The American Bucking Bull Magazine July / August 2010 by ABBI

Contents q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q

features

Columns

26 Backing the Brand

Chad Berger

Rodeo Livestock’s 30 C&G 34 Rod Conat is: Hands On

Tribute to Ronnie 42 ARoach and Houdini departments

with Greg Nunnery PhD. Trace Mineral Influences on Hoof Health and Bone Structure

Female Factor

Reminders, notes, deadlines, and schedules

The USBBA Junior Breeder Program

Nutrition

Sire Power

10 Headquarters Update 46 19

Junior Profile with Hannah Gant TNT Rodeo: A Family Affair

Behind the Chutes

ABBI Youth Profiles

legends

with Sugar Kuhn 329 Houdini

with Sugar Kuhn Royal Flush

The Bloodline with Marlissa Gonzalez Keeping It Simple: DNA Isolation

Warner’s Corner with Dr. Gary Warner Large Animal Vets: A Vanishing Breed

On the cover:

Bonafide Bucker

Blast from the Past

Satan’s Own From RSR to Ultimate Road Warrior

Cody Custer and Ted Nuce

Event recaps

56 57

Diamond S Futurity

ABBI Neckover Futurity Challenge

JW Hart Challenge

American Heritage Futurity

American Heritage Derby

Junior Futurity

Houdini and Ronnie Roach

Weatherford, Texas

Wild, Wild West Fest Classic Pueblo, Colorado

Archdale, NC

Decatur, Texas

Ardmore, Oklahoma

Houdini photo courtesy of the Monty Samford

q USBBA

Publisher

Susan Bedford July/Aug 2010

Editor in Chief

Sugar Kuhn

Hannah Gant Dr. Gary Warner Marlissa Gonzalez Melissa Volosin Contributing Writers

Rebecca Walker Zach Gunter Frank Cuccurullo Darren Epstein Account Executives

Ardmore, Oklahoma

Cedric Maniquiz Creative Director

Andy Watson Allen Glanville Photography

Assistant Editor The American Bucking Bull Magazine is owned and operated by the United States Bucking Bull Association in conjunction with American Bucking Bull Inc. all rights reserved. printing by worldcolor.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

USBBA 101 W. Riverwalk Pueblo, CO 81003

Phone: 719-242-2747 Fax: 719-242-2746 email: info@americanbuckingbull.com

i want to RidE alonG! PBR Fan contest ride along with your favorite exclusive genetics Bull rider during the 2010 PBr Year! it’s FREE to play, and the winner receives a Level 3 draft pick in the 2013 million dollar Bucking Bull futurity ($9,000 value)! for each BfT event, eg will hold a drawing on our Web site. All you have to do is fill out the form on the Web site and guess the score of the eg Bull rider of your choice. We will draw an entry for each event’s performance and announce the name and fan’s prediction on the Web site before the eg Bull rider attempts his ride. if the bull rider’s score matches the PBr fan’s guess, that fan wins a pick in the 2013 exclusive genetics million dollar Bucking Bull futurity to be held in Las vegas during the PBr finals!

Get in on the Game! 2013 Million Dollar Bucking Bull Futurity bulls are still available. Buy in now and draft your bull during the 2010 PBR Finals in Las Vegas! YouR BuLL couLD win the toP PRize oF $500,000! These are closed futurities for bulls purchased through the Million Dollar Bucking Bull Futurity program only and there will be a maximum of three hundred bucking bull calves eligible to compete in ANY of our Million Dollar Bucking Bull Futurities.

Entries will be accepted until 5 PM every Thursday on weeks when there is an event. Entries will only be valid when made Monday through Thursday the week of the event. A fan will be chosen for each round during the event (championship or short rounds are not included) through a random drawing and their score prediction will be announced on the Web site before the first performance of the event. You must be 21 years of age to enter and by signing up you will be joining the Exclusive Genetics mail list.

Go to ExclusivEGEnEtics.com to enter and learn more!

BUC KI NG BUL L T R AI NE R S The Jaynes gang is happy to announce that mike white PRca world champion bull rider and PBr superstar is now a BucKinG Bull tRainER FoR tHE JaYnEs GanG!

bull photos by Allen GlAnville, Ad by CR publishinG

The Jaynes gang now has two training locations. Orchard, Texas and dekalb, Texas and customers will have the option to have their bulls trained at either location for the 2011 season! P.O. BOX 200 • Orchard, TeXas 77464 • 979-478-2855(BULL) • e-maiL: infO@eXcLUsivegeneTics.cOm

w w w.E xclusivEGEnEtics.com

President’s Message

with Brad Boyd

q q

The American Heritage is always one of our biggest events of the year, in terms of participation and money paid out. Between the three events, we had over 275 bulls entered and paid out $588,000. I’m really happy at how well everything went. Thanks to everyone who came out and participated or dropped by to watch the events. We had a great Derby on Friday night with proceeds benefiting the Junior Futurity system. There were 89 3-year-olds bucked and the arena crew and ABBI staff did a fantastic job of keeping everything running smoothly. A big thanks to our arena pickup men too- James DeBord, Cody Lambert and J.W. Hart. The Futurity action kicked off Saturday morning with our first Junior event of the season and it was great to see so many youth members participating with so much enthusiasm. Congratulations to our three first place bulls and their owners Tyler Terrell, Colt Hawks and Hunter, Blake and Saylor Ohl. Their winning bulls each earned over $5,200. The American Heritage Futurity showcased a really strong group of 2-year-olds for 2010 and I think the Futurity Finals in Las Vegas will be even better than last year. We had 165 bulls entered and folks who traveled as far away as California and North Carolina to participate. The Super Classics are just around the corner. The first will be in Tulsa, followed by Springfield. In case you haven’t heard, these are events where our Classic bulls will buck twice (Friday and Sunday)- maximizing the exposure of our ABBI bulls. It says a lot about the caliber of our animals that Cody Lambert is giving us two rounds. As you may have noticed if you attended or watched the Pueblo BFTS event, the Classic bulls now have yellow ear tags to identify them as ABBI bulls. The Wild Card is still being finalized, so watch for more details to come. We’re also working out the Finals details, but it looks like we’ll be doing the long round of the Futurity Finals in Texas. If your 2-year-old advances to the short (championship) round, that will be at the PBR FanZone at Mandalay Bay like last year. Don’t forget you can always find the latest information on events at www.americanbuckingbull.com or www.abbinow.com. Thanks for your support and I hope to see all of you at an event soon.

q Mission Statement q q Record and preserve the pedigrees of the world’s premier

bucking bull livestock while maintaining the integrity and enhancing the value of the breed. q Provide beneficial services for ABBI members that enhance

and encourage “best practices” in bucking bull ownership, breeding, training and welfare. q Generate interest and growth in ABBI through registered

cattle ownership, membership, education, sponsorship and involvement through marketing, promotion, advertising and publicity of the bucking bull breed and ABBI benefits, services and events. q Develop diverse and comprehensive programs and events

that will educate and familiarize owners, members and the general public in the unique heritage and qualities of bucking bull livestock.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Brad Boyd President, American Bucking Bull Inc.

Behind the Chutes

When people find out what I do for a living, the usual response is that I’m “so lucky” to get to be that close to the great bull atheletes of the ABBI and PBR. Most people who follow the sport of bull riding can’t imagine anything better than experiencing what I have had the privilege of seeing weekend after weekend, for the last 10 years. I get to see the arena action live, and up very close. I have been witness to some of the greatest rides in history, usually not more than 50 yards away. If I ever stop working long enough to have kids, I will have great stories to tell my grandchildren someday. I feel very lucky to have such an incredible job. But I know what really makes me lucky is the people I meet because of my job. From the fans, to the breeders and their families, and my co-workers- I am constantly inspired by the people around me. People in this sport help each other out and are the kind of people you can really count on. Despite any geographical, cultural or other differences, our sport truly does try to embrace everyone who is passionate about bucking bulls. Our sport focuses on what we have in common, not what makes us different. At the Pueblo ABBI and BFTS event, I had the chance to not only watch some great bull riding but to really spend some time with amazing people. I spent time with the fans who were eager to take part not only in the PBR autograph sessions but the Bull Housing Tour. The Ring of Honor welcomed two more men into their ranks- my former boss PBR CEO Randy Bernard and the great Razor. I was lucky enough to work for the PBR when Jim Sharp was still riding and he is one of the greats of all time. Period. Razor earned the ring through his talent and never quit attitude. Randy earned it through his work ethic and dedication to a sport he loved. As wonderful as the Ring of Honor presentation was, nothing for me compared to earlier that morning. I got to attend the Sharon Shoulders Award brunch honoring Tiffany Davis. Tiffany was the second recipient of the Sharon Shoulders Award, and it was presented to her by the award’s namesake. Tiffany Davis and Sharon Shoulders with Jim Shoulder’s wife ShaLeah Garcia, event emcee. ron moved everyone with her stories of what life was like as a “citified” wife of a bull rider, and then Tiffany moved everyone to tears...of sorrow, joy and ultimately laughter. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place (and that includes the cowboys in attendance). If people could be half as resourceful as Sharon and half as determined and inspirational as Tiffany...well we could probably end hunger and accomplish world peace. These days I am also consistently inspired by our Junior members. I don’t think I would have had the poise to do what they do at that age. When I see their passion, drive and determination- I know our sport is in good hands in the future. My close friends and co-workers have kids involved in the Junior Futurity program and words can’t even begin to accurately tell you how important and meaingful it is for these kids.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

with Susan Bedford

qqq

Those that aren’t 9 yet speak longingly of the day they can enter an event, and those headed to college are truly saddened that they are aging out of the system. This magazine and the USBBA aim to support those kids (our future) and I can’t thank everyone enough who helps with that mission by supporting Award designed by Jeffrey Scott the youth system (with donations of money, time or services) and the magazine (through advertising). The best part of my job is definitely the people. But the bulls can sometimes be a close second. I’ll never forget the time I “rode” Little Yellow Jacket in the chute for about 90 seconds. A TV crew needed some live footage at 7am in the morning on a Saturday and someone (probably me) had the inane idea that I should talk about the upcoming event from the chute on a bull to get people’s attention, so I did. I have a unique job that has afforded me unforgettable memories and unparalleled experiences. But what truly matters is that I have met people who I can call my heroes and lifelong friends- people who inspire me to follow their example and be a better person. If you are involved with the industry, then you already know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t gotten involved yet, then I hope I’ve inspired you to become a part of this amazing industry.

LeeAnn Hart performed a song she wrote for Tiffany Davis.

Jerome was entertained and moved by his wife’s stories.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

ABBI

ABBI Biz q q q q q q q q q q q q q

Headquarter Headlines Updates to the Website: Office staff is en-

2010 American Heritage Futurity T-Shirts:

couraging everyone to clean up their own inventory by marking those animals sold or deceased with the *NEW* easy click of a button. Both these options clearly mark the animal and move them to your deceased tab or previous inventory, respectively. By managing your own herd it helps staff to identify those animals that are still currently being used and to serve the breeders better. Thank you in advance for your help with this.

Do not miss your chance at getting your OFFICIAL American Heritage Futurity “It’s All About the Bulls” T-Shirt on sale now for only $20. Call the office today to get your T-shirts sent to you or order online. Get one for every member of the family! What a great way to remember this year’s event, whether you were able to attend or watched it live on the website!

Blood kits can now be ordered online:

A Big Thanks: To all of those who made the American

Get yours as soon as possible so that you can send them in throughout the year and beat the year end rush. Avoid missed payments and pay your American Heritage online too!

Office Changes and Congratulations:

We would like to congratulate Lauryn Dunham as she was accepted into nursing school. Lauryn was our office assistant and helped us through last year’s registration rush. We also like to congratulate Melissa Volosin who will be soon become Melissa Smith and will be moving to northern Colorado.

New Voice on the Phone: We would like to welcome Alyssa Parga from Pueblo. Alyssa attended Johnson & Wales University for her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and an Associate’s Degree in Hospitality Management. After college Alyssa worked at a local consulting firm and now joins the office staff as our Office Assistant.

Heritage a huge success- from the competitive bulls to those behind the chutes and especially the guys in the back pens. We hope you all had as much fun as we did!

Jack Attack! Kenny Jack of J Bar

C Ranch in Stringtown, Okla. was bit by a rattlesnake in April.He was riding in his cart and stopped to check on a cow when he felt a sting on his leg. When he looked down, the snake was still caught in his coveralls. He rushed home to find he was only grazed by the snake but his coverall pant leg was soaked with venom. Kenny went to hospital and was checked out and sent home. He had some slight swelling along with stinging and a bruise the size of a baseball. We have always joked with Kenny about wearing his signature coveralls, but maybe this time they saved his life!

q Member’s Mailbag:

2012 American Heritage Futurity Late Payments: Beginning 2012, if you miss a pay-

ment you will have the option of a late penalty payment. The late payment is $100/day for the first 14 days and then it is $250/day until the next payment. Late payments are not available for the first payment in August, the March payment where you have to name the bull or the May (final) payment and event entry.

Addition of a Junior Futurity:

We are excited about our addition of a Junior Futurity in West Jordan, Utah on July 10, 2010 and look forward to adding more junior events each year.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

SJR 124 the dam of ABBI & PBR accomplished bucker Hippy Music celebrates Mothers Day with her 2010 bull calf sired by Lost in Paradise.

q q q q q q q q ABBI Member Benefits q q q q

ABBI

From your official sponsors: Members receive 6 colorful, educational issues of The American Bucking Bull magazine each year. In addition, members qualify for the special Member Rate when they advertise in The American Bucking Bull, the ABBI Breeders Guide or the ABBI Las Vegas Finals program.

To be the Official Equipment Company of the PBR, Priefert has to prove its equipment is worthy every week! Designed with ultimate durability and safety for both man and animal, Priefert’s Rough Stock line of bucking chutes, arenas and holding pens not only withstand being tested by the toughest bulls in the world, they must also repeatedly handle being loaded, unloaded and set up for PBR events all across the country. To quote Randy Bernard, “It (Priefert equipment) has never let us down—ever.” Priefert is proud to support the Toughest Sport on Earth and understands the importance of protecting your investment in the next 4-legged star of the PBR. Visit www.priefert.com or call 800-527-8616.

Big Tex would like to extend a great discount to all ABBI members and PBR riders, stock contractors and bull owners. All you have to do in an e-mail or phone call is mention Big Tex Trailers slogan “Tough As A Texas Longhorn” or “Big Tex 13” for your special discount. Big Tex Trailers has a large selection of new and used trailers available. Horse, stock, utility, cargo, and many other trailers are available at all times, as well as truck beds. Big Tex Trailers takes any type of trailer in on trade and offers financing and a large selection of parts. Mt. Pleasant, Texas. (903) 577-7418 or mitzil@bigtextrailers.com. www.trailersdirect.com or www.bigtextrailers.com.

teampbr.com

myspace.com/pbr_bfts

ok/professional bull riders

teampbr.com yspace.com/pbr_bfts

Andee Lamoreaux General Manager Brad Boyd President Kaycee Simpson Vice President Monty Samford Sean Gleason Scott Pickens J.W. Hart Cody Lambert Shawn McDermott Ty Murray

pbrnow.com/wo

myspace.com/pbr_bfts

Twitter/teampbr

2010 ABBI BOARD OF DIRECTORS ABBI Shareholders Scott Accomazzo & Moody-Rice Cattle Co. David M. Allen Berger Bucking Bulls Diamond S Bucking Bulls & Scott Pickens Dillon & H.D. Page Jerome & Tiffany Davis Bob Diedrich & Jason Diedrich Brad Boyd & Toby Floyd Russell Gant

Courage is measured in seconds. Many dream about it. For the lucky souls who live it, there’s Wrangler Western Wear.

With more than 30 years of combined experience designing and manufacturing Hydraulic Squeeze Chutes and Working Facilities for Feedlots and Cattle Producers, Cattleac chutes are built with the same heavy material needed for strength and lasting durability. Standard layout, or customize a layout to fit your needs. www.cattleaccattleequip.com

Cooper Tires is the official tire sponsor of both the ABBI and the PBR. A fraction of a second really counts in bull riding, and when a fraction of a second is on the line, you can count on Cooper Tires to make a difference. Visit coopertire.com.

now.com

Twitter/tea

Twitter/teampbr f facebook/profes

q Lyndal Hurst Doug & Stephanie Joseph Don & Janelle Kish Tino/Edward Martinez Julio Moreno, Cindy Rosser & Cotton Rosser Jim Bob & Diana Nall Paradise Farms Monty Samford Tony Sharp & Craig Zaunbrecher Kaycee Simpson Bob & Kristen Tallman

Thomas Taylor & Nikki Gusel Tom Teague Trevor Walker Cliff Wiggins

ABBI Contact: 101 West Riverwalk Pueblo, CO. 81003 Phone: 719-242-2747 Fax: 719-242-2746 andee@americanbuckingbull.com

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

ABBI

ABBI Info q q q q q q q q q q q q

Judging: ABBI’s 5 Category Judging System Overview

s always the ABBI has been hard at work and this season at four futurity events a new judging system has been implemented and utilized in an attempt to improve how our 2-year-olds are judged. Whether you like or dislike the ABBI’s latest attempt at cutting edge futurity judging one thing is certain, every effort is being made to hear breeder’s concerns and suggestions and to implement ideas which will ultimately improve and streamline the manner in which 2-year-olds are judged. The system implements five judges, each focusing on just one of five categories scrutinized during a bull’s performance at a competition. The five categories that judges consider are; Buck, Kick, Spin, Intensity and Degree of Difficulty. The following outlines specifically what each judge should be looking for in their perspective category.

Scale Judging System Elements

1 Buck:

3 Spin (Change of Direction)

In this system the term “buck” refers to the height achieved with the front feet and shoulders as a bull begins each jump of a trip. Technically correct bulls will complete this action by kicking their hind legs, however not all will kick, and that is a separate category from buck. Bulls that “get in the air” and get their front feet a foot or two off the ground as they peak and break over get the most credit in the buck category. Another consideration is the number of jumps they complete during the course of the trip. Still another factor can be how much ground they cover.

Also referred to as the speed category, spin is the most difficult to assess if a bull is only ridden for a jump or two. In this situation, a judge must assume that the amount a bull was spinning (or the number of rounds) would have continued at the same rate for eight seconds. For this reason, it is important, in order to achieve high marks in the spin department, to “turn back” or begin to spin as early as possible so that more time is spent spinning than covering ground. Determining factors in the spin category are: how fast (how many rounds if ridden eight seconds), how far around a bull goes with each jump ( bulls who take two jumps to complete a revolution get more credit than those who take four jumps). While bulls that spin without bucking or kicking are docked points in those categories, they still can earn high marks for spin even though they are flat, the fact that they don’t perform well in the buck and kick categories will take care of itself in the total score. Another factor that makes a spinning bull hard to ride is if they are “ square” or move forward as they spin, or if they drift, or fade across the arena as they spin. These elements are measured in the degree of difficulty category, and need not be assessed along with spin. A judge must be attentive to whether a bull was in the process of turning back or not as the rider was thrown in order to successfully determine if a bull was beginning to spin. Then he must use that determination to decide how much, or how many rounds would have been accomplished in eight seconds had he been ridden.

2 Kick: “Kick” in the scale system refers to the extension and snap of the hind legs at the peak of each jump. Determining factors as to the number of points earned in this category are how high and how hard a bull kicks, how much vertical body angle he achieves as he kicks, and whether or not he kicks each and every jump. Additionally, bulls who kick at the peak of each jump instead of waiting until their front feet reach the ground deserve more credit in this important category.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

4 Intensity This category is nothing more than the amount of effort, or level of intensity that a bull is using as he bucks. In other words, how much try is he putting into the trip. As in the degree of difficulty category, if a bull has high marks in the core elements, it would be hard not to assume that he is using a high degree of intensity as he bucks. However, we have all seen bulls that seem to be just “going through the motions” with very little enthusiasm even though they are, for the most part, doing everything right. This category allows for separation between bulls with similar trips when one was putting more of himself into the effort, and deserves to be marked over the other one. While the category might seem a little vague unless you’ve watched a lot of bulls, it will prove useful in that it will allow a judge who liked one bull’s trip better than another one but can’t say exactly why, to fall back on the intensity aspect, which is most likely what looked better about the trip anyway.

q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q qq 5 Degree of Difficulty There are a number of factors that can occur in a bulls trip that elevate the degree of difficulty, and it is important to note that the bull that does everything else right automatically has a high degree of difficulty for that simple reason. Therefore just because a bull is honest and doesn’t use tricks to get a rider off, he shouldn’t be penalized in this category for doing things right. Having said that, there are those elements of a trip that some bulls employ that make them harder to ride than bulls that don’t. These things don’t necessarily make a bull better, and again it should be mentioned that the most desirable methods of increasing degree of difficulty are by doing the core elements (buck, kick, spin) well. Further, the bull that is using time and energy performing some of the trickier elements generally associated with “d of d” is usually losing ground in some other area. The most generally defined elements of this category are: drift or fade, accomplished by a bull covering ground as he spins; moving forward in the spin; belly roll; drop, direction change; lack of timing etc.

