Humps N Horns Bull Riding Magazine - Aug 2023

The “Before” and “After” from PBR Canada’s London Classic in London, Ontario.

Photos provided courtesy of Bill Boswell.

Humps N Horns

August 2023

On The Cover - The Carolina Cowboys’ Cooper Davis rides Mr. Right Now (Silent 7 / Hilton Bull Co) for 89.75 points to lead his team to victory in the first game of the 2023 PBR Teams Series in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Photos provided courtesy of BullStock Media

HUMPS N HORNS® BULL RIDING MAGAZINE PO Box 34172 Fort Worth, TX 76162 325-500-BULL (2855) www.humps-horns.com

ADMINISTRATIVE Stacie Blake

Publisher/Owner stacie@humps-horns.com

Terry Blake Editor in Chief/Owner terry@humps-horns.com

ADVERTISING ads@humps-horns.com

CIRCULATION circulation@humps-horns.com

FEATURE STORY WRITER

Barbara Pinnella barbara@humps-horns.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Andy Gregory Director of Photography andy@humps-horns.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Georgia Akers Andy Gregory

Justin Felisko Phillip Kitts

Barbara Pinnella Kelly B. Robbins

Keno Shrum Andy Watson

Humps N’ Horns® Bull Riding Magazine reserves the right to alter, edit or reject all advertisement or editorial for it’s content, clarity, and/or length. Viewpoints expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Humps N’ Horns® Bull Riding Magazine. No material may be reprinted or reproduced without first obtaining permission from the publisher and/or editor in chief. All advertisement, editorials, letters, and press releases are accepted with the understanding that the representative, advertiser, and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents of submitted material. Not responsible for errors or omissions in any advertisement. Humps N’ Horns® Bull Riding Magazine will not assume responsibility for any late publication due to the printer, the USPS, or an act of God. Under no circumstances will Humps N’ Horns® Bull Riding Magazine be held liable for acts of privacy, plagiarism, copyright, or trademark infringements. Material submitted for publication becomes the property of Humps N’ Horns® Bull Riding Magazine and will not be returned unless prior arrangements are made. USPS #022-617 Periodicals Postage Paid at Fort Worth, TX and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Humps N’ Horns® Bull Riding Magazine, PO Box 34172, Fort Worth, TX 76162. ISSN1554-0162. Publication Number 022-617. ©All rights reserved. Humps N’ Horns® Bull Riding Magazine 2015

I don’t know what it has been like where you hang your hat but here in Texas it has been hot. To be more specific, it has been VERY HOT! I’ve been having some traumatic flashbacks to the summer of 1980 when that was referred to as the Texas heat wave. The really scary part is thinking about what the electric bill will look like when it arrives because it seems that the air conditioner unit runs 24 hours a day. However, I am grateful that we have air conditioning and would not want to experience this heat without the relief that it provides.

I know that we all like to fuss about the weather but, at the end of the day, there’s nothing we can do to change it so we just have to take it one day at a time.

We are excited to bring the August issue of Humps N Horns to you. This month includes some great features including a young bull rider, Tate Watson, in this month’s Rider Rundown by Katlin Truelsen and the CAC Media Group.

We also learn more about the Hilton Bull Company and the thigns they do to help others realize their dreams of owning bucking bulls.

We also get an inside look at 75 years of the Redding Rodeo in Redding, California which includes being the site of the first successful ride by Lane Frost on Red Rock in the historic Challenge of Champions in 1988. Up to that point, Red Rock had not been ridden in 307 attempts.

This summer is also full of some great bull riding and rodeo events all across the country. I encourage you to check out the Where’s The Beef section and find some events that you can help support. It will be good for you and also good for the bull riders, the producers, stock contractors, and the communities they support.

Until next time,

Terry

2023 IFYR Champion Bull Rider Ryker Butler

What About the Kids Who Ride?

