Love & Try by Andrew Giangola - WHA Winner 2023

Western Heritage Awards Wrangler Winner, Nonfiction Book, 2023

What exactly is it that makes professional bull riding so special? This book written by a PBR insider with a Foreword from two-time PBR World Champion J. B. Mauney answers that question, delving into the heart and soul of a sport that has now expanded by adding a new team league. Love & Try, written by Andrew Giangola, introduces the rugged cast and crew behind sporting events that wrap 8-second bursts of man-versus-beast mayhem into an all-American celebration of faith, freedom, and family. “This book is just what our sport needs,” said 9-time World Champion Ty Murray. “It’s an inspiring, in-depth exploration of this life, culture, sport and its people that will take readers places they may not have known existed. Anyone who may not have even considered bull riding a sport will see it could be the ultimate challenge for the athlete. Love & Try brilliantly shares what has captivated me my whole life.” As Mauney writes in the book’s first sentence: “If something’s not worth dying for, what’s the point of even living?” The rider often called 'The Dragonslayer', sets the scene for a group of unforgettable characters whom bull riding seemingly chose rather than them choosing bull riding. The sport is their defining love and passion.