While most of the feedback has been positive about the 5 Category Judging System, the most common concern from breeders seems to be the number of place splits or ties that are occurring. However since each judge has not only five points to award in their perspective category but actually twenty points when quarter points are considered, the question of adequate point spread seems mute. The answer to this issue may lay in judges becoming more familiar with the system and marking their perspective category. Either way, knowing that each judge can concentrate on their one specific element during a bull’s out seems more conducive to accurately marking a bull’s ability. The 5 Category Judging System demonstrates the ABBI’s dedication to improving all aspects of bucking bull competition. It’s just one more way that the ABBI has worked to consider and cultivate fresh concepts that propel the entire industry.

ABBI Shareholder Profile Hometown: Kamas, Utah Family: Wife Shannon, Children Ty, Kylee, Madison & Chase

Ranch Name: Simpson Cattle Co. Brand: Quarter Circle 11 Quarter Circle Shareholder Status: Original

Hometown: Clyde, Texas Family: Wife Janet, Sons Riley and Rex Ranch Name: Samford Livestock, LLC Brand: Flying S Shareholder Status: Original Shareholder

Board Member: Term 2009-2011 Kaycee Simpson Board Member: 2 terms 2005-2006 & Monty Samford Year Started Raising Bucking 2009-2011 Bulls: 1991 Year Started Raising Bucking Mentor: Ronnie Roach Bulls: 1992 Bulls from Flying S: Nightlife, Wildlife, Captain Hook, Copenhagen Mentor: Cotton Rosser Barracuda, Getcha Some, Freak on a Bulls from Simpson Cattle Co: Shareholder

Red Alert, Sheep Dip, White Lightning, Tighty Whitey, Thunder N Lightning, Stump Whiskey, Skunk, 432 Milkman Advice to New Breeders: “When you are just getting started focus on quality rather than quanity. It’s better to start out with 10 quality cows than a bunch that are just papers. You can accomplish a lot more approaching it this way. Don’t get discouraged. Keep at it and eventually you’ll get one that bucks”

Leash, Chrome Molly, Handsome Jack, Start Me Up, Party Time, What I Say, Party All the Time, Bring It, Ice Cream Paint Job, Surprise Party, Time to Party, What a Party, Gets Tricky, Gotcha Some, Little Johnny Black and Big Nasty. Advice to New Breeders: “Take your time and do your research. If it’s too good to be true, it’s too good to be true. Always take time and don’t be afraid to talk to people, it’s the only way you will ever learn anything. As far as the ABBI is concerned, if you want to be the best, you have to go play with the best.” The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

ABBI

Upcoming Events q q q q q q q q q

Remaining Season Events

ABBI 2010 Awards

Schedule subject to change. Visit www.americanbuckingbull.com for up-to-date information.

(Classic based upon money.) (Futurity based upon points.)

Mike White Invitational Classic Lake Charles, LA 6/25/2010 to 6/26/2010

Closed

Mike White Invitational Futurity Lake Charles, LA 6/26/2010 to 6/26/2010

Closed

Cal Ranch Presents The Dickies Northwest PBR Touring Pro Division Classic West Jordan, UT 7/10/2010 to 7/10/2010

Opens: 6/14/2010 8 AM Closes: 6/28/2010 5 PM

West Jordan Futurity West Jordan, UT 7/10/2010 to 7/10/2010

Opens: 6/14/2010 8 AM Closes: 6/28/2010 5 PM

West Jordan Junior Futurity West Jordan, UT 7/10/2010 to 7/10/2010

Opens: 6/14/2010 8 AM Closes: 6/28/2010 5 PM

Tulsa Super Classic Tulsa, OK 7/16/2010 to 7/17/2010

Opens: 6/21/2010 8 AM Closes: 7/5/2010 5 PM

Lightning C Summer Bash (Futurity) Claremore, OK 7/17/2010 to 7/17/2010

Finals Champion Classic Bull

Gist Buckle - $250,000

Finals Champion Futurity Bull

Gist Buckle - $100,000

Reserve Finals Champion Classic Bull

Gist Buckle

Reserve Finals Champion Futurity Bull

Gist Buckle

Year End Champion Classic Bull

Gist Buckle – (1 yr. lease) - trailer

Year End Champion Futurity Bull

Gist Buckle – (1 yr. lease) - trailer

Reserve Year End Classic Bull

Gist Buckle

Reserve Year End Futurity Bull

Gist Buckle

Ronnie Roach Award Breeder of the Year

(1st Registered Breeder/Owner of Classic Finals Winner) Gist Buckle – $1000 Certificate toward CM pickup flatbed Bronze Statue

Horizon Award

Opens: 6/21/2010 8 AM Closes: 7/5/2010 5 PM

(Breeder of Futurity Finals Winner) Gist Buckle – $1000 Certificate toward CM pickup flatbed

High Money 3-year-old Bull

Gist Buckle - Custom plaque

Lightning C Summer Bash (Junior Futurity) Claremore, OK 7/17/2010 to 7/17/2010

Opens: 6/21/2010 8 AM Closes: 7/5/2010 5 PM

Top 5 Year End Money Winners for 2-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-yearold bulls

15% Discount Certificates

Weatherford Battle of the Bulls Weatherford, TX 7/30/2010 to 7/31/2010

Opens: 7/5/2010 8 AM Closes: 7/19/2010 5 PM

Davis Rodeo Ranch Trailer Challenge (Round 2) Presented by Neckover Trailers Archdale, NC 7/31/2010 to 7/31/2010

Opens: 7/5/2010 8 AM Closes: 7/19/2010 5 PM

Texas Heritage National Bank PBR Challenge Classic Sulphur Springs, TX 8/13/2010 to 8/14/2010

Opens: 7/19/2010 8 AM Closes: 8/2/2010 5 PM

Texas Heritage National Bank Challenge Futurity Sulphur Springs, TX 8/14/2010 to 8/14/2010

Opens: 7/19/2010 8 AM Closes: 8/2/2010 5 PM

Texas Heritage National Bank Challenge Junior Futurity Sulphur Springs, TX 8/14/2010 to 8/14/2010

Opens: 7/19/2010 8 AM Closes: 8/2/2010 5 PM

Jerome Davis PBR Invitational Archdale, NC 9/3/2010 to 9/4/2010

Opens: 8/9/2010 8 AM Closes: 8/23/2010 5 PM

Davis Rodeo Ranch Trailer Challenge (Round 3) Presented by Neckover Trailers Archdale, NC 9/4/2010 to 9/4/2010

Opens: 8/9/2010 8 AM Closes: 8/23/2010 5 PM

Springfield Super Classic Springfield, MO 9/17/2010 to 9/18/2010

Opens: 8/23/2010 8 AM Closes: 9/6/2010 5 PM

2011 American Heritage Futurity Ardmore, OK To be determined

Opens: 8/15/2009 12 AM Closes: 5/15/2011 5 PM

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

IT’S EASY TO ADVERTISE!

1) Contact a sales rep for The American Bucking Bull. 2) Send us your ad, or ask us about our affordable design services. 3) If you don’t have photos you own to use, contact bullstockmedia.com. They have ABBI and PBR event photos and have special packages for stock contractors (for print ads as well as for your website needs). 4) Approve your ad proof 5) See your ad in the next issue of The American Bucking Bull!

ADVERTISE WITH US:

Frank@americanbuckingbull.com RebeccaW@americanbuckingbull.com Zach@americanbuckingbull.com Darren@americanbuckingbull.com (corporate accounts)

Surefire

Chicken On A Chain

Yellow Jacket Jr.

Team PBR Behind the Scenes

Bull Housing Tour Story and Photos by Susan Bedford

At the Pueblo Built Ford Tough Series event, Team PBR members got the opportunity to take a bull housing tour. Over 150 people woke up early on a Sunday to come meet their favorite animal athletes up close and personal. Several stock contractors came out to lead guided tours. Chad Cody Lambert with fans Berger, Jeff Robinson, H.D. Page, Cody Hebert, Scott Pickens and Cory Melton were all on hand to answer questions about their bulls. PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert also spoke to the tour groups and not only took the time to take pictures with his fans, but also to really explain how the bulls are transported, cared for and what goes into an event. Lambert stayed until all the fans questions were answered. Most of the fans were awed by the size of the animals and everyone left with a better understanding of what it takes to be an animal athlete in the PBR.

Real Moody

Fan tour

Best buddies Chicken and Booger Butt

Fans looking at Chicken On A Chain

Chad Berger

Cody Lambert and Jeff Robinson answer fan questions

Fan Q&A:

Who is your favorite PBR BULL and why?

H.D. Page and Jeff Robinson with young fan Ryan Martinez

Tracy Phipps,

Elizabeth, Colo (right): (Laughs) I like them by color! I like brindles and the white ones with black spots. I’m not a name person! I do like them when they have horns, because I like it when they go after the cowboys.

Mary Earle, Elizabeth, Colo (left): I like that

Ryan Martinez, Pueblo, Colo: Chicken on a Chain is my favorite.(Dad Ryan also shared that he also likes Red Rocker from “back in the day” and that he watches old Lane Frost videos. “Some people love Elvis, some people love John Elway. He loves Flint (Rasmussen) and the PBR!” )

little Pinball Wizard really well. I like that he is so fast that no one can really cover him. But we just met Chicken on a Chain and Voodoo too, and that was pretty impressive. The size of Chicken is amazing, the fact that he can even get off the ground!

Janet Bennett,

Lamar, Colo: We like Voodoo Child, Code Blue, I like them all - and I like the cute cowboys too! This is the first bull housing tour we’ve been on and to be right here with them is incredible. We were just flabbergasted. To be up close to them like this and really see them is an experience.

Max Bennett, Lamar, Colo: We also really like Little Yellow Jacket. We’ve been around cattle, but this is a different breed of bull and to be this close is really neat. They said we could hand-feed some, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to get that close!

Jason Richard Thomas, Canyon City, Colo: I like ones that are hard to ride. I like Voodoo Child and Chicken on a Chain. I actually like Voodoo Child because of his size, he’s smaller and faster. He reminds me of Blueberry Wine. I really liked Oscar too back when he was around. I see some bulls bucking on TV nowadays that have Oscar blood in them.

Cindy Foley,

Boulder, Colo: My favorite bull of all time is Little Yellow Jacket. I had neck surgery awhile ago and after I watched every show on HBO, I started watching the PBR and I just fell in love with that bull. That was 10 years ago, and I’ve watched every show since. That bull was just a phenomenal athlete. I saw Yellow Jacket Jr. in Vegas and I met him today, and I think he’s coming on. I see a little of Little Yellow Jacket in him, but Little Yellow Jacket was just so distinguishable with those horns. I think Yellow Jacket Jr. might be a little bit bigger. I do love the bigger bulls who jump and twist. One of the things I liked about Little Yellow Jacket was that he wasn’t mean. Once he got you off his back, he was done with you. I love a bull with that type of attitude. And some of the bulls are just so beautiful. Chicken on a Chain is a beautiful bull. Reindeer Dippin’ was a beautiful bull.

Stay tuned to pbrnow.com and Pro Bull Rider magazine to find out when the next Team PBR bull housing tour will be.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Columns

Junior Profile

by Hannah Gant

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TNT Rodeo: A Family Affair

irst year ABBI member, Tyler Terrell from Anson, Texas got the glory this year at the Ardmore, Oklahoma ABBI Junior Futurity. There was a three-way tie for first place between Tyler Terrell, Hunter Ohl, and Colt Hawks, with a score of 21.25. Tyler said, “With all this money I just won, I’m putting it in my savings and savin’ it up!” This year was Tyler’s first year to participate in the Junior Futurities. The 11-year-old has an older brother Trevor (19) who competed the last two years in the ABBI Youth Futurity system and had a great deal of success with Spider Monkey. Tyler’s winning Futurity calf was out of Straight Jacket, and he just goes by Terrell 834 for now. Tyler said, “He doesn’t get a real good name until he earns one.” Besides breeding bulls, Tyler, Trevor and their father Mitch put on a rodeo series. Most of the bloodlines on the TNT ranch come from the famous Mudslinger, Houdini and Straight Jacket. Mitch Terrell was an owner of Houdini for about 4 years; he also has been a member of the

ABBI from the very beginning and has been participating in many events throughout the years. Tyler’s favorite part about having bucking bulls is getting to help feed and take care of them daily. He also likes to round up cows on horseback. In Tyler’s spare time he likes to help put on rodeos and practice bucking bull moves with his brother. He plans on going to the next Youth Futurity in Claremore, Okla. and winning it again. Tyler would also like to add his favorite part about winning this year was beating Rex Samford! Thank you all Junior participants, and hopefully we will see you in Claremore on July 17. I would also like to thank all of the sponsors for this year’s ABBI Junior Futurities; we couldn’t have made it happen without all of your support.

Tyler Terrell (right) Terrell 834, ABBI JR Futurity, Ardmore, Okla. (below)

Photos by Allen Glanville

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

ABBI’s

YOUTH PROFILES If you’re young, rambunctious and love bucking bulls, the ABBI’s USBBA Junior Breeder program is for you!

The sky is the limit when you become a Junior Breeder. The opportunity to raise and buck bulls, buy and buck bulls, be sponsored by a mentor with a bull you can buck, or to root for your peers from the sidelines are only a small list of the opportunities available to you as a Junior Breeder. If you’re a 4-H member consider using the American Bucking Bull as an approved project. If your an FFA member, it’s already possible to use the American Bucking Bull as your latest approved SASE project. If you’re lined out for entering your own bull in competition, we’ve got you covered. There are three upcoming junior events already scheduled. (Visit abbinow.com then go to the junior section for more details.) Winners receive an event championship buckle donated by the Samford family and arrangements are already underway for putting together an extensive year-end award program. Another exciting opportunity is being created for you FFA and 4-H die-hards in the way of judging. If you’ve ever judged livestock and love bucking bulls, the USBBA is working on a way to not only groom you as a potential future bucking bull judge but also to provide you with the opportunity to test your skills at sorting classes of bucking bulls in action! Similar to other livestock judging contests offered through 4-H and FFA, USBBA is hard at work building a terminology manual and junior breeder judging system. Look for the terminology manual, sample classes, their placements and oral reasons coming soon AND stay tuned for more on the exciting ventures available with USBBA Junior Breeder programs!

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

ABBI’s

YOUTH PROFILES

s t n a p i c i t r a p y rit u t u F r o i n u J e r o m d r A 0 1 0 2 Now THAT’S a buckle!

Kids!

Draw and name a mascot for us! The winner will be announced next issue. You can mail your picture to the USBBA/ABBI office or scan and email it to sugar@americanbuckingbull.com.

Saylor Ohl shows her dad Cody her buckle The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

ABBI’s

YOUTH PROFILES

NAME: Cash Kuhn AGE: 17 HOMETOWN: Tracy, California HOBBIES: Riding bulls, hunting, work-

ing out and working cows. FAVORITE THING ABOUT RAISING BUCKING BULLS:

Riding them. HARDEST THING ABOUT RAISING BUCKING BULLS:

Making a really good one. WHAT TYPE OF FLANK DO YOU PREFER, COTTON, BRAIDED NYLON OR LATIGO PULL TYPE:

Braided Nylon FAVORITE PBR BULL: Commotion

and Little Yellow Jacket Jr., but Mudslinger is my favorite PBR bull of all time. WHO IS YOUR HERO OR MENTOR IN THE BUCKING BULL BUSINESS:

My heroes in the bull business are Don Kish, John Growney, Cotton and Cindy Rosser, Steve and Julie Ravenscroft, H.D. Page, Monty Samford and Chad Berger. My parents are my mentors. IF YOU COULD ADD ANY GENETICS INTO YOUR HERD THAT YOU DON’T ALREADY HAVE, WHAT WOULD IT BE:

Mr. Juicey, Black Pearl, Red Rocker, Cowtown, Cash and Apollo.

The Junior Breeder program is open to all kids through age 18. Kids can start competing at Futurities at age 9.

NAME: Zane Kuhn AGE: 10 HOMETOWN: Tracy, California HOBBIES: Baseball, ranching and

NAME: Cade Davis AGE: 7 HOMETOWN: Lampasas, Texas

working cattle, hunting, golf and border collie dogs.

HOBBIES: Hunting and Fishing.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT RAISING BUCKING BULLS:

BUCKING BULLS:

Riding my horse to work them and bucking them with the dummy or putting riders like my brother on them.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT RAISING

Exercising the bulls. HARDEST THING ABOUT RAISING BUCKING BULLS:

HARDEST THING ABOUT RAISING BUCKING BULLS:

Trying to find the Heat Watch patches when they fall off the AI and donor

Constantly fixing fence from all the bull fights.

cows in the pasture.

WHAT TYPE OF FLANK DO YOU PREFER, COTTON, BRAIDED NYLON OR LATIGO PULL TYPE:

Cotton is the easiest but I’m learning about using braided nylon too. FAVORITE PBR BULL: Black Pearl, but my favorite bull of all time is definitely Red Rock. WHO IS YOUR HERO OR MENTOR IN THE BUCKING BULL BUSINESS:

Don Kish, John Growney, Monty Samford, Steve and Julie Ravenscroft, H.D. Page, Toby Floyd and my Mom and Dad. IF YOU COULD ADD ANY GENETICS INTO YOUR HERD THAT YOU DON’T ALREADY HAVE, WHAT WOULD IT BE:

Black Pearl, Red Rock, Little Yellow Jacket, Blueberry Wine, Hotel California, Chicken on a Chain, Reindeer Dippin’, Mr. T, Kid Rock and Dillinger.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

WHAT TYPE OF FLANK DO YOU PREFER, COTTON, BRAIDED NYLON OR LATIGO PULL TYPE: Prefer

cotton. FAVORITE PBR BULL:

Carillo Cartel WHO IS YOUR HERO OR MENTOR IN THE BUCKING BULL BUSINESS:

Scott Accomazzo IF YOU COULD ADD ANY GENETICS INTO YOUR HERD THAT YOU DON’T ALREADY HAVE, WHAT WOULD IT BE:

Mossy Oak Mudslinger

ABBI’s

NAME: Kassidy McKee

YOUTH PROFILES

NAME: Hannah Gant

AGE: 10

AGE: 17

HOMETOWN: Lenapah, Oklahoma

HOMETOWN: West Plains, Mo

HOBBIES: Basketball, Barrel Racing,

Reading. FAVORITE THING ABOUT RAISING BUCKING BULLS:

I like to see the babies jump and buck in the pasture. It is also fun to see the bulls my dad has sold go on to the futurities and PBR.

HOBBIES: Playing tennis, doing

things outside, and of course... bullriding. FAVORITE THING ABOUT RAISING BUCKING BULLS:

Watching one beat your expectations. HARDEST THING ABOUT RAISING

HARDEST THING ABOUT RAISING

BUCKING BULLS:

Taking care of them, feeding, vet visits, etc.

You have to gather them to give them yearly shots and they can be wild to gather. WHAT TYPE OF FLANK DO YOU PREFER, COTTON, BRAIDED NYLON OR LATIGO PULL TYPE:

Latigo, except at the Ardmore Futurity 2 yrs ago, no one told me how easy it slipped and I pulled it too tight on my bull. FAVORITE PBR BULL: Bones

WHAT TYPE OF FLANK DO YOU PREFER, COTTON, BRAIDED NYLON OR LATIGO PULL TYPE: I use

a braided flank FAVORITE PBR BULL:

Favorite PBR bull has always been Heebee Geebee of Boyd and Floyd. WHO IS YOUR HERO OR MENTOR IN THE BUCKING BULL

WHO IS YOUR HERO OR MENTOR

BUSINESS:

IN THE BUCKING BULL BUSI-

My dad, he helps me with everything.