When talking about the best way to train up young bull riders another awesome comment I get is “well, what about the kids who can really ride?”. Really, is that even an issue? The kids who can really ride are the minority and will ride the appropriate animals and, even though they give the little buckers a run for their money, they can still benefit from the animals that fit the majority of the kids if they’ll use those kind to hone their skills. Why would a parent ever be angry or offended because there is no chance that their kid will get bucked off. There will be plenty of opportunity for that when they are forced to be real bull riders. Easy ones will allow skills to be built and confidence in the better riders while they will do the same for the less experienced and/or less skilled riders.

Even if a kid is some sort of prodigy or phenom, he had better have someone looking out for him and give him a chance to be healthy by the time he is old enough to ride for something that really counts. Even the best of the best must work hard and stay humble enough to use those bulls that

don’t stand a chance of bucking them off to stay sharp on his fundamentals or he’ll get bypassed by the kids with less natural ability who develop a stronger work ethic. If they get “too good” to work hard, bull riding sure has it’s a way of bringing them back to earth, “in more than one way”.

How about we not worry so much about the kids who already ride good and make them hang back just a bit for the whole of the sport. Really, what’s the big hurry? There really is no hurry, they’ll have plenty of time. The talent they have isn’t going to disappear by holding off a little while. As a matter of fact, they’ll get better by maturing while completely dominating and at the next level they will be that much better.

Cody Custer

Cody Custer Bull Riding Schools

August 24-25-26

Hastings, Michigan

Call Denny Count (269) 208-0794

September 1-2-3

Senitobia, Mississippi

Call Jud Moore (662) 292-3390

November 24-25-26

New River, Arizona

Call Cody Custer (580) 729-1962

RIDER RUNDOWN with...

Tate Watson

North Carolina cowboy Tate Watson just wrapped up his second Junior High Finals with a runner-up finish in bull riding. This all-around cowboy qualified in three events, including bulls, bareback, and breakaway roping. In his interview, Watson talks about his experiences in Perry and how he plans to use his top finish to fuel his work going into next year.

KT: Alright Tate, can you start us off by telling us how old you are and where you are from?

TW: I am 13 years old and will be going into 8th grade and I am from Western, North Carolina.

KT: And you just wrapped up an impressive junior high rodeo season. Tell our readers how you did.

TW: Yeah, I ended up being the 2023 Reserve World Champion in the bull riding.

KT: That is fantastic, congratulations! What prizes came with that win?

TW: I won three buckles, a little over $2,100 in cash and I got two scholarships totaling $1,000.

KT: And where are your scholarships for?

By Katlin Truelsen CAC Media Group

TW: They are for any college I want to go to when I am older.

KT: How does the National Junior High Finals Rodeo work, can you explain that?

TW: The rodeo is a week long. Everything is divided into two rounds of six, so you ride two times, and they take the top 20 back for the short go.

KT: And what did you have to do to qualify for the Junior High Finals from your state?

TW: You qualify through the National High School Finals Rodeo Association and must place in the top four in your event to go to nationals.

KT: Can you explain to me a little bit about how the averages work? So, you ended up 4th on your first bull and then came back and won the short go, which put you in the reserve spot?

TW: Yeah, in the First Round, I got 72 points, and in the second round I got a score of 62. So, I had 134 going into the short go and scored the highest score in the short go with 72 points to win the round and be Reserve World Champion. Only the top 20 in the aggregate got to come back for the short go-round in each event. I was 5th in the aggregate going into the championship round.

KT: Did you qualify in any other events besides bull riding?

TW: Yes, ma’am, I also qualified in the bareback and breakaway roping.

KT: What did that look like for scheduling when you were in Perry?

TW: Well, there are 12 performances total, so each round has six performances. I rode Sunday night in the breakaway roping, Monday morning in the bareback, and Tuesday morning in the bulls, and for the second round it flipflops, so I rode Thursday night in the bull riding, Friday night in the bareback and Saturday morning in the breakaway. It works out pretty well.

KT: And how many guys riding at your state qualified in multiple events?

