, and the drive to be the best.

Featuring legendary Bull Rider Ricky Ringer, the film introduces the viewer to the high-risk sport of Bull Riding, through the lives of Ringer, his family, wife, son, and fellow competitors. Introducing Ringer, he seems every bit the stereotype of what one would expect when one hears the words bull riding.

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Riding a 2000lb wild, bucking, snorting, and angry bull for eight seconds may sound a bit insane, and for some, even his wife, the expectation of a debilitating injury once per season is very real. And it isn't simply being thrown and hitting the ground, hard. It is the possibility of being stepped on, kicked, gored. The danger of riding bulls is very real.

The film follows Ringer over the last two years of his professional career. One of the fortunate ones, he has ridden for nearly a decade, and secured a place in the history of the sport, wins are noted by buckles and prize money. With a bull riding career spanning over 25 years, Ringer has qualified in over 50 finals and won over a million dollars.

Psychologically, many would see the events of the film and say, of course, this is the motivation or that is the reason. And the truth is many people have had challenging childhoods, Ricky is no different. He was abandoned by his father walked out on his family and Ricky left home at 15 years old. He'll be the first to explain, he didn't want to live by the rules, his mom's rules or society's rules and decided he would make his own way.

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He had already found solace in bull riding and was successful early. His first prize money, he explains, "$97.00 dollars and he was rich." To him, that was his calling. He found a passion, and dedicated himself to becoming the best at it. The eight-second duel of man versus beast was his emancipation and Ricky was successful early and often. Prize money earned in the arena was adding up and a chance to make the pro circuit was in sight.

But despite all his success, Ricky could never win a championship and with the rigorous schedule came a heavy price. Ricky suffered many injuries, including a horrific incident where his face was crushed in 2010 which nearly ended his career.

Now at age 39, Ricky realizes his time is running out. His body is constantly in pain as over two decades of bull riding has taken its toll. Despite all the broken bones and permanent scars, Ricky keeps riding, and with his son, Lil' Ricky, and fellow rider Ernie Courson by his side, Ricky is determined to chase that elusive title or die trying.

The film is hypnotically mesmerizing on many levels. Most will never see the up close and personal behind the scenes of the sport. Nor will they see the devastating injuries, live. Leaving Sigmund Freud out of the conversation, clearly the pain threshold is not something many could or want to endure

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The determination to ride again, propelled by an inner drive that is unexplainable. "The pain," he explains, "only last a little while, the memories are a lifetime." It's challenging to understand. I guess it is just the choice of what bull one rides. We all get back up, in our respective rings, to ride and fight another day.

Fascinating and magnetic, Ride Till I Die is riveting. See it.

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Country: USA.

Language: English,

Runtime: 98 minutes.

Release Date: April 8, 2022 (Streaming, VOD).

Director: Tony Rammos.

Producer: Tony Rammos.

Cast: Ricky Ringer, Lil' Ricky (Rick Ringer, Jr.), Ernie Courson, Renee Ringer, Kenneth Kimbrell, Cynthia Kimbrell, Marilee Ringer.