NESS:

My DAD IF YOU COULD ADD ANY GENETICS INTO YOUR HERD THAT YOU DON’T ALREADY HAVE, WHAT WOULD IT BE:

Bones, Chicken on a Chain

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

ABBI’s

YOUTH PROFILES

The Junior Breeder program is open to all kids through age 18. Kids can start competing at Futurities at age 9.

Junior Futurity Supporter Spotlight Box K Cattle

Ken King first got into the bucking bull business because of his kids, so it’s no surprise that Box K Cattle is a big supporter of the Junior Futurity events. “It’s a good sport and the Junior events are a good way to get our kids involved with the sport,” shared Ken. Box K is one of the breeders who came onboard this year to provide the financial support needed to make the youth system a success. Box K is a family affair, owned by Ken and his father Buddy. It was Ken’s son Kaleb who prompted the family to get into the bucking bull business in 2007 after watching PBR on TV. After Ken explained the meaning of “pedigrees” Kaleb pointed out that they already had cattle, so why not raise the bucking kind too? The next day Ken and Kaleb went and bought a heifer. Within a month they bought a bull. A few months later, they had purchased 10 cows from Herrington Cattle Co. and were well underway to starting their own breeding program. Before long, Buddy’s wife Paulette, Ken’s wife Robin and their daughter Karis were as big of fans of the bucking bulls as Kaleb. Box K is truly a multi-generational family affair. With the purchase of Apollo, Box K burst onto the national scene. Although now deceased, Apollo left a lasting legacy behind and Box K is producing Apollo calves that they are extremely excited about. “I think we’ll have some good futurity calves that we can compete with next year out of our program from Apollo,” said Ken. “We’ve got some good 3 and 4-year-olds to compete with, but it’ll be next year before we have a lot of futurity prospects.” Last year, Kaleb participated in the Junior events for the first time and the King family enthusiastically supported him. Ken saw how important the Junior events were and he knew he wanted to support the program however possible. “We really only have one 2-year-old we thought could compete this year so we gave him to my son to compete with because we think the Junior program is so important,” said Ken. That 2-year-old is called Sofa Pizza, a name Kaleb and Robin came up with. “In this day and age, everyone has their own activities and things to do. But this is something we can do together as a family. You know they say the family that plays together, stays together. I think without the Junior events, there would be families who didn’t have something to do all together. This brings families together,” enthused Ken. Daughter Karis is counting the years until she is old enough to compete at the Junior events like her big brother. She loves to watch the bulls buck and is such a big PBR fan that she even dressed up as funnyman Flint Rasmussen at the 2009 PBR World Finals. “The whole family is excited about going to Las Vegas again. I have some bulls that I think are definite Wild Card candidates in the Fall and I think I have some bulls that will qualify for Las Vegas. We hope to do well in the youth Futurity as well. I have a bull that is pretty special, Hot Coffee, that we have pretty high hopes for,” said Ken of their plans for the 2010 World Finals. Box K Cattle is destined to have some big success in the future with their Apollo calves. Thanks in part to Box K, kids will have their own shot at success through the Junior Futurity events. To learn more about Box K Cattle, visit BoxKCattle.com. To learn more about supporting the Junior Futurity events, please call the ABBI or visit abbinow.com.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

2010 ABBI Junior Futurity SCHEDULE Okla. q Ardmore, June 5, 2010* Jordan, q West Utah

July 10, 2010

q Claremore, Okla. July 17, 2010

q Sulphur Springs, Texas August 14, 2010

*View Ardmore results on pg. 66

ABBI’s

Q & A:

YOUTH PROFILES

Bucking Bull Basics

Q: What does the average bull weigh? A: The average bucking bull that competes with a rider weighs in at 1,700- 1,800 pounds. The bull very rarely weighs less than 1,200 pounds unless they are competing in the futurities with only a bucking dummy aboard.

Q: What is the lifespan of a bucking bull? A: Bucking bulls often live well into their teens, which is

considered geriatric for any bull. Though a bucking bull may often be in his prime as an athlete around age 5 or 6, many bulls buck past the age of 10, and when they retire from competition they are used as sires in bucking bull breeding programs.

Q: What makes a bull buck? A: The success of bucking bull breeding programs

buck. One of the most common misconceptions about bull riding is that the flank strap is tied to the animal’s testicles; this is far from the truth. This is a soft rope that is loosely tied around the bull’s midsection in the flank area and slipped onto the bull when it enters the alley to the chute. The slack is taken out of it before the ride, but not tied too tight, and the strap is removed immediately after the ride. (Todd Dewey, Las Vegas Review Journal). It has nothing to do with the genitals, as some uneducated detractors would attest. In fact, care is taken to ensure that the genitals are not involved, as that would adversely affect the performance of the bulls. The flank rope is more of an annoyance than anything else, and the bulls will kick their hind legs out at the height of their bucking action in an effort to dislodge it, resulting in a more uniform and less erratic performance.

around the world has proven that genetics is the most prevalent factor in determining a bull’s desire and ability to

2010 Junior Futurity Contributors: 5G Farms Box K Cattle Boyd & Floyd Bucking Bulls, LLC. Chad Berger Bucking Bulls Circle T Ranch & Rodeo D&H Cattle Co. Diamond S Bucking Bulls Kenny & Paula Jack Table Mountain Casino (Frances & Stand Dandy)

Watch for profiles on contributors in upcoming issues.

Coming Next issue Look for more Junior Member profiles every issue! If you want to be included, first get your parent’s permission and then send us your picture and the answers to the questions to Sugar@americanbuckingbull.com.

Features

Heavy Hitter

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Backing the Brand by Susan Bedford

o write thoroughly about the caliber of Chad Berger’s bulls and their accomplishments would take more pages than this magazine has. As the three-time PBR Stock Contrac-

tor of the Year (won with partner Larry Ryken in 2007 and Clay Struve in 2008 and 2009), Chad Berger’s truck is loaded as deep as it gets. You don’t win that title easily. The only company that has won more Stock Contractor

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

of the Year titles is Dillon and H.D. Page (D&H Cattle Co. with six of the honors). But Chad Berger is already firmly ensconced among the legendary bullmen of our sport, and he isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

The secret to his success is simple: Work hard. Then work harder. Be a consummate businessman, but don’t forget where you came from. Embrace opportunities. Find partners

that share your passion. And always, always, be the best ambassador possible for your brand. After winning his first Stock Contractor of the Year title, an emotional Berger explained,

“My dad (Joe Berger) got involved in the bucking bull business in the mid-1960s and has raised some great bucking bulls, going back to Wrangler Rivets. Being named the PBR Stock Contractor of the Year is a great honor. I was shaking so bad when they announced it. I was so excited I could’ve just come right out of my skin. During the second-half of the PBR season, a lot of the bull riders were telling me we’d win it, but it was definitely a surprise and it didn’t sink in instantly.” Copperhead Slinger, Cooper and Sir Patrick (a bull named after Ryken’s son) were instrumental in earning that first Stock Contractor of the Year title. But it was another bull that Berger believes first put him on the map- Palace Stations Deuces Wild. “I owe a lot to that bull,” affirmed Berger. “He did a lot for my program and got my name out there.” Berger also did a lot to get his name out there. I remember many years ago when he was giving out hats and T-shirts at a PBR event with Palace Station Deuces Wild’s name emblazoned on them, at a time when most people had no idea who that bull even was yet. And no one had really thought much about doing grass roots marketing of bulls like that. Berger may be from a small town in North Dakota, but he has the marketing savvy of a big-city businessman. But marketing can only get you name recognition. Berger is a success because his bulls can back up the brand. Many of the greats have been on Berger’s truck. Some of the well-known names he currently hauls are World Champion Code Blue, Say I Won’t Gunner, Crown of Thorns, Copperhead Slinger, Big Tex and All In. With bulls like that, Berger is in the running for what could be his fourth PBR Stock Contractor of the Year buckle. But even another title probably can’t compare with the emotion of that first huge win in 2007, when Berger earned the title all stock contractors inspire to achieve. But last year may have been Berger’s sweetest victory to date. Along with 2009 Stock Contractor of the Year, he also was able to claim the 2009 PBR World Champion Bucking Bull title with Code Blue. “After winning Stock Contractor of the Year, the only thing I said could ever match that would be to have my own World Champion bull. It was just amazing to win both in the same year. Las Vegas last year almost felt like a dream,” shared Chad.

Chad grew up in a family that raised bucking bulls. It is the Berger family that gave us what is arguably the greatest bucking bull of all time, Little Yellow Jacket. From working with his parents (Joe and Darlene) and siblings on Berger Bucking Bulls, Chad eventually started his own operation. Chad Berger Bucking Bulls is a family affair. Chad’s spouse and children help him to run every aspect of the company. Wife Sarah, son John and daughters Lacey and Sadie are all responsible for their wide-spread success. “Without my family, I couldn’t do what I do,” stressed Chad. “We are all in this together and their support has been what has made it all possible.” Chad is also quick to credit his amazing partners who share his passion for the bucking bull business. “I don’t think anyone has better partners in this business than I do. I’m where I am today because they shared my dream and trusted me to go get the bulls who could help us reach our goals.”

“I don’t think anyone has better partners in this business than I do. I’m where I am today because they shared my dream and trusted me to go get the bulls who could help us reach our —Chad Berger goals.” Besides breeding bulls from his herd’s deep genetics and always being on the lookout for a rising superstar to add to his herd, Berger also produces bucking bull events. In midJune he held his annual Bismarck, N.D. competition, part of the PBR’s Challenger Touring Pro division. You won’t see Chad at too many ABBI events, given his busy schedule. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t crucial to the ABBI. Stock contractors like Berger are the ones always looking for the next big star to put on their truck. As we have seen over the last six years, most of the rising bucking bull stars who succeed in the PBR come out of the ABBI sys-

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Features

Heavy Hitter

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...continued

Code Blue Photo by Allen Glanville

tem. For a smaller breeder, the exposure their animal gets from being hauled by a big-name contractor like Berger can bring more attention to that animal (and their breeding program) than it would ever get being hauled by a smaller breeder. Not to mention that being selected to be a Chad Berger Bucking Bull can mean big bucks. Top-of-the-line stock contractors like Berger and his partners are willing to pay for qualityand that benefits all breeders in the industry by keeping the value up for the best bulls. Berger has also forged corporate partnerships that help promote the sport of bucking bulls to a wider audience, as well as bringing corporate dollars into the sport. Cooper Tires, who is also a PBR and ABBI sponsor, works closely with Berger. Rarely will you see Berger at an event without wearing one of his signature Chad Berger

Bucking Bulls shirts. And although he has plenty to brag about, he isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just helping to grow his brand and spread the word. When you speak with him, he is as genuine and humble as he has always been. He always takes the times to talk to fans and encourage people to get into the bull business, whether it is at a PBR event or just someone he runs into on the street. Berger has built his success one bull and one fan at a time. At the Pueblo event, Berger was happy to stop and chat with anyone and everyone at the Wild, Wild West Fest community street fair about the PBR and bucking bulls. I snapped a picture of him in front of the PBR and ABBI Headquarters- where a life-size statue of Little Yellow Jacket is prominently displayed. Fan after fan had stopped to have their picture taken in front of the statue and Berger

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

waited patiently with me until it the statue was clear of people so I could get the shot I was after. The sun may have been in my eyes but it seemed like the great bullman seemed to get a little misty-eyed while posing next to the bull that helped seal his family name in the record books. Before long, a bunch of children were waiting to climb up on the statue and have their pictures taken too. Berger beamed with pride. I told the children who the man was next to the statue. Some looked as if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d just told them Berger was Santa Claus and the statue was Rudolph. They clamored over to him and started asking him about his bulls. Berger was still answering questions from the kids and their parents when I had to leave. And that may be the final secret to his success- Chad Berger cares about the fans who love the sport and his bucking bulls.

Features

Breakout Breeder

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C&G Rodeo Livestock’s Rod Conat is: Hands-On

by Sugar Kuhn

hen Drummond, Montana’s Rod Conat was about 13 he left home and rambled around from ranch to ranch working for three squares a day and a place to lay his head at night. Conat eventually wound up in Avon, Montana at the Graveley ranch where he met Steven Graveley, a PRCA bull rider who taught Conat to ride bulls. Some 20 years later the two men’s shared interest raising bucking bred cattle became the common thread which wove C&G Rodeo Livestock and a steady stream of buckers together. “Steven taught me how to ride bulls and I rode until I was 34. We used to take bulls to high school and amateur rodeos. That’s how we got started. We sold a bull we raised to Reg Kesler in the early 70’s we called Dairy King and he went on to the NFR in 1973 and 1974,” said Conat. The lives of Graveley and Conat eventually drifted apart, but eventually fate wove their common threads back together. “We hadn’t seen each other for nearly 20 years and one day he called me and asked if his daughter could spend the winter with us. It was 20 miles one way on back dirt roads for them to drive her to school. So she did and 8 years ago Steve and I formed C&G Rodeo Livestock.” Both men are hands-on with specific roles in C&G Livestock. Graveley, a third generation cowboy has a 5,500 acre ranch and handles the cows and breeding end of the program. When bulls are weaned they come to Conat where training begins. Conat and his wife Bonnie are hands-on literally and take care of anywhere from 100 to 150 head of bulls daily. “Bonnie is up to her elbows in the bull deal. When I’m working my log trucks and log contracts Bonnie feeds everything twice a day. If I’m gone, she does it and we don’t own a single piece of equipment. We do it all by hand. We’ve got 7 pitch forks and that’s about it.” Once Conat receives weanlings they’re kept in large lots some 2 acres or more. Conat spends lots of hands-on time with his bulls and

Rod Conat accepts the INFR’s Bucking Bull of the Finals buckle for C&G Rodeo Livestock’s Twisted Aces. Photo by Richard and Verda Anseeuw

knows the role it plays in success. “When they first come they’re wild little rats born out in the sticks where they don’t see people. It takes a couple weeks before they don’t want to run from you. Over time they get to where they’ll come up to the bunks and eventually some will let you start touching them. I really like to get my hands-on them.” Once yearlings, the C&G bull program gets more serious. The first order of business is working them through a squeeze chute for vaccinations and branding. Then the real work begins. “We run them out of the pens, then back in first and we do it all on foot. I’ll move them around through the alleys and back pens to teach them to sort. I get a lot of bulls from people having problems handling them. Most have never been taught to sort and will run right through gates. Bulls get unruly and people sometimes get scared. Once a bull learns he can run a gate on you it’s tough to break them.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

If you have the time to spend, handling is really important and it’s amazing how much difference it can make. ” One success story from Conat’s methods is Perfect Poison a bull that’s recently found his way to some PBR short rounds with BoydFloyd Bull Co. “He came from Gene Smith and Dan Fisher had bought him as a breeding bull. He’d been in a few classics but they just couldn’t get anything done with him. He was very unruly and a prime example of a bull that didn’t know how to sort. As soon as you’d pop a latch he’d run and bust right through it. He was really hard to break of this and it took about a year.” Being both business associates and friends with Brad Boyd and Toby Floyd is one of the things Conat remarked about most. “The only bulls I send to Brad and Toby are ones I think will help their program. I want to sell short round bulls. Like everyone else, we can raise 21 point bulls- and there is a market

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for those but it’s not in the PBR. So when I think I’ve got one that’ll make the grade I send them. They’ve treated me really good and it’s not just business, we’re good friends.” When it comes to handling and sorting bulls, Conat admires Floyd’s style and has spent time just watching him work bulls. Watching other knowledgeable bull-men work their bulls is something Conat recommends to others and feels studying will reveal a hands-on approach where slow and easy works best. “I really admire Toby. I like to sit back and watch him. He’s cautious about getting there on time so he doesn’t have to hurry. You can’t go slow enough with these cattle. You have to take your time.” Once Conat’s bulls handle and sort he bucks them twice as yearlings with a homegrown device, not a traditional dummy. “A good friend of mine Jack McLean developed it. He took an old bareback riggin and built a tower that has a latch in the center with a string that goes up to a rafter in my arena. I’m above it where I can control it. It never hangs up. It weighs just 2 or 3 pounds and I can pull it right off their back whenever I want. It doesn’t get underneath them where they’re kicking at it. If a calf starts to flip or fall I can trip and jerk it right straight up in the air off them. It’s a very simple device that works super great.” C&G bucks 2-year-olds only once and have accumulated later maturing genetics known for strength, size and an ability to excel at the Classic level. C&G bought out cow herds from McLean, Todd Corrigan and Greg Oules giving them a strong foundation based in Katich genetics. “We’re not into futurities mostly because we can’t seem to raise a futurity calf. The bulls we raise are bigger, stronger bulls more suited for the Classics. We’re based on west coast genetics because that’s where we live and that’s how it should be.” When it comes to differences between the northwest and the south, genetics aren’t the only thing different in Conat’s opinion. “When its -30 our cows have to eat to stay warm and are bigger, and calves born in this climate have to be tough to survive. I think the cold plays a big role with their immune system working, too. It has to for them to survive. Our feed programs and the way we feed are also worlds apart. I think it takes at least 10 days to

get the rumen back working where a bull feels good after a feed change. I feed every bull one pound of 40% protein per day. We get it from West Feeds out of Billings, Montana. I’m very high on it and it’s a great muscle builder. They also get as much alfalfa-grass hay as they can eat when they’re weanlings and yearlings.” Conat’s methods must work because there have been some outstanding bulls from C&G. Besides Perfect Poison who Conat lined out, ABBI Classic money-earner Twisted Aces and Boyd & Floyd’s PBR Short-Round and Bucking Bull of the Year Contender Spitfire also wear the C&G brand. Although Conat didn’t breed

PBR short round bulls on tour. “Of course Spitfire is our favorite bull. Jack McLean bred Spitfire and he was in one of the cows when we bought his herd out. He wasn’t flighty, but he wasn’t real gentle either still he was by far the easiest to handle. It took awhile before he’d let you put a hand-on him. Now he’s a big gentle giant, but he wasn’t like that as a calf.” Conat kept one brother of Spitfire he calls Firefly that he felt deep down was as good as Spitfire. “I knew if we put him out there on the road we’d lose that part of our breeding pro-

Spitfire at the 2007 ABBI Classic Finals. Photo by Allen Glanville

Spitfire, he did raise him and the amount of time put into his success by Conat is huge. As a 3-year-old Spitfire, a son of Rimfire and grandson of Rapidfire, competed in the ‘07 ABBI Classic Finals in Las Vegas. He ended the season ranked fifth in the ABBI Classics and has become one of the most rider-respected

gram. We’re bucking his 2-year-old calves and will be breeding him to our Spitfire daughters. We also bucked a 2-year-old Spitfire son that bucked identical to what Spitfire did at that age so that’s pretty exciting.” Besides Spitfire’s obvious buck-ability, C&G’s controversial ’09 ABBI Classic World Fi-

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Features

Breakout Breeder

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“We’re not into futurities mostly because we can’t seem to raise a futurity calf. The bulls we raise are bigger, stronger bulls more suited for the Classics. We’re based on west coast genetics because that’s where we live and that’s how it should be.” —Rod Conat C&G Rodeo Livestock’s Twisted Aces at the 2009 INFR (Indian National Finals Rodeo) bucking off Cody Four Colors, one of the five Native Americans chosen to compete at the Ty Murray Invitational in 2009. Photo by Richard and Verda Anseeuw

nals Qualifier Twisted Aces was also cultivated in Conat’s system. Last year the bull was the INFR (Indian National Finals Rodeo) Bucking Bull of the Finals. In fact 7 of the 15 short round bulls at the INFR were raised by C&G including Jim Town who was named the INFR Reserve Bucking Bull of the Finals. “Twisted Aces in my mind is very special. He’s different, but special. There’s been so much controversy about him;” said Conat light-heartedly, “but we’ve found a place for him. He was always a rough-houser, but I got where I could mess with him. I’d get my handson him and even touch him where he didn’t want to be touched until it was okay. As a matter of fact, we even live collected him out in a big lot by hand.” While Spitfire and Twisted Aces may be the first bulls that come to mind from C&G there are several others that wield probullstats. Among them are; 201 Hot Lips, 303 Nite Lites,

517 Lucky Strik, 110 Marcus, 252 Shady Town, 649 Oliver Shag Nasty, 610 Ike, 693 Waspe, 1118 Devil’s Fire, 1615 Durango and Paradise Farms’ BFTS bucker Slipknot an A8 son and Oscar’s Velvet grandson. Conat’s hometown of Drummond, Montana has produced un-countable World Champion bulls and is declared the bull shipping capital of the world. The one thing the town lacks is a homegrown PBR World Champion Bucking Bull in their champion bull resume. While Spitfire came up short last year, the small town of Drummond will be rooting for him to add another title to its list of bull accomplishments. “We’re known for our registered beef cattle and champion bulls. Drummond’s had people come from all over the country to buy bulls. It’s one of those things this little community is known for-raising the best bulls in the world. I always thought it would be pretty cool to be

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known in the community as the person that raised a World Champion Bucking Bull. That’s been one of my dreams and goals. Not so much for me, but for the town of Drummond.” While Conat may be modest about C&G’s accomplishments, obviously they’re on their way to an eventual world champion bucking bull. In the meantime all Montana eyes will be on Spitfire come World Finals. Whether he can bring home the missing jewel in Drummond’s cattle-crown remains to be seen. Regardless the big, rank, red bovine remains one of the most talented and loveable buckers in the business which is largely due to Conat’s hands-on methods. If given the opportunity to visit Spitfire at an event try them out for yourself. Just don’t be surprised if ol’ Spitfire comes to the fence and bawls until he feels your hands on his ol’ hide.