TW: We had about 20 cowboys and cowgirls make it in multiple events from North Carolina.

KT: Did anyone qualify in more than three events, or you were elite in that?

TW: I know of at least three cowboys and cowgirls that qualified in four events. Quite a few people qualify in more than one.

KT: What do you see yourself doing for next year? Will you continue to do all around, or do you plan to spend your time focusing on bulls to see if you can win your last year in junior high?

TW: I am going to try to go for all-around, but my first love is definitely bull riding. I’ve had more success at bull riding so when times get hard, I always go back to my bull riding to get my confidence up. It’s where I feel most comfortable.

KT: How will you split up your time when you are preparing?

TW: I’m going to work hard on my horsemanship and roping and on my bareback, but anything I do in rodeo helps me get better at all my events, especially bull riding.

KT: What is it you did in your preparation that was different from last year?

TW: Last year when I was in Perry, I was just excited to be there and wasn’t as focused on the goal of winning. This year, I went with the intention of competing. There were a lot of extra fun things going on during finals week, but this year my focus was on riding and as the week went on and I realized I was in a position to be at the top at the end, it made me even more focused.

KT: How will you use your momentum from your win to push yourself for the rest of the season?

TW: Bull riding is a lot mental and the rest of it is muscle memory. Perry gave me the confidence to move forward and go anywhere and compete with people my age.

KT: Outside of competing in your events, what were some of the other things you had a chance to do throughout the week?

TW: There were a lot of things going on. They had a volleyball tournament and a fishing tournament, and there were water balloon fights constantly. It was pretty fun.

KT: Besides winning, what would you say was the best part of your experience in Perry?

TW: My best friend got to come with us, and I got to hang out with him when I wasn’t rodeoing, and I also got to hang out with my other buddies as well and watch all the other performances.

KT: And what about the rest of the summer, what is your schedule like?

TW: My sister is riding at the IFYI (International Finals Youth Rodeo) in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and then after that, I just have some junior rodeos to go to.

KT: Do you get to go anywhere else this summer; go on vacation or do any other traveling?

TW: No, ma’am, we usually stick pretty close to home when we aren’t rodeoing because that is a lot of travel.

KT: That makes sense. And we heard that you know some of the other riders that we featured in our piece a few months back, Elijah and Huntly Jennings, how did you meet them?

TW: It was a long time ago, back in 2018 when I was at a bull ride in South Carolina. I didn’t know them then, but that is where we met. And then about a year later at another rodeo, Elijah broke his leg, and everyone

went with him to the hospital, so Huntly ended up hanging out with us and we became good friends.

KT: Do you ever hang out with them outside of rodeos?

TW: Yes, ma’am. They only live about an hour from us, so I have been to their house a few times. They were the first people we talked to after I won the Reserve World Championship, and they were just as excited as we were.

KT: It is good to have friends like that for sure. To wrap up, we have some fun questions to ask you, so readers get to know a little more about you outside of the rodeo. First up, what is your favorite color?

TW: I would have to say blue because my first pair of chaps was blue, and I really liked them.

KT: And what about your favorite food?

TW: Steak because it is cowboy food.

KT: All right, what about places you like to go when you aren’t on the road rodeoing?

TW: My family and I like to go to the lake.

KT: Tell us your favorite movie.

TW: My favorite movie is probably Top Gun II.

KT: You are one of the first riders to tell us something other than Eight Seconds!

TW: Well, I like that one too.

KT: Last question, what is one thing that most people don’t know about you?

TW: I like to play the guitar.

KT: That is cool! Well, Tate thank you for sharing your story from the Junior High National Finals and hopefully we will get to catch up with you next year when it is in our home state of Iowa.

TW: Yes, I hope so too. It was nice talking with you. Thank you for interviewing me.

KT: To hear from more of your favorite junior bull riders, you can check out the National High School Finals Rodeo page or the Yeti Junior World Finals on Facebook. Be sure to look for a new rider highlighted in our Rider Rundown next month.

