Stephen Graefen competes in the bronc riding at the Washington Rodeo Tuesday night.

WASHINGTON TWP — In the moments before he steps into the ring, Chaz McGuire's adrenaline begins to rush.

He has been wrestling steer on his family farm in Harrisville since he was young, but the one he would be facing off with at the North Washington Rodeo would be different and unfamiliar to him.

Once the gates open, McGuire has minutes to subdue the steer and impress the judges as well as the audience.

“I'm a little more nervous,” McGuire said. “There are a lot of variables.”

This is an excerpt from Wednesday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.