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Columns

Nutrition

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Trace Mineral Influences on Hoof Health and Bone Structure by Greg Nunnery, Ph.D.

animals access to soft, dry areas can help alleviate these types of hoof problems. The primary disease affecting the hoof is foot rot. Foot rot is caused by the bacteria Fusobacterium necrophorum. Animals diagnosed with foot rot should be separated from the rest of the herd as they will shed the bacteria and any other animal that injures its hoof will be more susceptible to infection. There are a number of antibiotics available for the treatment of foot rot as well as some vaccines that may help prevent foot Effect of zinc source on hoof health. rot. Nutritional causes of foot rot are some of the hardest to diagnose but may be the easiest to treat. There are a number of nutritional factors that affect hoof quality. These nutrients include: amino acids, vitamins, fatty acids, and a number of minerals. Of the minBefore After erals involved, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) are particularly vital to hoof methods to prevent these issues. Hoof health problems can generally be health. Both Zn and Cu are necessary for the traced back to one or a combination of the formation of keratin, the hard outer surface following four factors: 1) genetics; 2) environ- of the hoof. Deficiencies of either of these two ment; 3) disease; and 4) nutrition. Genetic trace minerals results in a softening of the hoof contributions to hoof health problems can wall which can lead to cracks, foot rot, and sole be sorted out relatively easily. Pay attention abscesses. Manganese has a less direct role and to which animals have hoof problems and if mainly helps minimize hoof problems by mainanimals from a certain sire or dam continually taining proper leg formation. In addition to have problems, cull that sire or dam as well as these roles, each of these three trace minerals their offspring. The environment is not as easy is involved in proper immune function. Zinc, to control. The hooves of animals that have Cu, and Mn all play a role in the antioxidant to stand in wet, muddy conditions eventually enzyme superoxide dismutase which helps to soften making injury more probable. In addi- rid the body of cell damaging free radicals. Zinc tion, animals that are maintained on very hard is also directly involved in wound healing and surfaces are also prone to hoof injury. Allowing antibody formation. ucking bulls represent the extreme athletes of the cattle industry. In order to be competitive it is necessary that bulls stay healthy and sound. Anything causing lameness can result in having to remove animals from competition and loss of income. This is especially true of the hooves and legs due to the immense pressure placed on these structures while bucking. The following outlines some of the problems associated with hoof health and bone structure as well as some

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Nutritional causes of hoof problems are usually the result of a mineral deficiency. In many areas of the United States the Zn and/or Cu concentration in the forage is inadequate to meet the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. The Mn concentration of most grasses is sufficient; however, it may not always be in a form that the animal can use. Furthermore, the feed, water, and soil that the animal consumes can contain mineral antagonists. These antagonists can bind to the mineral in the digestive tract thereby making the mineral unavailable for absorption and use by the animal. For these reasons, it is advisable to supply some form of trace mineral supplementation to cattle. Inorganic trace mineral sources (mineral sulfates, oxides, or chlorides) may be sufficient to prevent deficiencies but these will often be of little use when antagonists are present. When antagonists are present or when the level of antagonism is unknown it is usually best to use an organic trace mineral source (mineral complexes or chelates). Organic trace minerals are protected and thus not prone to binding with antagonists in the diet. Research in growing bulls has shown that the organic Zn sources either maintained (Zn proteinate) or improved (SQM Zn) hoof score of the bulls while those either supplemented with Zn oxide or not supplemented at all had worsening hoof scores over the 284 day trial. The main two factors affecting mature bone mass and risk of fracture are the level of bone mass achieved during growth and the rate of bone loss later in life. Proper bone formation requires many nutrients, the most notable being calcium and phosphorus. However, the trace minerals Zn, Cu, and Mn also play major roles in developing and maintaining bone structure. These three elements are all involved in many hormone and enzyme systems that control the formation, growth, and maintenance of bone tissue. It is important to remember that bone is not a dead or static tis-

Columns

Nutrition

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Effect of Zinc Source on Hoof Health

sue. Even when an animal reaches adulthood, bone is removed and replaced, and micro damage that occurs during normal activity must be repaired. It is therefore necessary to make sure that animals consume adequate quantities of these minerals throughout their life cycle. Proper nutrition for bone development begins with the cow during gestation. Meeting the cow’s needs during this time ensures proper development of bone tissue in the fetus and builds mineral stores within the liver of the fetus to compensate for the low trace mineral content of milk. Calves born to cows that are deficient in Zn, Cu, or Mn often exhibit skeletal abnormalities that include: 1) enlarged joints; 2) twisted legs; 3) stiffness; and 4) physical weakness. In addition, research has shown

Greg Nunnery, PhD credentials • BS - Texas A&M University 1994 Animal Science • MS - Texas A&M university 1998 - Nutrition • Ph.D. - Texas Tech 2002 - Animal Science, Ruminant Nutrition

that the force required to break the bones of calves born to Mn deficient cows was less than half that for calves born to cows supplemented with Mn. Proper nutrition is essential for the proper growth and maintenance of any animal. It is even more important for those that must compete in some athletic endeavor. The trace minerals Zn, Cu, and Mn are all important for the processes that lead to healthy hooves and skeletal strength. Many of the problems associated with these structures are the result of a deficiency in one or more of these minerals. To help prevent lameness and the associated loss of income, make these trace minerals part of the diet offered to your animals.

•

Post-Doc/Research Associate - Center for Feed industry Research and Education, Texas Tech University 2002-2004 • Technical Sales Manager - Min-Ad, Inc., 2004-2007 • Ruminant Nutritionist Technical Support -

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“Research has shown that the force required to break the bones of calves born to Mn deficient cows was less than half that for calves born to cows supplemented with Mn.”

Quali Tech, Inc., 2007 - present • Member American Society of Animal Science 2003 - present • AFIA Liquid Feed Committee 2010-2013

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Columns

Sire Power

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329 Houdini

he bucking bull industry suffered an enormous and historical loss when the industry’s most influential and prolific sire 329 Houdini died. The big-time producer’s sons have brought more hours of bucking action to PBR fans- and more earnings to ABBI breedersthan any other American Bucking Bull sire. Houdini lived to see 19 years come and go before departing. The number of sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters he leaves behind will propel the super-sire through history. The Ronnie Roach bred bovine packed super-charged genetics via his sire 161 White Sports Coat and his dam CP6. Houdini was the ultimate paternal powerhouse when it came to achieving success in both line-breeding and out-crossing methods of reproduction. While no official number has been compiled yet, his offspring are estimated to have won well over a million dollars, multiple World titles and generated an enormous amount of money through sales and subsequent generations of money earners.

He was the only American Bucking Bull to sire an ABBI World Champion Classic bull (Black Pearl), an ABBI World Champion Futurity bull (Copp Hou), two ABBI American Heritage Champions (Dr. Hou and Last Call), two ABBI Breeders Cup Champions (Black Pearl and Hippy Music), ABBI Wild Card Champ (Copp Hou), a RSR Futurity World Champion (Lightening Jack), a two-time PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year (Voodoo Child) and a WNFR Bull of the Finals (202 Bring It). Houdini, owned by Gene Baker of Homestead Genetics, made big news in the industry when he was purchased by Baker and Lyndal Hurst from Monty Samford for an astounding $100,000 back in 2002. Houdini sired countless sons and daughters that have produced a remarkable number of offspring themselves going on to compete and win. His living legacy runs throughout the American Bucking Bull registry and will continue to play a substantial role in the bucking bull industry for generations to come. In fact in a recent American Bucking Bull online poll, nearly half of participants believe

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that Houdini more than any other registered bull exemplifies most what the ABBI is all about. Baker reflected on Houdini’s beginning and eventual legacy. “At the time he was known as a great futurity sire. But I knew, if I could get his semen out there to good females, it would really promote him as a sire at all levels. It was about him and his promotion as a sire from the beginning. There really was something special about him and I was really proud of him, especially these last few years for also having a son win the Classic, a son be PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year and a son win Bull of the WNFR.” Other bulls Houdini produced that have risen to popularity and fame are Lightning C’s Copp Hou, D&H Cattle Co.’s 88 Super Duty (aka Best Shot), Tom Teague’s Nightlife, J.W. Hart’s Life of the Party, Boyd-Floyd & Cunningham’s Tightrope, Diamond S bull Voodoo Magic, Moody-Rice Cattle Co.’s Wildlife, Accomazzo & Moody-Rice’s Ground Zero, Hebert’s Handsome Jack, Nelson’s Freak on a Leash and Boobie Dancer, Mitch Terrell’s Straight Jacket, Thomas Taylor’s Mighty Tricky, Baker’s WOW,

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Ronnie Roach:

An American Bucking Bull Legacy

Last Call, Dr. Hou and Bravo, and impressive newcomer Iron Horse from Circle T Ranch and Rodeo. On the female end, Houdini daughters have become one of the industry’s hottest commodities, capable of producing super-sons like Tom Teague’s PBR bucker I’m a Gangster (aka Uncle Buck). When it comes to sires that influence the bucking bull industry Houdini fits the bill. In fact, during the ABBI Classic in Pueblo there were at least eleven 4-year-olds that were either sons or grandsons of Houdini. This fact alone demonstrates his impact on our sport and the tremendous role he has played. While Houdini’s passing saddened the bucking bull world, the industry can find comfort in the manner in which he departed. With no signs of distress or discomfort besides a lack of appetite, Houdini simply laid down, drifted off to an eternal sleep and left behind the most extensive genetic legacy in American Bucking Bull history.

ver 20 years ago Ronnie Roach of Cache, Oklahoma embarked on an adventure that would ultimately impact the bucking bull industry as much if not more than any other bull-man to date. The Rafter 7r was founded in 1986 by Roach with 18 bred heifers he purchased from Charlie Plummer. These initial females would lay the foundation for one of the most notable and influential bucking bull lineages to date, that of recently passed 329 Houdini. Roach’s program obviously stemmed from Plummer with these 18 initial, bred females. In the beginning many of the earliest Plummer bred bucking bulls and cows were solid colored and of a rangier build. Some examples of this can be found among the initial females purchased by Roach from Plummer. CP1 Kung Fu was black and CP6 was brown. CP1 is best known for producing bulls like Superstitious, Panhandle Slim, Automatic, Hobo and Rooster, and CP6 best as the mother of Houdini. While Houdini’s dam was solid brown, both his sire 161 White Sports Coat and grandsire CP47 where white with black points. Plummer was known to select for both color and athletic bucking ability and as time went by both color and buck became more prevalent with Plummer genetics. Houdini, many of his offspring and the majority of Plummer-bred cattle today exhibit and pass on white hides with black spots and points, as well as gas, spin and power. However, when these genetics are out crossed it is not uncommon to see the solid color patterns reemerge with individuals that also get in the air and break-over with lots of kick.

Roach understood the power of the out cross and took his program to another level when he used Dwight Frick’s 54 bull and produced another legendary American Bucking Bull, Spook who interestingly enough was white and black spotted. Spook went on to sire a long list of hefty buckers including; Raspberry Wine, Tango, Roll the Dice, Hobo, Sharp Dressed Man, Automatic, Notorious and Secret Agent. However, Roach’s most monumental contribution to the American Bucking Bull is certainly through that of Houdini. Roach may be gone from our lives, but he leaves behind an enormous and profound American Bucking Bull Legacy through all these legendary bulls and their successive generations. When Roach bred Houdini and so many other great bulls like Spook, Panhandle Slim and Rooster he was only doing what he loved and had no way of knowing the magnitude of its role on our entire industry. A small testament to Roach’s impact on the sport of both bull riding and on the American Bucking Bull as a breed can be traced through statistics. Today Houdini alone has over 1,000 registered offspring and 129 sons listed on probullstats.com. Respectively Panhandle Slim has 158 and Rooster 138. Roach’s wife Nancy along with children Royce, Brady and Lindsey carry on the Rafter 7r tradition. The family has tried to maintain some purebred, Plummer genetics along the way and are quick to credit Plummer genetics for its role in their program’s success, tradition and American Bucking Bull legacy.

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The late Ronnie Roach was one of the most influential and well-respected bull men in the history of the industry. Houdini came out of Roach’s breeding program. Over the course of his career, Houdini was owned by many legendary bull men. Here is what those men had to say about the great Ronnie Roach and the prolific sire Houdini. q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q

Brady Roach Ronnie:

“When he was riding bulls, he wasn’t just there having fun. He paid attention to the finest little details-how a bull was put together and what he felt like when he rode them and also how long he saw that bull, their longevity. If he was here he could tell us all kinds of interesting details that nobody ever noticed. He had a mind full of data and took lots of notes-And kept them readily available, too. Not only on bulls, but on the cowboys. He knew every riding style you’ll ever see and what bulls they could and couldn’t get along with. If he was here and I could get him involved in that PBR Fantasy bull riding game, he’d be unbelievable. He could call it every time. You always hear people say that Dad sure knew bulls, but the secret that made him special is he knew the riders even better. Conformation and how bulls were put together was always on his mind. He’d make mention of it from time to time like ‘I’m breeding to this because I want that out of it’, or ‘I don’t like this about him, but that’s not what I’m after and we’ll fix that later’. A lot of the things he was looking at are hard to describe and put into words, but he tried to a little bit with us and had a knack for seeing something in a bull or cow and getting it out of them in their offspring. How he knew they were going to produce it I still don’t fully understand, but somehow he did. What made him so unique is he was always looking so far down the road. He’d be looking 15 years ahead and I don’t remember a single time that it failed to transpire either. His vision was crazy. I try to have that sort of disciple, but it’s very hard. He approached everything with confidence. I think his whole life was spent that way in everything he did.” 42

Houdini:

“I’ve thought a lot about that-at what point dad thought Houdini would make a good sire- and I’m not really sure. But it was the action when he bucked that he was after. He’d leap up off the ground, get up in the air and make a bunch of rounds. His whole body shook and was like a vibrator when he bucked. There were so many different things happening. He was so fast and so much more electric than anything we’d ever seen and that’s what he’s gone on to produce.”

out. He was impressed with his ability to pick bulls and understand them the way he did. He may be one of the only people I ever heard him say could really read the bulls like he did and that’s why I’ve got all the respect in the world for Cody-Because Dad respected him. He was always so positive about everything and I think his program shows how positive he was about breeding. I wish he could see what’s evolved out of all those years of hard work.” Houdini:

Royce Roach Ronnie:

“I think Dad realized what he was doing, but was just quiet about it. He wasn’t the type to promote himself and he taught us the same. He let the bulls do the talking. That’s what was neat about Dad. The last few years he was alive, he let me and Brady pick the bulls we bred to. He voiced his opinion and tried to steer us in the right direction, but a lot of times he’d say ‘let’s roll the dice’. He wasn’t afraid to try something different. I don’t think he could of ever got us ready for what would happen, but he prepared us some and it was neat that he let us be involved and part of the vision. A lot of people say he was their best friend and in a lot of ways that’s what he was to me and Brady-A friend. Something else I can thank Dad for was keeping good records. He kept a log book every year since the first cow came on the place and it really paid off. He wasn’t afraid to cut deep especially if it was something he didn’t want to see in his program. He didn’t say a lot about many people, but right before he passed away he told me he’d finally figured Cody (Lambert)

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“He just had that thing about him. Tommy Blanton actually saw the bull and told Mitch that he needed to go buy him. Tommy had only seen him the once and he could see it. It was pretty obvious that the bull was going to be pretty special.”

Mitch Terrell Ronnie:

“I think Ronnie was a super person and he really understood bucking bulls to a level that most people never will. I visited with him quite a bit and he just had a perception about it that most people never will. He studied bulls a lot. If I had questions about bulls or cows I called him and got his opinion because I valued it that much. When I called him to try and buy Houdini, he told me he wanted to make him affordable for me and I never forgot that.” Houdini:

“A lot of them are different along the way, but one thing I remember is he’d get real mad when I’d pull him off cows. For the most part he was

real gentle and most people probably wouldn’t have believed he’d get that mad. He’d just get on the hook and run at you and put you up the fence. When I got him I wanted to get more of him and his breeding because everything out of him bucked and that’s hard to find.”

Monty Samford Ronnie:

“Ronnie had the most impact on the industry of anybody. He always kept good records and basically started the bloodline cattle that ended up going into the registry-Which he always supported. He was real knowledgeable about breeding and studied it whether it was horses, dogs, chickens-I mean he’d talk to anybody about breeding. The first 7 cows Ronnie bought he kept in his backyard for 4 months because he didn’t have any place to put them. He’d come home every night after work and shovel up the manure and put it in his trailer to haul off so his yard wouldn’t stink. That’s called wanting it pretty bad-And he did. Ronnie was kind of funny and never would tell you not to do anything, but he’d never tell you what to do. He’d talk to you until you figured it out-He was a good teacher. His favorite word was ‘special’. He never would call anything rank. He’d always just say they were ‘something special’. He started with genetics that had already been in place for many, many years and that’s back when there was no money in it. I remember he took 11, 2-year-olds to the Ft. Worth bull sale, and I’m talking about bulls like Spook, Wild Thing and Cadillac in there. He ended up P.O.ing all but 2 of them to pay his bill to get his cattle picked up and went home broke. He was one of the first true breeders in my book.”

Houdini:

“If that bull was standing in a pen at a bucking bull sale, everybody would walk right by him all day long and never give him a second look. I liked him the first time I saw him. He was about 14 months old and came trotting across the pen like he was floating on air-never hardly touching the ground with his head up. He wasn’t stupid and he wasn’t wild. I thought ‘I’ll have that son-of-a-gun one of these days’. Back then I was buying bulls out of a cow sale and a bull that would jump up in the air would get you excited. When we bucked six of his calves and every single one of them turned back in the gate right there I thought ‘wow.’ I’d never seen nothing like that in my life.”

I always knew if we were able to get some great cows bred to Houdini he’d be much more than a futurity producing sire. In the past few years PBR greats like Voodoo, Copp Hou, and Black Pearl have joined the ranks with the many futurity champions like Dr. Hou and Last Call to possibly make Houdini the best sire of all time. One thing exciting to see is that many of the top breeders use sons of Houdini as their premier sire. As great as he has been over the last ten years, I truly feel he will produce even more great champions over the next ten years. My hats off to Charlie, Ronnie, Mitch, Monty and Lyndal for creating and promoting this great bull.

Lyndal Hurst

Gene Baker

Ronnie:

“I truly think without Ronnie and Bob Tallman there wouldn’t be an ABBI. Remember the RSR started as a futurity system only. I think without the genetics of Charlie Plummer that Ronnie brought into the industry the futurity competitions would have all ready run their course.”

“Along with Charlie Plummer, Ronnie was one of the pioneers that laid out the ground floor for everybody. I didn’t know him as well as some people and was only around him a few times. But what I do know about him is that he was a very fair and honest guy-Which is hard to find these days. And that alone tells you everything you need to know about what type of guy he was.”

Houdini:

“My favorite Houdini story is when Mitch Terrell bought Houdini from Ronnie for $1,500. Mitch’s dad Tuffy couldn’t believe it. Tuffy carried on about Mitch paying so much for a little spotted bull. Ronnie happened to be at the rodeo when Mitch bucked 329 for the first time. After seeing him buck, Tuffy approached Ronnie and whispered where no one else could hear him, ‘you don’t have any more of those $1,500 bulls do you?’