Katlin Truelsen is a member of the CAC Media Group and specializes in digital and print media. She is currently a high school junior and lives with her family on a diversified grain and livestock farm in Eastern Iowa.

Inspiration Point

Loving God with all our heart also implies obedience to His commandments. Love and obedience go hand-in-hand for us as humans. If we have a parent, significant other or friend who we really care about, we often change our actions to reflect what we know would make them happy.

The same should be true about our relationship with God. Our love for Him should overflow into our actions and habits. Will we mess up? Of course, we are far from perfect. However, God’s forgiveness and love is always there, even when we fall short or struggle. We can always go to Him through prayer to ask for His help when needed, as on our own strength nothing is possible, but with His strength anything is.

Because He First Loved Us

With All Your Heart

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’”— Matthew 22:37

In Matthew 22, Jesus is asked by a Pharisee who was trying to test Jesus what the greatest commandment is. His response was “love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind,” a phrase that can also be found in the old testament in Deuteronomy 6:5.

Above anything, God wants our whole hearts and our entire lives, not just pieces of us or certain aspects we are willing to share with Him. We are called to go all in for Christ and live with more than a half-hearted spirit.

Complete Devotion and Dedication to God

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” — Galatians 2:20, NIV

What does it mean to have complete devotion and dedication to God? It entails making God more than a priority in our lives, but rather the priority in our lives. Our will is secondary to His will for us. Our decisions, actions and days should be determined by what God wants us to do and not by what we think will bring us contentment as, ultimately, we will be disappointed looking for our own happiness.

Is this always easy? No, we are humans with sinful natures. We will never be perfect while we are on earth. However, we can do our best to live our lives in a way pleasing to God and strive to grow closer to Him.

Love and Obedience

“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love”. — 2 John 1:6, NIV

“We love because he first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19, NIV

Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Before we could ever love God, He has loved us. His love for us is not dependent on our love for Him. His unconditional, unfailing love can be an inspiration to us when we love God and others.

INGREDIENTS

• one 8 oz. package cream cheese, cold

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Easy Pastry Cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Use an electric mixer to beat until very stiff peaks form and the filling smooths out, about 2 minutes.

3. Store covered in the refrigerator until well chilled.

4. Pour pastry cream into pie shell and top with your favorite fruit.

Submitted by Valerie L. - Sanford, FL

Send us your favorite recipe to bullnews@humps-horns.com

Hilton Bull Company

Say howdy to Josh and Keshia Hilton, owners of the Hilton Bull Company of Dayton, Texas. They train and haul some of the finest bovine athletes in the bucking bull business and provide these bucking bulls to some of the biggest and best bull riding competitions in the industry.

The Hilton family takes care of 120 to 130 bucking bulls on their one-hundred-acre ranch in Dayton, Texas. The Hilton Bull Company is truly a family business. Josh and Keshia are joined by 14-year-old Paiten, 9-year-old Pecos, and 6-year-old Priscilla. David and Wendy Hilton, Josh’s parents, keep things running on the ranch when the family is on the road. Josh’s brother-in-law, Coby Elliott, has a ranch and a conditioning yard twenty miles away in Hull, Texas, where he takes most of the Hilton yearlings and gets them in good shape as bucking bulls for sale by training, exercising, and monitoring their diet.

The Hilton Bull Company is unique in what sets them apart from the competition. They train, house, feed, and haul bulls for a variety of different clients. They don’t haul bulls that they own. “We don’t own cows or raise our own bulls,” Josh explained. “We solely concentrate on bucking bulls. When the bulls are yearlings and are conditioned to buck, we sell them to

By Kelly B. Robbins

The Hilton Family - (L to R) Josh, Priscilla, Paiten, Pecos, and Keshia.

our customers. We are always looking to find the best bucking bulls to put on the truck for our customers. We are developing calves and carrying them to the highest stages of bull riding. Our focus is on the bucking bull competitions for the ABBI (American Bucking Bull Inc.) and the PBR. We give folks the opportunity to be a part of the other side of the ride by owning a bucking bull.”

