Cowboy Up: Burlington native joins reality TV show

By Abe Winter

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 12:51 AM CST

A former Burlington resident will make his television debut as one of eight would-be cowboys on the new reality show, "Cowboy U 2004."

The two-hour show premiers at 8 p.m. Friday on CMT. It's the first of eight shows in the series.

David Bauman, an author of children's books, is considered one of the "city slickers" vying for the All-Around Cowboy title for the new series.

"It was amazing and it was completely unexpected," Bauman said. "I'd never done anything like this before, expect maybe ride a couple of trail horses. That was the extent of my cowboy experience."

He was actually online searching for teaching jobs when he inadvertently spotted the announcement regarding the search for fledgling cowboys. Bauman admitted to wanting such an opportunity ever since the reality show - CBS' "Survivor" - was aired.

Following an interview, he was selected for the competition, which started on a ranch in central California that was about four hours from his home.

"We had to go away for almost a month," Bauman said. "They put us in an actual bunkhouse that wasn't comfortable at all. Some of us had to share double beds. A hog sometimes would be let into the bunkhouse and it would do its thing right on the floor.

"The conditions were just terrible and after four or five days we got used to flies being everywhere. Once it got too cold they'd go to sleep and you'd look forward to that."

Attended St. Mary's Bauman graduated in 1980 from St. Mary's (now Catholic Central) High School in Burlington and in 1986 graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He currently lives in Los Angeles, has published two children's books and currently is working on a collection of children's poems and polishing a pilot for a possible TV show.

His parents are Chuck and Judy Bauman, both retired, and still living in the Burlington home where David was raised. He has two brothers, Bret and Peter, and a sister, Amy.

On the show, the contestants were taught about life on a working ranch without modern conveniences such as telephones and indoor showers. At the "boot camp" they had to learn about life on the range.

Bauman was joined by seven others from an assortment of careers in the endeavor. The contestants tried to outdo Mother Nature and each other, all while being followed by television cameras.

Prior to starting their adventure, the eight participants were trained by cowboys in such skills as bull riding and team roping.

Wachman, considered a tough ranch foreman, was the lead instructor. Here's his take on what was expected of the contestants: "They replaced a crew on a ranch," said Rocco Wachman, a ranch foreman and the contestants' lead instructor. "Every day animals had to be fed, things had to be fixed, things had to be painted, animals had to be doctored, manure had to be moved. They had to make their food, they had to lay on the ground, they had to go through rain, mud, scary animals, tough animals, a profusion of people and animals. They were at war for a short time."

Dangerous activities After their lessons, the contestants embarked on a six-day horse trek before being put to the test by trying their skills in three rodeo events - steer roping, barrel racing and bull riding.

That's right. To win the $25,000 cash prize and a Cowboy U 2004 saddle - a saddle being a common rodeo prize - each had to ride a 1,200-pound bull.

As the promoters proclaimed, yes, when it got serious, it was a live bull, not one of those mechanical ones you saw in the movie Urban Cowboy.

"Every day was taken up with lessons and competitions. We never got a lot of sleep," Bauman said.

They practiced roping and riding. They did ride a mechanical bull for practice, and there was some bareback riding.

"When you're on a real bull, you're kind of holding on for dear life with your legs," Bauman said. "I don't know how many of us thought it would come to that or if we really believed them. We thought it would be too much for us to handle.

"For people who had never done it before, just getting a saddle on for the first time can be

complicated."

The last week of training actually was a horse trek.

"Wherever we ended up, we just set up camp. We slept in sleeping bags under plastic on rainy nights," Bauman said. "Last night was in an actual teepee and that night we were actually led through a visualization of the bull riding."

Then came the competitive rodeo the next day.

"We went into an area and had a mini-rodeo," Bauman said.

No revelations And how did he fare? "Out of the eight contestants, I was one of two who didn't have to go to the hospital," he said, adding that the other uninjured contestant was the flight attendant. A lot weren't incredibly injured but one suffered a separated biceps."

And the natural question: Did Mr. Bauman take home the top prize? He isn't allowed to say.

"I don't think they want me to tell you what happened, but personally I feel I did better than I ever thought I would," Bauman said.

It's certainly an experience he'll never forget, and he's just happy for the opportunity.

"I never would have gotten on a bull at any time in my life," he said. "This experience provided that opportunity for me. I can't recall it very well, but I think I certainly conquered some amount of fear."

He also was taught the most important three lessons of being a cowboy.

"Take care of your horse first; always think of your fellow crew, and cowboy up," he said.

Meanwhile, it's back to normal for the ex-Burlington man who is a survivor in the truest sense. But not before he virtually signed his life away.

"Practically," he said. "We signed tons of paperwork and they also thrust another piece of paper in your face when you were literally on the bull and the gate was ready to be opened.

"But things are going well," he added, "and I'm going to be a little embarrassed to watch the show."

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