Houdini:

“As far as a sire, Houdini is the king of the kings. Still to this day I think he is the best sire ever. As of today he has influenced our industry more than any other bull by far and 95% of the cows I own have Houdini in them. That’s how much I think of him as a sire. I didn’t use Lightning Jack very early, but as a Houdini son pretty much everything by him bucks. Every time I’m at a futurity, there are bulls winning money that go back to him somehow.”

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The Ronnie Roach Breeder of the Year Award...

Royce, Nancy & Brady Roach hold the coveted Ronnie Roach Breeder of the Photo by Allen Glanville Year Award during the 2006 Finals.

was created in 2005. It is sculpted in the likeness of Rafter 7r’s bucker 749 Rooster by Indiahoma, Okla artist Naomi Bradley. The award is not only prestigious among breeders, but also serves as an industry reminder of the important and valuable role breeders play in perpetuating quality genetics and cultivating monumental family lineages. No other breeder has personified or demonstrated this better or with more finesse than Ronnie Roach.

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Columns

Female Factor

by Sugar Kuhn

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Royal Flush

eavy hitting breeders know nothing matters more to a program’s success than the quality of females in their herd. Females that are documented producers are in high demand and have been for quite some time. Still getting these quality females into a herd may be impossible because of the ever-increasing awareness that they are few and far between AND because they are commanding top-dollar. It’s no big secret anymore that the female end of the breeding equation matters. It matters to well-respected industry breeders and it matters to the likelihood of a bull becoming a bucker or a heifer becoming a producer. Nothing drives home this idea like the Dr. Warren Dozier and Monty Samford

big-dollar purchase of a big-time producing cow. And once again the industry is chattering about a landmark sale of partial interest in the dam of a world champion caliber bucker. Aquilla, Texas stockman Bob Wilfong recently sold 49% interest in just such a cow, BW 51. While she may not be known to some by her brand number, even the greenest of bucking bull enthusiasts are familiar when talk of

Wilfong bred heifer at BW51’s side will remain property of Bob Wilfong, but is an excellent example of the caliber of calf Voodoo Child’s mother is capable of producing.

her famous offspring ensues. BW 51 is the mother of two-time PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year, 2009 PBR Reserve Champion Bucking Bull of the Year and staunch 2010 PBR Bucking Bull of the Year contender Voodoo Child. The buy-in comes from one of the industry’s most respected breeders and ABBI Shareholders Monty Samford and partner Dr. Warren Dozier both of West Texas. “We finally got him (Wilfong) to agree to let us buy in,” said Samford “and we’ll be splitting the embryos. Her first flush to Houdini was super successful. Warren and I have been flushing cows for the last three or four years and Dr. Jimmy Smith from Winters, Texas told me 15 years ago that you can do more in ten years of AI and flush work than you can do in three lifetimes of regular breeding.” Dozier and Samford’s excitement about the next flush was maximized when BW51 produced another 11 number one embryos. Samford and Dozier who Wilfong has partnered with couldn’t be more thrilled with the prospect of having full flush mates to Voodoo ending up back in their programs.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

“The cows are where it’s at in this business. If you breed for good quality females the bulls will take care of themselves. However, in my mind flushing is reserved for those topend cows and that’s where a lot of people have messed up. They have flushed cows just because it looks good on paper. We will most likely offer some of the bulls for sale but will be keeping the heifers to put back into our own breeding programs. And like I often say, there will be some for sale, but they certainly won’t be on sale,” said Samford. The news may come as a surprise to many who know all too well that Wilfong has not been a big supporter of artificial techniques when it comes to breeding and trying to reproduce specific super-star bovines. “I’ve always said that good bulls come from good cows,” said Wilfong. “It’s also no secret that I haven’t been a huge fan of flushing or other artificial breeding techniques here lately. There was a time that I did some flushing, but I got turned off pretty fast. I think that female plays a huge role in that offspring-And not just the initial breeding, but in carrying and grow-

qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq q Opposite page: Bob Wilfong Photo courtesy of Bob and Melanie Wilfong

Voodoo Child

Photo by Andy Watson

ing that calf. When they put those embryos from a donor cow into a recipient, I just don’t believe that donor isn’t playing more of a role than simply carrying that calf. It’s her blood pumping through that cord and crossing that placenta feeding that calf’s development. If that recipient is a beef cow, I’m just not convinced it’s not playing a bigger role in the final outcome of what that calf is.” Wilfong isn’t the only person to believe this. There are many others that subscribe to this school of thought and it’s not just in cattle and horses. The same theory has been proposed in human surrogates as well. The real question then is if Wilfong feels so strongly about all this then what in the world is he doing partnering up on flushing what could possibly be his best female to Houdini in an attempt to recreate what he got with Voodoo Child? “I know and I can already hear the talk,” says the controversial bull-man, “but here’s the deal. I get why people want to flush. It’s

the fastest way to improve the quality of your herd and actually can be the fastest way to improve the breed as a whole if it works right. However, I still believe the recipient matters and that’s why my embryos will be put back into bucking bred recipients not just any ol’ available cow. I may be way off, but I don’t think so. I guess time will tell and hopefully the outcome will be better than past results that I’ve seen from full sibling flushes.” BW 51 comes from three generations of Wilfong’s carefully cultivated cattle and not only has the super-producing cow proven she can put them on the ground, she’s exceeded all three parties expectations thus far by producing such a spectacular number of high quality embryos. “Her first flush to 329 Houdini produced 16 grade 1 embryos and her second 11,” reminds Wilfong, “And in the flush game, that’s as good as it gets.”

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Columns

The Bloodline

q q q qq

Keeping It Simple: DNA Isolation From ABBI Headquarters by Marlissa Gonzalez

All the cows are in and you have everything ready: tags, branding irons, immunizations but there is one thing that is no where to be found, blood cards. Racking your brain, trying to remember where you put them and using ABBI as a cuss word you finally find them. Why do the blood cards make that much difference? The answer is that blood cards that are sent from MMI Genomics, to ABBI, to the breeder make everyone’s life easier. Let’s compare the different samples:

Easy

Moderate

Hard

1. The blood cards from MMI Genomics are 1.

1. Sperm collection ease depends on the bull.

called FTA Blood Cards which basically have a fibrous material at the bottom of the card to soak up the blood when the ear is pricked. This fibrous material contains chemicals to breakdown the cells, expose the DNA and protect it from bacteria, air and sun all at the same time.

To ensure that the straw does not get bent place it in an empty ink pen casing and send it over night. If the semen is not being sent by the bull’s owner it is important that the sample also have the appropriate documention with it. This documentation must provide proof which allows registration of the bull.

Tail hair needs to be pulled, not cut, from the switch of the tail. This is because the course tail hairs have the bigger bulb of tissues that contains skin cells. Example of a good sample:

2. They are ready to ship as soon as they are dry. Tthe DNA remains stable for transport, immediate processing or for long term storage. 3. When the lab receives the blood cards, there are just three easy steps for them to get pure DNA and amplify with PCR (Polymearse Chain Reaction).

2. The same steps are followed as with the tail

Shipping is fairly easy. Tail hair needs to be placed in a regular paper envelope.

hair but a different solution is used to target the sperm cells instead of skin cells. Also, because sperm is placed in a “carrier” solution when it is collected and placed into the straw, the lab staff needs to be able to identify and separate the sperm cells, skin cells and the carrier solution from each other.

2. At the laboratory, testing tail hair is a manual process. The lab staff will cut the roots into a small test tube, add a specific solution and then heat it up in a water bath to physically break down the cell walls.

3. They place it in a centrifuge, spinning up to PCR Unit

PCR is simply a way to target a DNA sequence and copy it a million times in order to analyze it. The laboratory is set up using robotics to do all the processing by taking a small punch, washing it in reagent to produce pure DNA. Robotics allows for 100 DNA isolations per hour. This is the easy method.

20,000 rpm, to separate DNA from cell debries. DNA will clump together at the top of the tube and they use a swab to collect it. (refer to photo top right)

4. Finally, the swab can be placed into the PCR unit. One lab assistant can process up to 80 samples aday.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

A laboratory centrifuge. (Moderate, Step 3)

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DNA collected on tip of the swab. (Moderate, Step 3)

Hardest 1.

Bone is definitely the hardest to collect a DNA sample from because the animal is deceased at this point and predators may have visited the remains. No special shipping is required with a bone sample.

2. Once to the lab the bone will be washed. 3. A small piece is then cut from the bone, exposed to UV light and then crushed into a fine powder.

4. The bone is then left over night in the isolation solution and put into the centrifuge for separation.

5. Finally, if successful, the DNA is ready to be placed into PCR unit.

Sources for DNA isolation are very diverse. DNA can be isolated from any living or dead organism. Isolation methods have to be adapted in such a way that they can efficiently purify DNA from various sources. For DNA isolation to happen efficiently and effectively, it is important to understand the lab process in order to collect and send in a quality sample. Successful submission of DNA samples allows the lab and ABBI to provide you with the most accurate results for the testing of the parentage of your animals. If you ever have questions, please remember that the ABBI staff is here to help you.

ABBI Contact Information Email: info@americanbuckingbull.com Phone: 719-242-2747 Fax: 719-242-2746 101 W. Riverwalk Pueblo, CO 81003

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Columns

Warner’s Corner

with Dr. Gary Warner

Large Animal Vets: A Vanishing Breed

This article is being written as I traverse the United States at 300 mph and over 30,000 feet above the ground. It is not often that I get to leave the great state of Texas as I make my way to Alaska, but I look forward to making this trip with my beautiful wife. Sugar Kuhn was gracious enough to offer many suggestions of topics that I might write about that would be both interesting and educational. I appreciate that and will attend to those in the future, but I would like to diverge from my normal veterinary article and discuss with you concerns I have for our industry and my profession. A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM Organized veterinary medicine has been around for about a century now. For many years, it was the country doctor that “practiced” veterinary medicine on a diverse group of animal species and did the very best job they could with the knowledge that they had acquired. In the earlier years, many practitioners made strides in medicine by simple trial and error, attempting certain procedures and using different medications and adopting those practices that worked best for their patients. Over time this acquired knowledge was assimilated for the advancement of the profession and organized schools developed to prepare better trained and educated practitioners. Here in lies the format and the basic concepts for the training of the veterinarians of today.

difficult to finance a new practice or to finance the purchase of an existing practice. Many new graduates are relegated to taking an associate’s position in an existing practice, but due to inexperience do not immediately command a salary position that is conducive to the discharge of debt and enough money to save for purchase of a practice. It is difficult for practice owners to compensate these young veterinarians for their services when the practice owner has to help develop their skill set in order for them to generate enough practice revenue to pay their way. The next hurdle to be addressed in developing more rural practices or at least manning existing practices is changing the business model as we know it. It is difficult to generate enough revenue to sustain a practice when a majority of veterinary practice involves the individual animal case. I am afraid the days of the veterinarian attending the individual case at the farm may be coming to an end, except in special circum-

The current population of large animal veterinarians is aging rapidly, just as the current populations of ranchers are. Soon, there will no longer be enough veterinarians available to provide quality veterinary services in the rural areas where they are most needed. THE PROBLEM However, today our profession is presented with problems that may be difficult to resolve, problems that directly affect those of you that are involved with the production and care of our large animal species (horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, etc.). The current population of large animal veterinarians is aging rapidly, just as the current populations of ranchers are. Soon, there will no longer be enough veterinarians available to provide quality veterinary services in the rural areas where they are most needed. There are multiple reasons for this problem that did not just develop overnight. First and foremost is the issue of economics of veterinary practice in the rural community. With debt load of many young practitioners today (some new graduates may have student loan debt exceeding 200K), it is

stances. The time spent going to and from a farm call, particularly in the range states, directly impacts the production of a veterinarian over the day’s time. It is impossible to recoup the value lost in time spent behind the steering wheel. We must embrace a new practice model in which the client will transport the case to the veterinarian, if possible, or be willing to fully compensate for the time spent getting to the case. That being said, a clinical facility with the ability to restrain and manage animals will be a must for the haul in practice to enable the veterinarian to provide a better and more economical service to the client. Not only will a properly outfitted practice facility aid a veterinarian’s production but will also reduce the long term risk of personal injury. Furthermore, with the ability to properly restrain an animal, I feel the veterinarian can provide a better service to the animal and its needs. I know this goes against what many have experienced in the past, but if we want to entice

> Continued on Page 50 48

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq q Warner’s Corner with Kelly Warner Howdy! My name is Kelly Warner and I am a 22-year-old second year vet student at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine. I grew up in Elgin, Texas, on my family’s beef cattle ranch and in my father’s vet clinic. I hope to one day practice primarily on large animals, but God only knows what I’ll end up doing! In my free time, I enjoy jogging with my Great Dane, Roxi, reading non-related-toschool books (the title cannot end in “-ology”!), and spending time with my family. If anyone has questions or comments related to vet school or admissions, I’ll be glad to answer! There is always time to play with patients after a long day!

When my father asked me to contribute to his latest article, I was very concerned! I am a vet student, not an English major. I can recite bacterial families and walk through the pattern of blood flow from the heart, but I have less knowledge of the proper comma placement! Also, I was surprised after reading his work. Not many times in my life, as with many fathers and daughters, have he and I seen completely eye to eye. This is one of the firsts. My father’s discussion asserts only truth in arguing that the economics of choosing a rural veterinary practice after the completion of vet school is not the most enticing option for new vet school graduates. With tuition and living expenses, debt mounts up quickly and makes the prospect of moving out to “Small town, USA,” where salary is minimal to work on large animals, or Heaven forbid, food animals, less than satisfactory. Smaller salaries make purchasing a practice of your very own a difficult dream worth attaining. Why fight a momma cow out in a pasture with only a rope and a tree for restraint, when you can comfortably practice in the air conditioned city and earn the big bucks to treat Fluffy? While this comfort-seeking mentality is not necessarily wrong, it produces a vision, growing ever more clear, of the increasing challenges facing veterinary medicine and those who own large animals. My greatest concern regarding this dilemma, and something that my father omitted in his article, is the disproportionate amount of women to men in vet school. The Class of 2013 has approximately 100 women and 30 men, with only a small percentage of the males interested in large animal medicine and rural practice. That being said, there is a surprising percentage of women in my class invested in the study of large animals and rural practice. However, women face not only a physical strength challenge in the field of large animal practice, but also a stigma against their abilities in the field. In an article in the DVM NewsMagazine by Rachael Whitcomb, a study found that 23% of women who were established in rural practice left due to gender issues. Were there feelings of inadequacy? Distrust? Who knows for sure except that these issues were enough to make these women practioners want to leave a place that very much needed their expertise and wisdom. To connect with my father’s words, if public perception could be changed to a respect for the knowledge that four years of rigorous education brings young students, we

may be able to change the future of large animal medicine. Despite the challenges facing not only women, but men as well, who are invested in rural practice and large animals, these men and women cling to their passion for the practice as much as possible. It is their passion that drives their interests, and if the public perception can be changed to appreciate and respect both that passion and interest, the future of large animal medicine could be forever altered. Dr. Lara Shreve and Dr. Craig Niblett presenting a radiograph of a broken heifer’s mandible to externs.

Every learning experience at the clinic isn’t always about the medicine.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Columns

Warner’s Corner

with Dr. Gary Warner

qqqqq

...continued from pg. 48 the next generation into practice in rural areas, we must compete financially with the urban small animal practice. This does not mean that the veterinarian should not consider doing the routine production medicine practices that have become standard within the industry, just that the “fire engine” practice has to stop to have an economically viable concern. These changes cannot occur unless the public will embrace them. Another part of the problem is the disproportionate makeup of veterinary students with urban background versus those from rural areas. It is my contention that those applicants raised in a rural setting are more likely to consider going into a similar area to work and live. That is not to say that there will be some that will choose a different lifestyle from that which they were raised, but the majority will consider the same life experience. There has been quite the discussion about this very topic in veterinary circles for some time. Arguments from the schools relay that the students from rural areas get experience of the outside world and change their course to better suit their desire of lifestyle. Some say the students from a rural background may be more academically challenged when they get to the undergraduate prerequisites for veterinary school and can’t compete with their urban counterparts, therefore reducing the pool of qualified applicants. In my discussion with the veterinary students and young veterinarians, the “injury” occurs during the early academic years of the undergraduate experience, usually within the first year or two. This is when the majority of the rural applicants lose the academic edge; their grades become less competitive for application to veterinary school. Reasons for this can be lack of maturity, lack of preparation for the academic rigors of college or lack of study skills that are acquired by those in the more urban school systems. Yes, there are sure quite a few “country kids” who maintain the competitive grade point, but how many more could we retain with just a little more mentoring? If we are going to solve our manpower problem, we must try to find ways to put the rural applicants on a competitive plane.

are still trying to find ways to better serve the industry and if we cannot resolve the manpower problem by changing the veterinary population we may have to seek other alternatives. I feel I can speak with experience and insight into the problem. I have had the good fortune to follow my two daughters’ progress as they have realized their dream of becoming veterinarians. Both of my girls are enrolled at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, one in her 4th year and the other in her 2nd year, and both plan on careers in large animal practice. Obviously, both grew up in a rural background and were educated in a rural school setting and are quite competitive academically. I feel because they had the opportunity for proper mentoring while in the undergraduate program (both were in Animal Science at Texas A&M), they were better applicants during the admissions process. I can only hope that they will have the opportunity to practice in a rural setting and find their career choice to be as satisfying as their father’s has been. Veterinary Medicine is truly a rewarding career and I would not hesitate to choose it again if given the opportunity. I just hope these options continue to exist for the next generation of practitioners. I welcome any comments or views on this problem at any time.

Elgin Veterinary Hospital Gary D. Warner, DVM

600 Highway 290E, Elgin, TX 512-285-5362 or 512-BULLDOC elginbullvet@yahoo.com

SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM There is probably not enough paper to address all the problems we face in veterinary medicine today. But I know if we don’t address the manpower issue, none of the other will matter. We must better serve our agricultural production community and in order to do this we will have to have more veterinarians to go in to rural areas. The veterinarian is the first line of defense in animal production agriculture and if we are to guard against disease, we must have them there to serve. We must cultivate our youth as a crop with support and planting firm roots in the rural communities. Speak with your local veterinarian and get his or her view on the problem or talk with your legislator about funding or support of programs that support student loan forgiveness for those practitioners that choose to practice in rural deficient areas. Many of these programs exist but are unfunded or at least under-funded. Lastly, please be supportive of your local veterinary practioner. The time spent in professional education is similar to your medical family physician and he should be treated with the same amount of respect. The views expressed in this article are my own and I would appreciate any comments anyone may have on the matter. We as a profession

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Special interest in bucking stock. We have available digital radiography, ultrasonography, arthroscopy, hydraulic chutes and tables, and hospital facilities with special bucking pens. We are located 20 miles east of Austin Texas.

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Legends

Bonafide Bucker q q q q q q q q q q

Buckers worthy of Built Ford Tough Series status are constantly on a contractor’s mind. Filling the truck week after week with bonafide buckers is no easy task. The industry is full of good bulls, but it takes more to pique the interest of the industry’s elite bull men. It takes bulls that are “Bonafide Buckers.”

Satan’s Own

by Sugar Kuhn

From RSR to Ultimate Road Warrior

Satan’s Own

Photo by David Jennings. www.jenningsrodeophotography.com

A Bonafide Bucker is a consistent performer that does his deal out after out, year after year. He’s a work-horse and often the result of careful mating between parents cultivated from years of selective breeding. He’s no stranger to a multitude of forums and has a variety of feats to hang his hat on. When it comes to Bonafide Buckers, Bad Company Rodeo’s 09 Satan’s Own has definitely earned the label. THE EARLY DAYS: Steve and Julie Ravenscroft of Hyannis, Nebraska got their start in the bucking bull business in 1998 by using Whitewater Skoal Semen on their commercial females. By April of 2000 the cross had produced several potential buckers including a yearling bull branded 09 that they called Satan’s Own. They put the bull in the Buckers Sale of the Future

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

in Saginaw, Texas where Lyndal Hurst shelled out $2,150 for the aspiring young athlete. The following year Hurst won the first ever Buckers Gold Standard Futurity and $30,000 with Satan’s Own who had previously broken a horn and bucked with his horns casted. Hurst then lost the bull in the pre-agreed drawing to Trevor Walker. Although Walker won Satan’s Own in the drawing he opted to put

qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq the bull back into the sale that was held in conjunction with the event. Doug Vold bought the bull for $17,000, but quickly resold the bucker to Mac Altizer of Bad Company Rodeo where the bucker still remains today. While unconfirmed, the amount ultimately said to have been paid for the bull was $30,000 or possibly even more.