151 Buck Biden is a two-year-old bucking bull that Hilton Bull Company cares for and hauls. Buck Biden just won the 2023 American Heritage Futurity Championship in Fort Worth in May with a score of 93.68 points. The payout was $57,851.00!

“The American Heritage is one of the most prestigious events in the ABBI,” Josh shared. “There are only a handful of guys that have won it. This event is something everyone in the bucking bull industry strives for, but very few get to say they won. You buck against the best two-year-old bucking bulls in the world. This is a bull we have always said had all the tools. We’ve said that one day Buck Biden will have his day. But this year he’s really tried hard but always seemed to struggle. Well, he had his day at the American Heritage, and he finally put it all together on that stage! It was a huge thrill and a great payday.”

Buck Biden is owned by a diverse group of folks who call themselves the Buckin Fun Group. They have all been involved in the bucking bull business one way or another. The group find bulls that are competitive and then go together and purchase them. Then they split the costs and split the wins. Once purchased, they turn the bull over to Josh and Hilton Bull Company.

“We house, feed, train and haul these bulls for the Buckin Fun Group and other clients,” Josh revealed. “I have trained and hauled Buck Biden since he was a yearling. That’s a neat thing about the ABBI. They have trainers like me that give folks the opportunity to own a bucking bull and be a part of the bucking bull business without owning a ranch or a truck.”

“I never rode bulls,” Josh said. “I grew up on a ranch and my dad worked for a large PRCA contractor. I’ve always had a passion for bucking bulls and the bucking bull business. In my 20’s I started a career in the oil and gas business and eventually started my own company. We got the opportunity to have our own bulls, and now I spend most of my time in the bucking bull industry, even though I still own my company.”

151 Buck Biden - Photo courtesy of Todd Brewer/Bull Stock Media

I was interviewing Josh as he was hauling bulls to the 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series opening event at the “Daddy of Them All”, the Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I asked Josh if he had a favorite bull.

He answered, “We spend so much time with these bulls, and there are many who are special. We are a small outfit, but we try to run quality over quantity. We hauled three bulls to the PBR Finals last year. I’m hauling bulls to the PBR Team Series in Cheyenne right now.”

“I was slow to catch on to the team series,” Josh divulged. “But when you go and see the camaraderie and competition, it really is fun. I know it’s been a hard transition for the traditional bull riding fans to accept the changes, but I also think it’s reaching a whole new group of fans.”

Two of the bulls Josh was hauling to the PBR Team Series made quite a splash on the opening night of the 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series season. 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis, of the Carolina Cowboys, rode Mr. Right Now, owned

by Silent 7 and hauled by Hilton Bull Company to the eight second buzzer for a score of 89.75 points. This ride gave them the lead and ultimately the victory over the Texas Rattlers.

Oklahoma Freedom rider Thiago Salgado was awarded a re-ride in the game against the Arizona Ridge Riders. Freedom rookie rider Elizmar Jeremias took the re-ride and rode Shameless, owned by Silent 7 and hauled by Hilton Bull Company, for the full eight seconds and a score of 89.25 points. This ride carried Oklahoma to the lead and the eventual win over the Ridge Riders.

I asked Josh what the future holds for the Hilton Bull Company. “We hope to continue to keep growing our quality of bulls,” Josh replied. “We would like to have a bull in contention for the PBR World Championship.”

Buckin Fun Group / Hilton Bull Company - American Heritage Champions 2023.

Photo courtesy of Todd Brewer/Bull Stock Media

The History of Redding Rodeo

By Tracye Dethero

A long time ago, a young man from a small town, had a big idea! That young man was Sheriff John Balma. That small town? Redding, California. And that BIG idea? Redding Rodeo!

