Harland Bristol is the reigning saddle bronc champ. Getting ready to ride Megaton, Harland is critically injured when the rank bronc rears up and slams him into the chute wall.

Unfortunately, Stoney Burke was helping out - holding Megaton's head. Harland's brother Cody and his best friend E.J. Stoker blame Stoney for Harland's death.

The episode introduces us to the principal characters, establishes themes sewn throughout the series, and gives hints to the eventual outcome.

Thematic examples include forgiveness; Cody and E.J. go from wanting Stoney hurt for Harland's death to being his best friends and constant companions.

We learn what a sleaze the character of Ves Painter is, and the attendant friction - approach/avoidance - represented by Ves and Stoney's difficult relationship.

Stoney falls for Hamilton's girl (much younger than he) and seems willing to give it all up for her. She, however is smarter - or more mature than Stoney and realizes that if he does not go for the buckle -

An old political fight between two small-county commissioners causes the delay of Stoney and the rodeo from getting to the next venue, resulting in the death of one of the cowboys. The Police Commissioner wants his charity boxing match to run on the same night as the Health Commissioner's charity rodeo.

Thugs in the employ of one of the boxers pays Ves Painter to help disrupt the rodeo.

Hell's fury is unleashed when Stoney scorns the affections of a spoiled rich girl whose daddy is the town's power broker.

Stoney and E.J. notice that local boy Soames Hewitt is drunk, just moments before he is scheduled to ride a dangerous brahma bull.

Local teen-agers become upset when they discover that the old arena they use for stock car races will be converted into a rodeo IF Stoney Burke agrees to perform there.

Rodeo rider Miller Hill ties himself so tightly to a brahma bull he is riding that he ends up being killed by the animal. His family refuse to accept money that Stoney collects to help them in their hour of need.

Stoney is hit with a lawsuit when the bronc he is riding crashes thru a fence and injures a woman spectator, Loreen Julian.

Stoney's friendship with Ves is put to the test when Ves is jailed for murder. When a money clip belonging to the dead man is found in Ves' car even Stoney begins to have his doubts. A street bum holds the key, or in this case, a watch, to Ves' salvation. But first,Stoney and the boys must find him.

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Cloris Leachman plays Eunice Stocker, E.J.'s cousin. She wants E.J. to train her to be a rodeo trick rider.

A rich man, Byron Latimer, wants Stoney to help him tame his out of control teen-age son, David.

Stoney must compete against an emotionally disturbed bronc rider.

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Stoney experiences a series of accidents at the rodeo arena. He then begins receiving threatening phone calls. Ves becomes convinced that the ""accidents"" were not accidental afterall.

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During an exhibition of Indian archery, a government official is killed.

The boys take Stoney to a fancy club for his birthday. He meets the owner and singer who is having a few problems with her boyfriend and partner. Will spending time with Stoney help put things back where they belong?

Sgt. Andy Kincaid runs a center for boys who keep getting into trouble. The rodeo comes to the city and Stoney and the kids are asked to help with ticket sales. One of the kids thinks it's a great idea—he's planning on keeping the money for himself.

Amy Jensen is in charge of the Caldwell College Student Rodeo. She volunteered for the job because she's got a very serious crush on family friend Stoney. Amy has visions of wedding bells, but Stoney may have other ideas.

Spoiled Donna Weston wants it all but is so far in debt she can't see daylight. Her late father once saved Stoney's life and he feels obligated to help Donna, but she's more than he can afford.

When the shoot gate won't open, Stoney gets trampled by a bronc. He should only have a concussion, but he can't move his legs. The doctors can't find a reason for it, but it keeps him from the National Finals and may keep him from riding ever again.

Stoney is unable to ride at the World Championship Rodeo because of a badly injured hand. Desperate for money to send to his folks and hitting bottom, he takes a job delivering horses to the slaughter house. One of the horses turns out to be Megaton. Stoney takes a good hard look at where he's headed—and the slaughter house isn't it.