Beni Paulson, raised on a ranch in Dunn County, North Dakota, was drawn to bull riding from an early age. He won a buckle riding calves when he was a kid and, inspired by the victory, Beni progressed to riding steers,  cows, and finally bulls. Beni rode bulls for 15 years and reached the pinnacle of his sport when he competed at the Professional Bull Riders World Finals. He was North Dakota's first rider to qualify for the event. Having mastered one profession, Paulson is now mastering another: the world of contemporary music. Brought up in a musical family, Beni followed the bent of his kin. After leading a number of North Dakotan bands, he has found his home as the lead singer and bassist of Breaking Eight, performing “music born on the back of a bull.”