In his striving to be a rodeo champion, Stoney Burke must contend with a self-serving friend, an unscrupulous promoter, a young punk itching for a fight, a beautiful woman betrothed to a rival, and the meanest bronc on the circuit--Megaton.
Soames Hewitt, the idle son of a judge in a traditional Southern community, fancies himself a bull rider. Stoney, E.J., and Cody become the targets of Soames' vicious temper when he believes they have dishonored his family's name.
A weapons expert investigates the death of an international dignitary who was killed by an arrow fired by an Indian during a rodeo pre-game act. Though the film of the incident appears to show the death was accidental, the expert believes it was murder.
After falling from a horse in a stall due to a stuck gate, Stoney finds himself unable to move his legs. But the doctors can find no medical explanation for it, and thus conclude that the paralysis is psychosomatic.
Stoney joins a senate campaign and agrees to make speeches because he remembers how much the senator helped his family, only to be disillusioned later during the campaign.
Two men have a large bet, one man bets on Stoney and tries to buy his cooperation. The other one bets on a friend of Stoney's who is riding with a hurt leg.
It's rodeo riders versus race car drivers when Stoney and company are hired to convert a community's racetrack into a rodeo arena over the violent objections of the local racing club.