The earliest history of Redding Rodeo goes back to 1939 when John Balma became the first sheriff of Redding, California. The Sherriff’s Posse was formed out of wartime necessity and by order of President Roosevelt. The members were all required to know how to shoot a gun, ride horses and had to know how to track missing people. In 1942, the Redding Women’s Rodeo Association (Posse-etts), was formed as a ladies riding club. Six years later, the Junior Posse was founded as well as the Women’s Auxiliary to help where needed within the organization.

In 1943, John took a leave of absence but returned to Redding in 1946 to resume his position as Police Chief. While he was away, an amateur rodeo had been held in Anderson, just south of Redding. That first rodeo in September of 1943 had a $175 purse. A Saturday night dance was also held starting at “9 til milking time.” In 1948, the tiny horse show rodeo moved to Redding in an area that was once used for gravel and scrap from the building of Shasta Dam, it became the location of the Sheriff’s Posse grounds. The Redding Rodeo Grounds began to take shape with most of the chutes being built by Posse members, with local merchants and contractors donating material and equipment to help with the project, according to Charles Fagen, an early Posse member and construction worker. The first few rodeos had bleachers supplied

for locations as far away as Susanville, California which had to be disassembled to be brought down to Redding and reassembled for the rodeo, then turned around and taken back to Susanville following the performance. This went on for years before the Posse decided to reconfigure the grounds, removing a racetrack, and tearing down the existing rodeo grounds. A new arena was built along with new chutes, grandstands, and a clubhouse.

In the beginning, stock contractor, Max Barber from Klamath Falls, Oregon supplied the livestock, but as the rodeo gained popularity, Christiansen Brothers were contracted, and the Redding Rodeo continued its growth, becoming one of California’s finest rodeos. In 1951, the Redding Rodeo joined the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association). The Redding Rodeo Drill Team was also formed in 1951 and would perform in pre-rodeo festivities and competitions over the years. They were known by their fast precision routines, black horses, saddles, and a uniform consisting of a black pants and shirt with white embroidery, fondly remembered by many as their “Howdy Doody Shirts.”

The Saturday prior to rodeo, a steak feed, mutton busting, and dance are held as a kickoff to rodeo week, by the Redding Rodeo Association. Other festivities such as a street dance, chili cookoff, quick draw shootout, mock bank robbery, and a nationally known pancake breakfast, all of which are put on by the Asphalt Cowboys, a group of local businessmen who have been a great part of the community since 1954 and are known for their bright yellow shirts.

In the early 1980’s, it was decided that the Posse would remain under the mandate of the Sheriff’s office and the Redding Rodeo Association, this is when their trademark red shirts were born! John Balma helped form the California SixPac Rodeo group, consisting of 6 major rodeos in California. John Balma served as the SixPac president for many years, taking rodeo to the next level. Those six rodeos consisted of Oakdale, Red Bluff, Clovis, Hayward, Redding, and Livermore. Currently the SixPac consists of the Red Bluff Round Up, Redding Rodeo. Clovis Rodeo, Oakdale Rodeo, Reno Rodeo, Rowell Ranch Rodeo at Hayward, and the Santa Maria Rodeo. In 1982, the Redding Rodeo Association was formed upon John Balma’s retirement from the Sheriff’s office in 1983.

Another famous link in the history of the Redding Rodeo is The Challenge of Champions between Lane Frost, the 1987 World Champion Bull Rider, and Growney Brothers Rodeo’s famous bucking bull, Red Rock, the 1987 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year. The Challenge of Champions which was put in motion by John Growney, who brought Red Rock out of retirement for the event. Before the match series began, Red Rock had 309 outs without

showdown series across the west to determine the true champion between Lane and Red Rock.

On April 17 in Red Bluff, California, Lane attempted to ride Red Rock during the first match up of The Challenge of Champions, Red Rock bucked him off two seconds into the ride. A week later in Clovis, California, Red Rock also bucked Lane off in a matter of seconds. Lane thought of Red Rock as a friend, not just another bull that he would attempt to ride during his career. On Friday, May 20, 1988, Lane would ride Red Rock successfully for the first time at the Redding Rodeo in front of a sold-out crowd. This not only plunged the Redding Rodeo deeper into rodeo history, but Lane and Red Rock as well.

