Santa Fe High School shooting survivors get back up on their horses

ABILENE, Texas — It is a sport where every second counts.

Riding bucking horses is not only thrilling, but it also teaches some life lessons.

Last week at the Texas High School Rodeo Association State Finals, student rodeo athletes from all over the State of Texas came out to Abilene to compete for a chance to make the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Among the competitors at the Texas High School Rodeo Association State Finals, were Doug Greathouse's two sons, Douglas and Hunter, from Santa Fe, Texas.

Douglas has already graduated from high school and was there to help out Hunter.

"Just the thrill of getting to ride a bucking horse, feeling that animal buck underneath you, that's what it's all about," said the two brothers.

Hunter and Douglas had to overcome a lot to make it to this year's Texas High School Rodeo Association State Finals.

The two brothers were at school last year when a classmate of theirs walked into the school and suddenly started shooting people.

"It was hard for us to go through, but our faith in God helped us," said Hunter.

The school shooting is an event that the two brothers still do not like to talk about over a year after it happened.

Ten people were killed, 13 other people were wounded and it was a parent's worst nightmare.

"It was like a bolt of lightning when I heard the news, I'll never forget that day when I got notified that there was a shooting at the school," said Doug.

Faith is something that the Greathouse family talks about constantly, along with competing in rodeo events.

The Greathouse family comes from four generations of competing in rodeos and they said that participating in rodeos is in their blood.

"It made the faith stronger with God, going through the stuff keeps you stronger, even if it feels like he's not there," the two brothers said.

Douglas and Hunter are so close they are able to finish each other's sentences.

Doug was mostly quiet, but he reminded his sons to do their best out in the ring.

"Get tough," said Doug as Hunter got ready to ride his horse.

Douglas was behind the chute doing what needed to be done for Hunter's ride.

When the chute opened, there was no turning back.

As Doug cheered on and the crowd watched, Hunter was able to achieve his goal.

The Greathouse family traveled over 400 miles to Abilene to show people how to overcome tragedy and how to be courageous after dealing with a traumatic event.

The Greathouse family was able to defeat fear and their next thrill is just a bucking horse ride away.