Where We Started

First Industry Futurity-2001 Buckers Gold Standard Futurity

The above picture is a still taken from a video at the 2001 Buckers Gold Standard Futurity of Satan’s Own bucking with casted horns.

POST SHUFFLE SUPER-STAR: After being shuffled from his breeder to initial owner, the Buckers Gold Standard drawing winner and sale purchaser, then onto his ultimate owner Mac Altizer, Satan’s Own embarked on a long journey eventually leading him to “bonafide bucker” status. From the time Satan’s Own ended up in Altizer’s hands, he had much to prove. Bad Company Rodeo had and still possesses one of the deepest bullpens in the world of bull riding. The Whitewater son was up for the challenge and by ’03 had qualified for his first of four trips to the National Finals Rodeo. In ’04 and ’05 he pulled double duty by also qualifying for the PBR Finals.

ROAD WARRIOR: Besides the bucker’s 4 NFR qualifications and 3 PBR Finals qualifications, he’s been straddled 95 times according to records. Out of those 95, 24 were final or short round outs and only 37 of those attempts resulted in qualified rides. He’s maintained a 21.57 point average through it all and criss-crossed the nation multiple times. From New York City to North Carolina, Texas to California, Montana to Washington and all places in-between, Satan’s Own is a bull that’s taken the miles and been tested by the road and all the harrowing things that comes with it. Riders that he’s carried to frequent money earning outs include; Dustin Elliott, Kasey Hayes, Rocky MacDonald, Jason Bennett, Ryan McConnell, Paulo Crimber, Wiley Peterson, Kody Lostroh, Sean Willingham, Cory Melton, Travis Briscoe, Rob Bell, Matt Austin, Zeb Lanham, Jody Newberry, Renato Nunes, Cory Rasch, Will Farrell, Myron Duarte and even veteran Michael Gaffney. The caliber of riders who have been to the pay window on Satan’s Own is enough proof that he is indeed a “bonafide bucker” and the other side of the ride on three 90 point outs and a slew of rides that ranged from 89 to 85 during his career.

BELT NOTCHES: Satan’s Own has legit stats that certainly qualify him for “bonafide

In 2001 the first ever bucking bull futurity was held at the Silverado near Weatherford, Texas. It was called The Buckers Gold Standard Futurity held by the RSR (Rodeo Stock Registry) and had at least 140 bulls entered including Bob Wilfong’s Microchip, Pudd & Tigger Too, Burrell Ashford’s Highway to Bell, Monty Samford’s Getcha Some and Moreno’s Typhoid Fever and White Out . The two-go event was open to breeders that each entered five bulls for an entry fee of $1,500. Each breeder that entered was allowed to select a judge. The owner of the bull crowned champion after the event, ultimately lost his bull. Each participating breeder along with anyone else who purchased a chance to be included was entered in a drawing to win the champion. The owner of the winning bull would receive 50 straws of semen from his winning bull and each participating breeder received 10. The winner of the drawing for ownership of the new champion then had the option to either keep the bull or put him back through the sale held in conjunction with the event.

bucker” status but if you’re looking for the bow on this total package, consider a few of his novelty credits. In ’06 the bovine sliced two additional accomplishments into his resume when he went international and also traveled off the mainland bucking in two super-eccentric localsChihuahua, Mexico and Honolulu, Hawaii. And finally what sends Satan’s Own into “bonafide bucker” notoriety is the multitude of notches the bovine has on his belt. Just as impressive as those who’ve tested Satan’s Own and won are those who have failed. Interestingly enough, many of them failed one or more times before ultimately being successful when the bull was run under them. Among the riders Satan’s Own has conquered some more than once are; Rob Bell, Cody Whitney and Greg Potter and those riders he’s taken down at least once are; Bryan Richardson, Cory Melton, Jesse Bail, Lee Akin, Marcelo Cruz, Shane Proctor, Cord McCoy, Harve Stewart, Travis Briscoe, Myron Duarte, Robson Palermo, Brendon Clark, J.W. Hart, Chad Denton, J.W. Harris, Beau Hill, Kasey Hayes, Jody Newberry, Clint Craig, B.J. Schumacher and even recently inducted Ring of Honor recipient Jim Sharp who’s considered the best bull rider ever by many. When it comes to the real work-horses of the sport and those which are worthy of “bonafide bucker” status, 09 Satan’s Own has been there and definitely done that. He’s done it legitimately with stamina and staying power from the industry’s first ever bucking bull futurity to multiple finals appearances, Satan’s Own has been a steady bucker and one the industry can consider bonafide. He’s an excellent example of the American Bucking Bull breed and has stood the test of time, the test of hard hauling and the test of the world’s best bull riders. The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Legends

A Blast from the Past q q q q q q q q

In the American Bucking Bull’s much anticipated series Blast from the Past, veterans of the sport share short notes from the past about prestigious venues, bad buckers and some of the most accomplished riders who pursued both.

q In this Blast from the Past, PBR co-founder and 1992 World Champion bull rider Cody Custer and 1985 World Champion bull rider and Ring of Honor Inductee Ted Nuce talk about the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and reminisce about both sides of this ride.

“Riding in the Astrodome was pretty special. The first time you walked in there it would take your breath away. Houston was a huge payday. In this picture Aaron (Semas) rode Orange Pop and won Houston. I think he won around $18,000 which set a record at the time for the biggest pay out. Orange Pop was out there up and down and around to the right. He had the best timing of any bull ever.” —Cody Custer

“Orange Pop of Dan Russell’s was a great bull with lots and lots of kick. He would go out there and turn back to the left. He was a real showy bull. I remember back before he started turning back he’d go out across there and was a big, jump-kicker. When he got to where he’d spin he just got better and better over time. He was one of those bulls you wanted to draw because he was a money bull. If you drew him and rode him you were going to win.” —Ted Nuce

“Aaron Semas rides Dan Russell’s Orange Pop to win the 1992 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Semas won the event and a check for $17,285.40 which was a record for the biggest single event payout at the time.” Photo by David Jennings. www.jenningsrodeophotography.com

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Recaps

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Diamond S Futurity Weatherford, Texas

May 1, 2010

By Susan Bedford Photos by Allen Glanville

The Diamond S Ranch in Weatherford, Texas played host to an outstanding Futurity on May 1. The strong pen of 2-year-olds wowed the crowd; none more so then Monty Samford’s 870 MS Gotch U Some. His 89.75 was worth $8,726. “I was in Houston working so Riley and Rex took them. Ol’ dad was out working while everybody else was out playing,” said Samford humorously. “When I called Rex to see how the bulls did ALL he said was ‘good.’ That’s all he’d say. You know he’s not much for words. I said ‘well did they turn back’ and he said ‘yep.’ I said, ‘well did we win anything.’ He said, ‘well, it’s not over yet, but I think we’re winning it.’ I said well that would be a pretty valuable piece of information don’t you think.” “When I watched the video that’s how he’s been every time we’ve bucked him. He’s usually right there to the left. Of course there he went both ways instead-Which is pretty hard to do in 4 seconds.” “He’s by C2 Get Ya Some and out of a Buckin Crazy daughter. He’s in College Station getting collected as we speak. We’ll probably buck him again sometime in the late summer so they don’t forget about him then we’ll take him to Stephenville for the Finals.”

Riley and Rex Samford accept the first-place buckle from Scott Pickens and David Simpson.

Simpson. Added wife Amie, “It’s neat to see so many old friends and meet new people in the industry.” The Simspons were gracious hosts and on hand to help out however needed during the event. Diamond S manager Scott Pickens and his wife Kelly kept the office and arena running smoothly. Their fantastic arena crew enabled all 88 bulls to buck in a timely manner and the weather couldn’t have been better to have an outdoor event. “It’s always nice working with Diamond S each year, they really understand what it takes to produce a first-class ABBI event,” stated ABBI Production Manager Zach Gunter. “Each year the event seems to get better and the ABBI is excited about the future potential.”

—Monty Samford There were 88 bulls entered in the event, with prize money through the twentieth spot. In second was Diamond S Bulls’ 817 with an 88. Halfinterest in 817 Sandy’s Dream had just been purchased at the Diamond S Sale by Bob and Jeri Adams, making for a very exciting weekend for the new Diamond S partners. Rounding out the top three was 842 Hous Back from Ace of Spades/Lonestar with an 87.5. “We’re really happy with the event and that so many people were able to come out and be a part of this,” said Diamond S owner David Rank

Bull

ABBI #

870MS Gotch U Some

10073119

Diamond S 817

10063496

3 4 5 6 7 8/9 8/9 10 11 12 13/14 13/14

842 Hous Back 821 Super Cool Cat MS801 Gets Tricky 33-8 Ragin J.T. 85 Time 2 Party 230/8 Jail House Rock 366 Speed Wagon U3 Backfire 493B Bad Mama Jama 650 American Gangster R2482A The Colonel Circle T 805

10082535 10065102 10083309 10085388 10068131 10080685 10084397 10073725 10061379 10088494 10062669 10086870

Diamond S 836

10064765

16 17 18 19/20/21 19/20/21 19/20/21

DC813 Yes Sir Creekmore 863 85-104 Crash Kat 861 No Chaos 845 Quagmier 72X Double Deuce

10082526 10066212 10063775 10084850 10074195 10077625

Owner

Monty Samford Diamond S Bucking Bulls / Logan Simpson Ace of Spades / Lonestar Craig / Terrell / Baker Monty Samford Jerry Tuttle / The Jaynes Gang Dozier, Samford, Tolman Carpenter / Hudgins / Treichel Oakes & Greene Bucking Bulls Cliff Wiggins Jerry Nelson / The Jaynes Gang Jay Hudgins Steven Alsedek / The Jaynes Gang Circle T Ranch & Rodeo Diamond S Bucking Bulls / Amie Simpson Ace of Spades / DC Bulls D&H Cattle / Jason Creekmore Hog Creek Ranch Cody Ohl & Ken Bershear H&C Bucking Bulls Greg Hovas / The Jaynes Gang

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

870 MS Gotch U Some, 1st place.

SIRE (Sire’s Sire) x DAM (Dam’s Sire)

Score PAYOUT

Get Ya Some (NA) x MS 74-5 (Buckin Crazy)

89.75

$8,725.60

Shanghai (Playboy Skoal) x Diamond S 413 (Houdini)

88.00

$5,034.00

Backlash (Broke Back V) x Floyd 42 (Houdini) Supercool (Playboy Skoal) x P4 Waspy Mama (Red Wasp/Western Hauler) Get Ya Some (NA) x MS 33-4 (Mighty Tricky) Shaggy (Yellow Wasp) x Elle Mae (Coffey Breeding) Party Time (Mighty Tricky) x MS-2 (Jim Dandy) Houdini (White Sports Coat)x BBD M1575 (Milkman) Short Out (Mossy Oak Mudslinger) x Oakes & Greene C72 (Boding) Backlash (Broke Back V) x Page 10-120 (Shorty) Leprechaun (Sky King) x BBD 493 (SJR 611) Night Life (Houdini) x Kish 650 (Kish 296) Red Wasp/Western Hauler (NA) x BBD 2482 (Exodus) Outa Da Bleu (Pride Rock) x Circle T 119 (Palace Station Express)

87.50 87.25 86.00 85.50 84.25 84.00 84.00 83.75 82.50 82.00 81.75 81.75

$3,020.40 $2,181.40 $1,845.80 $1,678.00 $1,510.20 $1,258.50 $1,258.50 $1,006.80 $922.90 $839.00 $713.15 $713.15

Cat Daddy (Achy Breaky) x TW 567 (Canadian Heritage)

81.00

$604.08

Houdini (White Sports Coast) x Page 542 (Crossfire Hurricane) AR 7 (K 827 Wolfdancer) x Creekmore Cow 63 (MC 329) Red Kat 4 (Skit Skat) x Cassie (Cowboy Crash) Rafter 7r974 (Chaos) x Porter 190 (Rooster) Straight Jacket (Houdini) x TNT 645 (Crossfire Hurricane) AR 546 (Roll the Dice) x SA 72H (Bodacious)

80.50 80.00 79.50 78.75 78.75 78.75

$536.96 $503.40 $453.06 $251.70 $251.70 $251.70 total payout (actual) $33,560.00

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Wild, Wild West Fest Classic Pueblo, Colorado

By Sugar Kuhn

May 15, 2010 ABBI’s Wild, Wild West Fest: “A Priceless Performance” The middle of May marks the beginning of the ABBI summer competition-rush and it all kicked off during the Wild, Wild West Fest in Pueblo. On May 15 our finest 3 and 4 year-old contenders blazed into the home of the ABBI headquarters and left an impression about which bovine’s will be dashing for the rest of the season’s dollars. The event showcased 11 sons and grand-sons of the late, great Houdini, three sons of the original Super Duty aka 88 Best Shot, two full flush brothers by Oscar’s Velvet, a full brother to Black Pearl and a host of other well-bred and highly competent Classic buckers. D&H Cattle Co. and L&E (Louie LeFlore and Ron Edelen) Bull’s high-rolling bucker 22S Priceless demanded the win after a super-stellar out under Billy Robinson for 89.75 and as close to an $11,000 payday as possible. Nobody was happier about the black bull’s ‘priceless’ performance than handler H.D. Page. “I thought Priceless was one that was going to be first or second every weekend last year when he was a 3-yearold. We’ve had heck getting him clean out of the chute and he’s placed everywhere but he’s never really come out on top until this weekend, so we’re tickled to death. He’s a Best Shot son and they have been really good for us this year I told Mr. LeFlore the first year how rank this bull was, but Priceless made me look silly until this one out!” Louie LeFlore added, “I feel great! This is wonderful. I partner with

Louie LeFlore and H.D. Page with Brad Boyd and Andee Lamoreaux

22S Priceless. Winner, Pueblo Classic Photo by Andy Watson

Dillon and H&D on five bulls- Classic and Futurity. Hopefully we’ll win some more this season and do well in Vegas.” Sliding into the second place finish was Julio Moreno & Richard Oliveira’s often controversial bovine Bushwacker. All eyes were on the bull’s crowd-pleasing charm when rider Valdiron de Oliveira climbed aboard. The match yielded an 89 point out and a $6,200 check for the bull’s owner. Bushwacker’s handler Kent Cox talked about the out. “Bushwacker wasn’t his best tonight. He went to the shark cage before he turned back. He did have Valdiron tipped into his hand though so whether that’s why he went so far is still up for debate. Either way you can’t deny that he bucked really hard tonight,” said Cox. Jackson, Homes & Baker’s 61 Moon is another bull that’s really gathering steam. The bull has been impressive so far this season and earned every bit of his 88.75 out under Robson Palermo just ahead of a three way pile up for the fourth slot. Martinez’s Mad Max, Boyd-Floyd & LaRue’s Lil Red Kat and Ravenscroft/Boyd-Floyd’s Pearl Jam all were marked 88.

Photo by Susan Bedford

Rank

Bull

ABBI #

Owner

1 2 3 4/5/6 4/5/6 4/5/6

22S Priceless MO 350 13/6 Bushwacker 61 Moon 63 Mad Max 68 Lil Red Kat 297 Pearl Jam

10042079 10058008 10047396 10067215 10068184 10039453

WB 69 Kat Hour

10091722

D&H Cattle Co./ L&E Bulls Julio Moreno/Richard Oliveira Jackson, Holmes & Baker Martinez Bucking Bulls Boyd-Floyd/LaRue Ravenscroft/Boyd-Floyd Wade & Cleo Barry/Mark & Kelly Ward

8/9

632 Copp Hou

10044285

Lightning C Cattle Co.

8/9 10/11/12 10/11/12 10/11/12

629 Magic 610 Ice T&D 6799 Sleeper 24S Best Ever

10055694 10034716 10096694 10042081

Jackson, Holmes & Baker Rafter HB Cattle Co. Boyd-Floyd & Cunningham D&H Cattle Co.

SIRE (Sire’s Sire) x DAM (Dam’s Sire)

Score PAYOUT

88 Best Shot (Houdini) x TBB K327 (Kish 105) Reindeer (Naccarato) x MO 110 (0) (Fournier) Gunfighter (Gunslinger) x W51 (GRC P50) Maximus (Hyatt Breeding) x Painted Girl (Ringeye) Red Cat (Pole Cat) x CPR 34 (Backfield’s Billy) Houdini(Whit e Sports Coat) x SJR 49 (Ravenscroft Breeding)

90.00 89.00 88.75 88.00 88.00 88.00

$10,924 $6,242 $4,682 $3,316 $3,316 $3,316

Jack Daniels Happy Hour (Grasshopper) x Down Kat (Downer)

87.75

$2,341

Houdini (White Sports Coat) x Copp B-84 (Copp/Newman Breeding) Houdini (White Sports Coat) x Ms. Kiker (Ms. Parrish) Wasp Stinger (Lil Wasp) x GRC W10 (Page Breeding) Cisco (Juma Breeding) x Juma H799 (Juma 799) 88 Best Shot (Houdini) x TBB K304 (Kish-643)

87.50

$1,756

87.50 86.75 86.75 86.75

$1,756 $455 $455 $455 total payout (actual) $39,012.50

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Recaps

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ABBI Neckover Futurity Challenge Archdale, NC

by Sugar Kuhn

May 8, 2010

Round 1 of the ABBI Neckover Futurity Challenge drew 49 entries to Archdale, North Carolina on May 8. The event was produced by Jerome and Tiffany Davis’ and is the first in a series of 3 events they will produce under a 3D format. The 3D format is a concept that has been used effectively in other types of competitions. The concept intends to increase participation and the opportunities to Torres Brothers, ABBI Neckover Futurity Challenge Winners. Photo by Allen Glanville win money regardless of skill level. The 3D format subsequently should increase the value of all calibers of animals since all levels of skill have an “At first I didn’t like it, but I ended up winning some money so it was equal opportunity to earn money. pretty good,” said Blythe with a smile. “We have to do something “We wanted to have a 3D because we wanted as many folks as pos- because people won’t keep coming back if the same guys just keep winsible to be able to go home with a check. I think a 3D system helps to ning every time. If not the next thing you know there is only going to get more people involved and more people excited about competing,” be 10 or 12 bulls entering. Some people who have never won anything, said Tiffany. getting that little bit of money is like a home run for them. The caliber There are 3 divisions under a 3D competition format. Each division of bulls there was also surprising. There were some really good bulls pays 4 places and each of the 3 divisions are set by the high score. There entered. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the series goes and is a 3 point spread between divisions. If the high score is a 90, then the who wins the trailer.” —Gary Blythe 90 wins the 1D. The next three highest scores follow to round out the 845 other 3 positions in the 1D. If the 1D winner is a 90 then the winner of Photo by David Russell the 2D would be an 87 point score because of the 3 point spread, again followed by the next consecutive marks through fourth place. The 3D winner is then the bull with an 84 mark, followed by the next three highest scores to round out the 3D. The difference in points from the winner of the 1D to the winner of the 3D will then be 6 points because of the 2 point spreads between divisions. Those scores falling in between the divisions do not win money, but if points are being counted like in the Archdale Neckover Challenge, each entry receives 1 point for every entry they beat. Round 2 of the ABBI Neckover Challenge will be held on July 31 and Round 3 on September 4 both in Archdale. The breeder with the group of 2-year-olds that generate the most points during the series will be awarded a new Neckover trailer. “Next time we will be doing the five judge system that they used at the American Heritage,” shared Tiffany. “This should help spread out the money in the 3D more like we originally wanted it to do. We’ll be adding $3,500 to the next event. “We were so happy with how many folks came out. We don’t have a lot of events on the East Coast and we were really glad we were able to have an ABBI event and give the folks out here a place to compete.”

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q ABBI NECKOVER FUTURITY CHALLENGE POINT STANDINGS RANCH NAME points

The Neckover Trailer that will be awarded to the participant with the most total points at the end of event series.

