John “Twiggy” Bland was born in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1952 to Rosemary and R.L. “Big Daddy” Bland. When his family moved back to Texas, John spent his early years on a horse working cattle and sheep. His Uncle, John Will Cox and neighbor Cotton Taylor also had him riding calves and breaking young horses.
In Ozona, Texas John and his four siblings began competing against each other riding calves and roping everything. He built a bucking barrel between two trees and began his bull riding career. He rode steers and later bulls at the AJRA rodeos, where he won 4 world championships.
During his high school years, in Trent, Texas, he helped his family build their business, Cal-Tex Feed Yard.
John attended Tarleton College, and joined the rodeo team. They won the division in 1971 and advanced to the NIRA National Finals, which they also won. John was 3rd overall in the bull riding event.
He then joined the PRCA and began entering rodeos all over the U.S. winning bull riding and all around titles at several big rodeos including Deadwood, S.D., Gordon, NB., San Francisco, CA., Ft. Worth, TX., Houston, TX., San Antonio, TX., Abilene, TX., Walla Walla, WA., and Red Lodge, Alberta. Among these wins were several 90 point rides.
John made the National Finals in Oklahoma City two years in a row, 1976 and 1977. While competing at the National Finals he won one go-round and placed several times throughout. In 1977 he finished 6th in the world. Still to this day John is a gold card member with the PRCA.
John has four children, three step children and several grandchildren, some of whom are beginning in youth rodeos.
He calls Plains, Texas home now where he lives with his wife, Barbara. They spend their time on their ranch working the land and enjoying their family, friends, and fishing at their pond.