Rank

Bull

ABBI #

Owner

845

10068625

Torres Brothers Bucking Bulls

Skyler’s Pet

10088273

TNT Bucking Bulls

Torres Brothers Bucking Bulls

245.00

Davis Rodeo Ranch

238.50

Diamond C Bar Bucking Bulls

232.75

Bart Futrell Bucking Bulls

230.25

Teague Bucking Bulls

229.00

5G Farms

227.00

Anchor Bull Company

212.50

Gary Blythe Bucking Bulls

202.00

Brim Bucking Bulls

145.75

East Coast Cattle Co.

125.50

King & Minchin Bucking Bulls

107.00

TNT Bucking Bulls

84.25

C&W Bucking Stock

74.00

Rocking H Cattle

68.00

SIRE (Sire’s Sire) x DAM (Dam’s Sire) Score Points PAYOUT division 1 Stray Kitty x Page 630 (Page 80-135) Sharp Dressed Dude (-46 Sharp Dressed Man) x Dolly (111 What If)

86.50

$4,427

84.25

$2,951

division 1 payout 83.50 (3 Point Spread) $7,379 division 2 1 2

TBB 8043 5-2-8

10066390 10086605

Teague Bucking Bulls Diamond C Bar Bucking Bulls

3/4

Davis/Clapp 311

10082328

Davis Ranch Rodeo

3/4

8452

10062239

Torres Brothers Bucking Bulls

3/4

Main Gun

10088988

Davis Ranch Rodeo

8118

10085960

Anchor Bull Co.

2/3

869 Blythe

10080314

Gary Blythe

2/3 4

Mule Head 818

10082897 10076498

5G Farms Bart Futrell

Just a Dream (Romeo) x TBB NL 45/4 (01 Nightlife) 128 BMF (8101 Eyebrows x Ugley S-2 (W3 Spotted Bull) Scene of the Crash (840 Rock-n-Roll) x GRC W44 (749 Rooster) Here’s Your Sign (Toews Breeding) x TBB DK 425 (635 Mr. Juicey) Gunslinger x CW K092 (624 Wolfman)

division 3

82.25 82.00

46 45

$1,771 $1,328

81.75

$443

81.75

$443

81.75

$443

79.50

$1,181

79.00

$738

79.00 78.25

37 36

division 2 payout 80.50 (3 Point Spread) $4,427

CBJ 288 (599 Scar) x Knox 118 (Knox Breeding) Bunker Buster (635 Mr. Juicey) x Evil Sister (Blythe Breeding) 497 Automatic (224 Spook) x Happy (-33) Shyster (624 Wolfman) x Futrell 542 (Futrell 48)

$738 $295 division 3 payout $2,952 total payout (actual) $14,758

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Recaps

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JW Hart Challenge Decatur, Texas

Story and Photos by Allen Glanville

May 22, 2010 The ABBI and the J.W. Hart Challenge (Wise County Challenger Charities) have worked together now for six years bringing the top ABBI Classic bulls to the Wise County Sheriff’s Posse Grounds located in Decatur, Texas. Each year the event donates the profits to charity groups located in Wise County. This venture has raised over $270,000 and the number keeps rising. One of the event producers Andrew Rottner explained their goal, “We want to raise $25,000 each year for the United Way of Wise County and it looks like we will do it again this year.” Wendell Berry added, “The fans always support this event and this year will be no exception.” At the sponsor’s dinner Friday night, J.W. Hart remarked about the town and its support, “If I ever decided to leave Oklahoma, Decatur Texas is where I would relocate. You have some of the greatest people in the world living here. The years I have been coming down to do this event have shown me just how involved you are and I love being here.” The weather always plays a big roll in this event, it’s either 100 degrees or raining and we have seen both in the last few years. This year was almost perfect and J. W. Hart remarked, “Don’t say much about the weather, it just might jinx us, let’s just hope it stays like this.” Forty five bulls made the trip to Decatur and the fans were treated to a lot of action provided by the bulls, who in turn gave plenty of action to the riders trying to stay on. The judging was tight and those who owned bulls soon realized how hard it was going to be to place in this competition. This event always draws the top bulls in the ABBI and if you look at the top bulls bucking in the PBR today, many have bucked in this arena at one time. The bull that impressed the judges most was 61 Moon, owned by Jackson, Holmes & Baker, bucking and kicking his way to a 90.25 point score. 61 was fresh off his third place finish at the ABBI Pueblo, Colo. event and is starting to mature and make a run in the Classic standings. Gene Baker, one of the owners remarked, “Boy it sure feels great winning one of these events, 61 was really good today. I told one of my partners, Ben Holmes, thanks for keeping on with me on 61 because he is going to be a real good one, but it’s going to take time. I have spent more time working with 61 than any bull I have competed with. Our

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

ABBI Classic Winners, Decatur, TX

newest partner Waylon Jackson has really brought us some luck and he is now our good luck charm.” Jackson added his thoughts, “We are just so excited about this big win. We have been watching these bulls buck for quite some time now and I’m just glad to be a part of this great bull.” 61 was sired by Gunfighter, a son of Gunslinger and out of W51 a cow raised by Vernon Guidry. 61 was raised by Chris Onstad. 61 Moon is hard to get out on, fighting his head. Baker decided to work with the front of the bull and have Gene Melton flank him. This system has been used two times now and I think the team will keep this plan in place. Second place went to BL 601 Power Line owned by Blood Line Bucking Bulls with a 90, third was D&H Cattle Co.’s 70S High Stakes with 89.75, fourth was 126 Wake Up Call, Boyd-Floyd / Naccarato with 89.5 and fifth was Boyd-Floyd / LaRue’s, 68 Lil Red Kat at 88.5. During the half-time break this venture held a Mini Bull Competition and those in attendance loved it. This competition is open to kids 10 and older. 10-year-old Colton Kelly was this year’s winner scoring 77 points and replied, “I love all this and I felt like it was a good ride.” These youngsters already have the stride of the older riders and are the future of this sport. Curt Blake produced the event and once again turned in an excellent job. PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert and James DeBord handled the ring roping, and judging by their wet shirts, got quite a workout. Hats off to the Wise County Challenger Charities, Wendell Berry, Roy Young, Calvin Jackson and Andrew Rottner for all the long hours and great work they are doing for Wise County, Texas.

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61 Moon Decatur, TX

“Boy it sure feels great winning one of these events, 61 was really good today. I told one of my partners, Ben Holmes, thanks for keeping on with me on 61 because he is going to be a real good one, but it’s going to take time. I have spent more time working with 61 than any bull I have competed with.” —Gene Baker Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9/10 9/10

Bull 61 Moon BL601 Power Line 70S High Steaks 126 Wake Up Call 68 Lil Red Kat 803 Atomic Punk MO 350 13/6 Bushwacker 61 Wine-Hu 63 Mad Max 6799 Sleeper

ABBI # 10047396 10039113 10042122 10046389 10068184 10059488 10058008 10039399 10067215 10096694

Owner Jackson, Holmes & Baker Blood Line Bucking Stock LLC D&H Cattle Co Boyd-Floyd / Naccarato Boyd-Floyd / LaRue Boyd-Floyd / Robinson Julio Moreno / Richard Oliveira Lightning C / PBJ Martinez Bucking Bulls Boyd-Floyd / Cunningham

Colton Kelly, Mini Bull Riding Winner

SIRE (Sire’s Sire) x DAM (Dam’s Sire) Gunfighter (Gunslinger) x W51 (Devils Advocate) Yellow Jacket (Wrangler Rivet) x ET 06 (Unforgiven) Shorty (Roach Breeding) x Page 393-484 (Mossy Oak Mudslinger Short Stack (Houdini) x AN 160 (Naccarato Breeding) Red Cat (Pole Cat) x CPR 34 (CPR Breeding) DM 322 (Bright Eyes) x DM 44 (Gotcha) Reindeer (Naccarato Breeding) x MO 110 (Diamond’s Ghost) MS 32X (Houdini) x Montana Wine (Blueberry Wine) Maximus (Hyatt Breeding) x Painted Girl (Automatic) Cisco (Juma Breeding) x Juma H799 (Black Powder)

Score PAYOUT 90.25 90.00 89.75 89.50 88.50 88.25 88.00 87.50 87.25 87.25

$9,259.53 $5,291.16 $3,968.37 $3,306.98 $2,810.93 $2,314.88 $1,984.19 $1,653.49 $1,240.12 $1,240.12 total payout (actual) $33,069.77

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Recaps

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American Heritage Futurity

by Sugar Kuhn

Ardmore, Oklahoma

Photos by Allen Glanville

June 5, 2010 It only comes around one time a year-The American Heritage Futurity, the single largest paying regular season ABBI futurity event. On June 5, 164 2-year-olds converged on the Hardy Murphy Coliseum in Ardmore, Okla. to buck for over $414,000. ABBI breeders that diligently paid their most worthy bulls into the event over the past year battled for the AHF title. When all was said and done North Carolina’s Torres Brothers grabbed the big win and over $107,000 for 849 Messy Mossy’s 22.25 point out. The Mudslinger son out of a Page cow sparked the most attention from five judges in five categories. “We bought his mother from Pages and the calf I really liked his breeding. This was his fourth trip here in Oklahoma and what he did here was just what we expected. I was kind of The Torres Brothers, owners of Torres Bucking Bulls worried with the haul here and all Winners of the ABBI American Heritage Futurity. that’s going on, but it was okay and he did good.” Expect the big-money winand a Russell bred cow nabbed each of their owners a check for $49,767. ner to show up again in Archdale. Wiggins whose bull bucked 98th said, “He pretty much had the same Cliff Wiggins’ Backfire and Joey Almand’s I’m No Angel locked horns trip that he did at the Diamond S event in Weatherford where he was for second each with a 22.00 point total. Backfire a Backlash son also out tenth. I was down there a ways in the order and the ground was deeper of a Page bred cow, and I’m No Angel the product of TW 92 Unbelievable though. He was out one before he turned back there but here at Ardmore Rank 1 2/3 2/3 4-6 split 4-6 split 4-6 split 7/8 7/8 9 10-13 split 10-13 split 10-13 split 10-13 split 14/15 14/15 16-23 split 16-23 split 16-23 split 16-23 split 16-23 split 16-23 split 16-23 split 16-23 split

Bull Messy Mossy Backfire I’m No Angel 845 83U Don Philippe U11 Train Wreck Good Night Davis/Clapp 368 860 Lindley 8557 Crash Kat Headliner 805 Night Prowler 4U Blackout SB 738 Mark 10:27 Duty Calls Tough Ombre Mudcat Altercation Hou’s It Hou’s Back Super Cool Cat One More Dip

ABBI # 10068629 10073725 10074986 10068625 10067945 10067978 10084398 10082300 10086364 10074401 10063775 10068137 10079482 10057740 10067140 10066410 10069226 10090136 10084394 10063897 10082535 10065102 10062692

Owner Torres Bros Bucking Bulls Cliff Wiggins Joey Almand Torres Bros Bucking Bulls D&H Cattle Co./ Phillip Harrison D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle/Weber Cody Ohl/Terrell Sullivan Davis Rodeo Ranch/Clapp Cattle Mitch Terrell-Terrell Bucking Bulls Hog Creek Ranch Hog Creek Ranch Warren Dozier Boyd-Floyd Bull Co. D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle/Opperman Sandie & Muriel Bonsall Torres Bros Bucking Bulls Lufkin Ranch & Rodeo Johnson Cattle Co. Cody Ohl Dale & Sharon Loseke Ace of Spades/Lone Star BBG Craig, Terrell & Baker Kay & Jonathon Jaynes/ Jaynes Gang

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

SIRE (Sire’s Sire) x DAM (Dam’s Sire) Mudslinger (Page 01) x Page S57 (Page 255-152) Backlash (BBV) x Page 10-120 (Page 10-103) TW 92 Unbelievable (Canadian Heritage) x VK 41 (Russell) Stray Kitty x Page 630 (Page 80-135) Crazy Train (Boding) x Page 525 (Page C200-441) Crazy Train (Boding) x Page 625-227 (Page Breeding) Neon Lights (Neon Nights) x Good and Bald (Walls) Playboy x GRC W44 (GRC W10) (0) x TNT 60 (TNT 36) Cowboy Crash (Cowboy Cash) x Lindley 3-15 Red Kat 4 ( Skit Skat) x Cassie RK 0 (Plummer) x BW20 (Page Breeding) Wildlife (Houdini) x Boyd 688 (Ray 47) Backlash (BBV) x 918 April (Page 418) SB 766-Azusa Street (Rooster) x Foxy (Baker 602) Houdini (WSC) x Ladybug (JL Paint Cow) Zorro (Doo Dad) x Suttle 023 (Broken Arrow 23) Fr 73 (Wolf Pet) x GRC W23 (Coffey Breeding) Neon Lights (Neon Nights) x Miss Vindicator (FP-12) Erkle’s Magic (Houdini) x Loseke L275 (MS 62) Backlash (BBV) x Twelve (Hargis Breeding) Super Cool (Playboy) x P4 Waspy Momma (Guidry) More Bucks (Go Kat Go) x Hurst 526 (Sally)

Score PAYOUT 22.25 22.00 22.00 21.50 21.50 21.50 21.25 21.25 21.00 20.75 20.75 20.75 20.75 20.50 20.50 20.25 20.25 20.25 20.25 20.25 20.25 20.25 20.25

$107,829 $49,767 $49,767 $23,501 $23,501 $23,501 $17,626 $17,626 $14,515 $10,887 $10,887 $10,887 $10,887 $7,880 $7,880 $3,473 $3,473 $3,473 $3,473 $3,473 $3,473 $3,473 $3,473 total payout (actual) $414,725

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he was right there in the gate.” Backfire got a little extra appreciation from his owner after his finish. “When I got him home I turned him out to breed some yearling heifers as a little reward. I’ll see how he does-what kind of shape he’s in after breeding, but most likely his next event will be Sulphur Springs in August.” While Backfire came of his last event only three weeks ago, Almand’s I’m No Angel hadn’t seen the dummy since the Spring Spectacular. “I hadn’t bucked him since he won in Stephenville,” said an elated Almand. “We did everything we could do and we’re pretty happy with how it ended up. He did everything we hoped he’d do so after his out I felt good. Then it was just a waiting game until the next bull went.” The Torres Brothers didn’t stop with just the first place finish. Their 845 bull shared fourth place with 83U Don Philippe from D&H Cattle and Phillip Harrison, and U11 from D&H, Buck and Weber. The three-way split yielded over $23,000 for each bulls 21.50 score. The general consensus was everything that was anticipated of the American Heritage Futurity. Breeders have to start thinking about paying their bulls in and nominating them well in advance so the anticipation can be great. “Like I expected the event was really well run, said Wiggins. “Everything was very professional from the way the guys handled everything in the back pens to the guys putting on dummies and working the arena. Overall I’d say another American Heritage was a great success.”

849 Messy Mossy

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Recaps

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American Heritage Derby

by Susan Bedford

Ardmore, Oklahoma

Photos by Allen Glanville

June 4, 2010 After the success of last year’s American Heritage event exclusively for 3-year-olds, breeders were enthusiastic about the opportunity to enter their young Classic bulls in the 2010 event. ABBI members entered 88 bulls, which turned into a unique opportunity for the fans in the Hardy Murphy Coliseum in Ardmore. The PBR athletes were allowed to enter twice (88 bulls requires a lot of cowboys) and with two head per entry, some rode four head. Or rather, some attempted to ride four bulls. The money raised through the general admission tickets went to support the Junior Futurity events. The 3-year-old bulls brought their A games, dumping the majority of the PBR talent. To win the Derby took a score of 89.5 and the depth of

bovine talent was evident because three bulls split that first place position. Cross E Bucking Bulls, Jim Owens Bucking Bulls and Boyd/Floyd/ Andrews were the operations that brought the three champions. Owens 71 and Boyd/Floyd/Andrews 705 each earned over $23,000 each. Thanks to the American Heritage bonus system in place, Cross E’s Rush Hour took home an additional $10,000 for a grand total of $33,450. Just behind the trio of champions was Rafter HB’s 719 Hurts So Good, which netted the Hull and Been families over $9,000. Rounding out the top five were 708 from Bob Wilfong and 89 Greenhorn from Ravenscroft/ Boyd-Floyd, each earning an 88.75. The event paid through 21st place, giving nearly a quarter of the buckers a prize check.

Winners, ABBI Derby, Ardmore, OK Rank

Bull

ABBI #

Owner

1/2/3

708 Rush Hour

10053617

Cross E Bucking Bulls

1/2/3 1/2/3 4 5/6

Owens 71 705 Hurts So Good 719 708

10096462 10061225 10053755 10060632

Jim Owens Bucking Bulls Boyd / Floyd / Andrews Rafter HB Cattle Co Bob Wilfong

5/6

380 Greenhorn

10058170

7 8/9 8/9 10 11

78 Poker Face 58T Flyin Train 31 Scat Rat 83T Charlie T B-798 Heads Up

10090969 10046072 10112229 10047347 10062478

12/13/14/15

13T Little Snake

10045510

12/13/14/15 12/13/14/15 12/13/14/15 16 17/18/19/20/21 17/18/19/20/21

65T Back Ordered T10 Caper 7017 Air Patrick 701 Ninety Proof A79 Yard Bird 66T Hustlin

10046077 10073396 10065806 10061159 10062423 10046078

17/18/19/20/21 KP 47 Lil Moon

10091505

17/18/19/20/21 773 You Wish 17/18/19/20/21 237 Mud Bug

10064734 10050463

SIRE (Sire’s Sire) x DAM (Dam’s Sire) M17 (CVM-17) x Page 4-203 (Larry the Cable Guy)

Super Dude (Super Dave) x Owens 3F1 (Hells Bells) Fender Bender (Andrews -6) x SA 135 (Zandy) Hot Shot (Short Stack) x JA-16 (Bo Talkin) Crooked Tooth (Vegas) x BW 418 (BW 62/1) Fistful of Dollars (Mossy Oak Mudslinger) x SJR 272 (Night Ravenscroft / Boyd- Floyd Life) Box K Cattle Rodeo (Chaos) x Little Shiney (Automatic) D&H Cattle CO / Margy Haines 347 Crazy Train (Boding) x Page 325-478 (Hotel California) John & Mary McDonald Scar Tissue (Skat Kat) x NA D&H Cattle CO / Shaw Enterprises Squirt Gun (Roll the Dice) x Page 25-459 (Backlash) Ace of Spades / Beach City / Crowthers Blenderhead (Burns Breeding) x JC 025 (Bodacious) Mossy Oak Mudslinger (Page 01) x Page 302-496 (Hotel D&H Cattle CO / Shel & Yvonne Weber California) D&H Cattle CO Backlash (Broke Back V) x Page 05-106 (Western Wishes) Cliff Wiggins Stray Kitty (NA) x Page 10-120 (Shorty) Nothin' But Try Ranch / Bar 3D Bucking Bulls 1072 (Air Jordan)x McCloy 701 (McCloy Breeding) Walker Bucking Stock Breeders Walker -25 (Copenhagen Charlie) x Walker 214 (TW 912) Mike Rawson Rooster (White Sports Coat) x BW 55 (Wilfong Breeding) D&H Cattle CO Hustler (Playboy Skoal) x Page 16-132 (Copperhead) KP Buckin' Bulls - Keith Penn & Hank Neon Moon (Neon Nights) x NA Killgore 5G Farms Raspberry Wine (Spook) x Gant 33 (Pole Cat) McFarlin / Pro Bull Nutrition Page 323 (Mossy Oak Mudlsinger) x Boot Heel 4-23 (Fancy)

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Score PAYOUT 89.50 89.50 89.50 89.00 88.75

$33,450.00 *AHF Bonus $23,450.00 $23,450.00 $9,145.50 $7,386.75

88.75

$7,386.75

88.25 88.00 88.00 87.75 87.50

$6,331.50 $5,276.25 $5,276.25 $4,221.00 $3,869.25

87.25

$3,007.46

87.25 87.25 87.25 87.00 86.75 86.75

$3,007.46 $3,007.46 $3,007.46 $2,251.20 $1,435.15 $1,435.14

86.75

$1,435.14

86.75 86.75

$1,435.14 $1,435.14 total payout (actual) $150,700.00

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708 Rush Hour

Owens 71

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Recaps

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Junior Futurity

by Susan Bedford

Ardmore, Oklahoma

Photos by Allen Glanville

June 5, 2010 The first ABBI Junior Futurity of the year was held as part of the American Heritage on June 5. There were 31 entries from junior members, two of which also took part in the American Heritage Futurity. Ultimately, three 2-yearold bulls split first with scores of 21.25 (based on the five judge system). Tyler Terrell’s 834, Hunter Ohl/Blake & Saylor Ohl’s B-842 Pure Blend and Colt Hawks/Walker Top ten ABBI JR Futurity, Ardmore, OK Bucking Stock Breeders 885 Off The Line each earned just enjoyed spending time together and supporting each other in Ardmore, under $5,250. Okla. Old friendships were renewed and new friendships were made - and Tyler couldn’t stop beaming. “This is great!” Hunter, Blake and all the kids are looking forward to seeing each other again in Oklahoma Saylor Ohl echoed that statement and all the winners thought their vic- on July 17 for the Claremore event. tory was “cool” and “awesome.” Colt Hawks and Quentin Walker explained how they worked as a team. “It is Quentin’s bull, but I flanked him,” said Colt. Quentin isn’t old enough to compete yet, so his good buddy Colt was in charge of getting the best performance out of 885 and he did a stellar job. Quentin proudly displayed the winning buckle to everyone at the arena. The ABBI is having matching buckles made for the other first-place winners. Jonathan Jaynes carried on the Jayne’s Gang family tradition of success by winning fourth with M526A One More Dip with a 20.25. Quentin’s older brother Zane took fifth with 812 Sour Apple. Splitting fifth with Zane with a score of 20 was Rex Samford with his MS868 Motor Monkey. Also splitting seventh, Rex had another winner in Big Nasty. The Baker brothers’ 832 Arco was the other bull to earn a 19.75 and be in the money. The ABBI Junior Futurity events are definitely family affairs, but B-842 Pure Blend that family extends beyond relatives and people who live under the same roof. From the hotel pool to the arena floor, the junior members really Rank 1/2/3 1/2/3 1/2/3 4 5/6 5/6 7/8 7/8

Bull Terrell 834 B-842 Pure Blend 885 Off The Line M526A One More Dip 812 Sour Apple MS 868 Motor Monkey 832 Arco -11-8 Big Nasty

ABBI # 10086381 10071818 10080166

Owner

SIRE (Sire’s Sire) x DAM (Dam’s Sire)

Score PAYOUT

Tyler Terrell Hunter Ohl / Blake & Saylor Ohl Colt Hawks / Walker Bucking Stock Breeders

Straight Jacket (Houdini) x TT S34 (Hot Rod) 21.25 Blenderhead (Burns Breeding) x 3/T 4042 (Monsoon) 21.25 TW 285 Off Limits (Copenhagen Charlie) x TW 685 (Cadillac Jack) 21.25

10062692

Jonathan Jaynes

More Bucks (Go Cat Go!) x Hurst 526 (Reindeer)

10082029

Zane Walker / Walker Bucking Stock Breeders TW 55 (Neon Nights) x TW 2W12 (TW 911)

20.25

$2,546.50

20.00

$1,736.25 $1,736.25

10070600

Rex Samford

Get Ya Some (NA) x Miss Mouse (Houdini)

20.00

10064820 10070595

Colt Baker / Cade Baker Rex Samford

Mossy Oak Mudslinger (page 01) x Baker 591 (Corkscrew) Get Ya Some (NA) x MS-11 (Mighty Tricky)

19.75 19.75

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

$5,247.34 $5,247.33 $5,247.33

$694.50 $694.50 total payout (actual) $23,150.00

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885 Off the Line

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Recaps

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ABBI Sanctioned Roy Carter Sale May 12, 2010 The ABBI Sanctioned Roy Carter 2nd Annual Production Sale in Buffalo, Texas on May 12 was broadcast on RFD-TV by Superior Livestock Auction. Buyers were treated to 128 lots of high quality bucking bred genetics that the Carter program has cultivated over many years. With genetics that are based with great Carter bucking bulls like AlligatorCarter also offered lots from several guest consignors including Kevin Loudamy, Joey Baker, Shelley Pate, Stan Hamilton, Tommy Rodell and Rodney Jeffreys. World Champion Auctioneer Joe Don Pogue and 5-time PRCA World Champion and Hall of Fame Bullfighter Rob Smets were at the sale’s helm. Smets provided invaluable information on the backgrounds of many of the cattle offered as well as the ancestry behind them. A vast majority of the lots offered were deeply rooted in genetics of historical importance. Smets’ commentary on the fighting bull blood that Carter has used to invigorate his herd provided valuable information about the role that hot-blood has played in the ultimate success of many herds like Carters. Additionally Smets’ first-hand knowledge of

Roy and Bob Wilfong

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

by Sugar Kuhn Photos by Tammy Williams

legendary buckers like Alligator, Skat Kat, Bodacious, Death Valley Skoal and White Lightning brought these old school bulls back to life through their successful offspring that were offered at the sale. “Rob Smets and Joe Don Pogue were awesome and we are very grateful to them for being involved,” said Roy. “I’m really pleased with the sale. The cattle with good breeding behind them still brought good money. The yearling heifers went cheap, so it was definitely a buyer’s sale. It was hard to let some of them go, especially bulls like Fraggle (Rock) and some of those older cows. But I have daughters and grand-daughters out of them and know they will go on to do well for the people who bought them. I’d really like to thank everyone who bid on and purchased cattle, and everyone that attended the sale or watched it on TV and the internet. We had buyers from as far away as California, Iowa and even New York! We even added 10 new ABBI members at the sale which I thought was pretty good for the industry. It shows that people are still interested in our sport and in getting into this business which is a positive thing.”

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Chance Martin with his new partner Steven Robb (on left)

Roy Carter

ROY CARTER SALE HIGHLIGHTS: Buyer Hi Selling Bull Hi Selling Pair Cow Average Volume Buyers Lot Average SALE TOTAL

Brian Gaylord, CA Brian Gaylord, CA N/A Billy Jaynes Brian Gaylord Rob Parker Mike Kirk N/A N/A

Amount

$7,500 $1,950 $1,450 $19,775 $17,600 $6,645 $7,820 $ 1,030 $132,000

Fragile Rock RC 661-Red Rock Daughter On 62 Head 19 Lots 6 Lots 10 Lots 9 Lots 128 Lots 128 Lots

D&H Cattle Co. Sale Highlights amount

Yearling Bulls Average

$10,443

High Selling Yearling Bull

$35,000

Lot 6

Yearling Bull Total Semen Total Cow/Calf Pairs Average Cow/Calf Pairs Total

$355,050 $62,225 $6,688 $588,500

NA NA NA NA

High Selling Pair

$37,000

Lot 99

Lot Average SALE TOTAL

$7,734 $943,550

description 34 Lots Page 61W Dam of 53 Sure Fire (009 Showtime x Page 201-170 by Copper Top) 34 Lots NA 88 Lots 88 Lots Page 16-132 w/Showtime bull calf (Copperhead x Page 656-108 by Page 01) 122 Lots 122 Lots

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Recaps

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ABBI Sanctioned Diamond S Sale May 1, 2010 The Second Annual Earth Shattering Bucking Genetics Sale was held May 1. The 4L Rodeo and Diamond S Sale, produced by Exclusive Genetics, attracted a large crowd to the Diamond S Ranch in Weatherford, Texas. With special commentary by industry legend Bob Tallman, the sale was informative, educational and fun. When the last lot had sold, an impressive $347,385 worth of animals and interest in animals had changed hands. There were two days of action-packed activities surrounding the sale and ABBI Futurity. Things kicked off on April 30 with a welcome dinner where Justin McBride performed. The sale started the next day at 11a.m. and lasted just over three hours. The bidding was fast and frantic at times, with many potential buyers looking to add Diamond S Genetics to their herd Diamond S sold half-interest in seven of their top futurity bulls for

by Susan Bedford Photos by Allen Glanville

2010. The total sales on these seven bulls was $113,750. The top selling bull was 817 Sandy’s Dream which Bob and Jeri Adams purchased halfinterest in for $28,000. 817 went on to place second in the Futurity event that afternoon. The Adams also bought three live breedings to Avalanche and Cat Daddy for $5,000. 2011 Million Dollar Futurity bull R56 Little Lanche’ was sold for $28,000 to Jerry Tuttle and Curtis Leschyshyn. Guest Consignor Bucks By Design brought 16 pre-futurity bulls that will be eligible to compete in 2011. The total sales on those lots was $50,650. Diamond S sold 20 yearling heifers for a total of $40,200 and 15 2-year-old heifers that were ready to breed for $34,050. 10 cows with calves by their sides sold for a total of $26,750. Two yearling Troubadour bull calves sold for $4,750 each.

Bob Tallman and Justin McBride joined the Diamond S and Exclusive Genetics sales crew to offer their expert opinions

Diamond S SALE HIGHLIGHTS: Buyer High Selling half-interest Bull High Selling Bull 2 Yearling Bull Calves

Bob & Jeri Adams Jerry Tuttle & Curtis Leschyshyn N/A

15 2-year-old Heifers

Mixed

20 Yearling Heifers

Mixed

Sale Total

N/A

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

Amount $28,000 (50% interest) $28,000 $4,750 each $34,050 total $2,270 avg $40,200 total $2,010 avg $347,385

ID 817 Sandy’s Dream (2-year-old Futurity bull) R56 Little Lanche’s (2011 Million Dollar Futurity Bull) Troubador calves Mixed Mixed 92 lots

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

q Classic/Futurity Standings

qqqqqq

2010 Classic Standings (By Money) As of 5-26-2010

Total Payout: $239,827.35

For full and up-to-date standings, visit www.americanbuckingbull.com PLACE

ID #

ABBI #

BULL

OWNER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 27 27 30 31 32 33 34 34 36 36 38 39 40 41 41 41 44 45 45 47 48 49 49 49 49 49 54 55 55 55 58 58 58 58 58

MO 350 13/6 22S 61 6799 63 632 61 610 611 68 615 166-I BL 601 3M 64 126 70S A712 634 297 602 5143 WB 69 603 602 XS 687 M 604 185 W42 S732 6214 629 613 924B 3M 6 ST59 721 227 676 S13 669 606 607 S714 320 S38 615 606 24S 323 S614 83T 7080 S716 19 672 316 215 605 298 93 622 602

10058008 10042079 10039399 10096694 10067215 10044285 10047396 10034716 10086752 10068184 10066775 10071852 10039113 10041169 10046389 10042122 10062489 10056700 10039453 10045163 10079647 10091722 10059488 10035318 10072320 10049289 10045432 10050775 10058412 10054158 10055694 10042622 10049472 10041170 10057588 10051225 10059018 10042633 10039270 10042615 10038188 10038189 10058403 10091130 10039291 10041177 10044453 10042081 10039474 10043494 10047347 10048749 10058383 10066130 10043203 10091138 10091858 10034832 10039454 10041518 10056697 10067747

Bushwacker Priceless Wine-Hu Sleeper Mad Max Copp Hou Moon Ice T.&D. Minor Incident Lil Red Cat Tomahawk Hawaiian Rock Power Line Jelly Bean Wake Up Call High Steaks Pit Boss Double Clutch Pearl Jam Riccochet Da Bidness Kat Hour Atomic Punk Iron Horse Pop Knot Jed Clampett Rustlers Paradise Skyjacker Shake The Bank Comanche Moon Magic Evil Repeat Immigrant Do Wah Diddy Hot Seat Mr. Personality Mr. Potato Head Canadian Cadillac The New Millennium Mission Top Oscar The Grouch Black Velvet Shadow Shaker Pretty Boy Floyd Bo Diddly Top Diamond Mail Man Best Ever High Pockets Double Up Lil' Squirt Ox Bar Crisis Management King Pin Smooth Cowboy Charm Panda's Tracks Prince of Darkness Circle T 605 Hippy Music Son Of A Buck Walk the Line Wild Child

Julio Moreno / Richard Oliveira D&H Cattle Co / L&E Bulls Lightning C Cattle / PBJ Bulls Boyd-Floyd / Cunningham Martinez Bucking Bulls Lightning C Cattle Co. Jackson, Holmes & Baker Rafter HB Cattle Company Boyd-Floyd / Cunningham Boyd-Floyd / LaRue Boyd-Floyd / Martinez Rocker G Livestock Blood Line Bucking Stock LLC 3M Cattle Co - Fred and Joyce McAfee Boyd-Floyd / Naccarato D&H Cattle Co Pit Boss Syndication Walker Bucking Stock Breeders Ravenscroft / Boyd-Floyd Cross E Bucking Bulls Lane & Downard Bull Co Wade & Cleo Barry / Mark & Kelly Ward Boyd-Floyd / Robinson Circle T Ranch & Rodeo XS Ranch / Mike Lane Jerry Nelson / Ivan Stoltzfus / The Jaynes Gang Diamond S Bucking Bulls Billy Ballenger Shippy Rodeo Bulls / Alpine Bucking Bulls 4C's / Larry Barker Jackson, Holmes & Baker Walker Bucking Stock Breeders Frontier & Marshall 3M Cattle Co - Fred and Joyce McAfee D&H Cattle Co / Buck Cattle Diamond S Bucking Bulls / Tom Peterson Stewart Shepherd Walker Bucking Stock Breeders D&H Cattle Co / Buck Cattle Co Walker Bucking Stock Breeders Leffew, Isbell, Sweeney Leffew, Isbell, Sweeney Shippy Rodeo Bulls / 5-J Bucking Bulls Munson Cattle Co. Moose Cattle Company Diamond S Bucking Bulls & Tom Peterson Boyd-Floyd D&H Cattle Co Hoefer-Huffman Bucking Bulls Shippy Rodeo Bulls / Alpine Bucking Bulls D&H Cattle Co Diamond S Bucking Bulls Shippy Rodeo Bulls / 5-J Bucking Bulls Martinez Bucking Bulls Diamond S Bucking Bulls Munson Cattle Co. Boyd-Floyd / Turner Circle T Ranch & Rodeo Ravenscroft / Boyd-Floyd WM Bucking Bulls Walker Bucking Stock Breeders D&H Cattle Co / Cliff Wiggins

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

EARNINGS $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

23,100.59 21,870.75 15,924.03 15,725.21 14,257.68 14,144.21 13,941.03 13,019.37 10,832.50 9,144.74 8,077.47 6,726.20 5,291.16 4,528.46 4,406.46 3,968.37 3,880.50 3,739.06 3,316.06 2,827.43 2,380.97 2,340.75 2,314.88 2,290.59 2,107.35 1,918.13 1,810.90 1,810.90 1,810.90 1,806.24 1,755.57 1,705.95 1,450.78 1,304.55 1,304.55 1,099.48 1,099.48 1,053.68 1,034.84 809.49 711.43 711.43 711.43 582.08 571.99 571.99 462.84 455.15 426.86 426.86 426.86 426.86 426.86 212.42 145.52 145.52 145.52 66.90 66.90 66.90 66.90 66.90

q Futurity Standings

qqqqqqqqqq

2010 Futurity Standings (By Points) As of 6-14-2010

Total Payout: $521,672.56

For full and up-to-date standings, visit www.americanbuckingbull.com Place ID #

ABBI #

BULL

OWNER

EARNINGS

POINTS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

821 810 845 845 842 VK 418 85104 849 U3 U844 U11 875 4U

10065102 10084398 10074195 10068625 10082535 10074986 10063775 10068629 10073725 10071836 10067978 10084394 10057740

Super Cool Cat Good Night Quagmeir 845 Hous Back I'm No Angel Crash Kat Messy Mossy Backfire Beach Boy U11 Train Wreck Altercation 4U Blackout

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

9,526.07 19,346.42 1,273.31 29,218.93 6,493.72 60,950.90 11,339.59 107,828.50 50,773.80 702.58 23,501.08 4,494.93 7,879.78

327.00 306.00 304.00 303.00 282.00 267.00 248.00 246.00 240.00 239.00 235.00 234.00 231.00

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

8480 327 846 R2482A S820 802 85

10063769 10079482 10084392 10062669 10078039 10061540 10080162

Crashed Out Night Prowler Barlights The Colonel Triple Rank Paranormal Activity Nite Ranger

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

4,528.35 10,886.53 702.58 713.15 -

220.00 212.00 211.00 210.00 206.00 201.00 200.00

21 22 23

493B 368 812

10061379 10082300 10082523

Bad Mama Jama Davis / Clapp 368 Hous Firen

$ $ $

922.90 17,625.82 -

193.00 186.00 182.00

23 25 26 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 46

124U M526A 311 -1388 85 MS 870 811 812 401 32 S81 S8 806 8557 63 83U 800 804 860 MC 824 805 830 738 S814

10073962 10062692 10082328 10067303 10068131 10073119 10076519 10082029 10079388 10066410 10078027 10078037 10081465 10074401 10075627 10067945 10088988 10082055 10086364 10089476 10068137 10078347 10067140 10078019

Page 124U One More Dip Davis / Clapp 311 Stuff Happens Time 2 Party Gotch U Some 811 812 Walker Badlands Duty Calls Bad Acid Poco Toro Blackeyed Pea Cowboy Dusty Grit and Steel 83U Don Phillipe Main Gun 804 Walker 860 Oh My Gravy Headliner 805 Slide Hammer SB 738 Mark 10:27 K.G.B.

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

3,473.32 442.73 2,531.81 8,725.60 3,473.32 6,252.64 702.68 10,886.53 23,501.08 442.73 1,496.10 14,515.38 2,150.75 10,886.53 7,879.78 -

182.00 181.00 180.00 180.00 173.00 172.00 170.00 168.00 167.00 166.00 165.00 164.00 162.00 161.00 160.00 159.00 158.00 157.00 156.00 155.00 152.00 151.00 150.00 150.00

48 49 50 50 50

8311 Sc 83 JK 810 S828 60U

10070216 10081033 10090151 10078064 10061840

Big Bags Tid Neoshoslinger Stevie Baby 60U Hardcore

$ $ $ $ $

3,871.35 -

149.00 144.00 143.00 143.00 143.00

53 53 53 56

J120 L816 L37 832

10090136 10069226 10063897 10078905

Mudcat Tough Ombre Hou's It Black Ice

Craig, Terrell, and Baker Cody Ohl / Terrel Sullivan H & C Bucking Bulls Torres Bro's Bucking Bulls LLC Ace of Spades / Lone Star BBG Joey Almand Hog Creek Ranch Torres Bro's Bucking Bulls LLC Cliff Wiggins Ace of Spade / Beach City / Lone Star BBG D&H Cattle CO / Buck Cattle CO / Weber Cody Ohl / Ace of Spades D&H Cattle CO / Buck Cattle CO / Opperman Hog Creek Ranch Boyd-Floyd Cody Ohl / Ken & Tex Bershear Steven Alsedek / The Jaynes Gang Shippy Rodeo Bulls / John Vinchot Hendricks / Firmino Megan Walker / Walker Bucking Stock Breeders Two Pair Bucking Bulls / The Jaynes Gang Davis Rodeo Ranch / Clapp Cattle Ace of Spades / DC Bulls/ Mark Grahm / Lone Star BBG D&H Cattle Co / Buck Cattle Co Kay & Jonathan Jaynes / The Jaynes Gang Davis Rodeo Ranch / Clapp Cattle Kenny Jack, Bobby Stallings, & Rick Taylor Dozier, Samford, Tolman Monty Samford D&H Cattle CO / Bart Futrell Walker Bucking Stock Breeders Boyd/Floyd Torres Brothers Bucking Bulls Shippy Rodeo Bulls / 5-J Bucking Bulls Craig Philpott Cross E Bucking Bulls Hog Creek Ranch Kenny Jack & Rusty Christman D&H Cattle CO / Harrison Davis Rodeo Ranch Walker Bucking Stock Breeders Mitch Terrell - Terrell Bucking Bulls McCoy Ranches / Tom Peterson Warren Dozier D.J. Stull Sandie and/or Muriel Bonsall Shippy Rodeo Bulls / Beach City Bucking Bulls J&J Supply Inc. & Gene Baker Nothin' But Try Ranch Kephart Bucking Bulls Shippy Rodeo Bulls / Taylor Bucking Bulls D&H Cattle CO / Buck Cattle CO / Opperman Johnson Cattle Company Lufkin Ranch & Rodeo Dale & Sharon Loseke Lyndal Hurst

$ $ $ $

3,473.32 3,473.32 3,473.32 -

142.00 142.00 142.00 138.00

The American Bucking Bull q July/Aug 2010

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