Before riding Red Rock, Lane would go back to the pens and visit Red Rock and then prepare for his ride. Frost would go on to successfully ride Red Rock once again in Livermore, California, making the score 2-2. Frost continued to have a successful ride on Red Rock in Sisters, Oregon which was Red Rock’s hometown. Over the Fourth of July weekend, in St Paul, Oregon, Red Rock regained his edge and proceeded to buck off Frost, bringing the score to 3-3. The final challenge would take place three weeks later in Spanish Fork, Utah where Lane would ride Red Rock for the full eight seconds to win The Challenge of Champions 4-3. In 1989, after Lane Frost left this world, Frost and Red Rock would be inducted to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“Red Rock finally being ridden, made me feel empty inside. I had never thought about how I would feel about the outcome. Had it not happened, Red Rock would have been just another bull and Lane another bull rider. The Challenge of Champions showed that bull riding could be a standalone event, which is something that helped in the creation of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders), along with creating media exposure, marketing, and more Christian cowboys wearing a crucifix when they ride. It all took kids in a positive direction. When Lane passed, the movie 8 Seconds and the song The Dance by Garth Brooks became a part of history, not because of his death, but because of who Lane was and the positive influence he had on people,” said Growney. “The Challenge of Champions put the Redding Rodeo and others on the map. It also made Red Rock and Lane Frost larger than life.”

Throughout the past seventy-five years the Redding Rodeo has evolved into one of the stops on the Wrangler Million Dollar Silver Tour, in 2013 it hosted the inaugural event of the Wrangler Champions Challenge in which ten of the top cowboys in each event with a prize purse of $4,000 for first, $3,000 for second and $2,000 for third. It was the first of its kind with 10-15 other rodeo committees in attendance, looking at implementing this into their programs in 2014. The Champions Challenge brought a packed house on the Saturday night of rodeo of the Redding Rodeo for five years. The Wrangler’s Champions Challenge was a way to bring a new experience to the rodeo.

Parker Breding wins the Redding Rodeo Xtreme Bulls with an 84 point ride on Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Shaved Ice.

The Redding Rodeo has expanded over the years by featuring Xtreme Bulls and Barrels on Wednesday night, Family Night on Thursday, Tough Enough to Wear Pink on Friday night as well as Patriot Night on Saturday which is the last night of the Redding Rodeo. The Redding Rodeo has also brought in the Chicks N Chaps program which was founded in Missoula, Montana educating women about breast cancer, the sport of rodeo and the western lifestyle while raising money for local breast cancer patients. The event is held in approximately seven states and has a significant impact on many women nationwide. All monies raised from the Chicks n Chaps events stay within the community they were raised.

In 2016, the Redding Rodeo was inducted into the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado, becoming one of only 27 rodeos selected for this prestigious honor since its inception in 1979.

Fast forward to 2023 and the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Redding Rodeo, which has brought more changes including the inaugural first class of the Redding Rodeo Hall of Fame and has inducted seven people and one bull.

The Redding Rodeo is an all-volunteer staffed rodeo, bringing approximately ten million dollars into the Redding Community each year and will continue bucking on the river for 75 more years.

Photos provided courtesy of Redding Rodeo.

Redding Rodeo Xtreme Bulls

4.

Redding Rodeo - Bull Riding

1. Parker Breding, Edger, Montana. Parker Breding, 84 points on Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Shaved Ice, $5,566; 2. Trey Kimzey, 82.5, $4,316; 3. Ky Hamilton, 81, $3,245;

Kobe Whitford, 76.5, $2,173; 5. TJ Gray, 73, $1,459; 6. Dalton Walling, 72.5, $1,101; no other qualified rides. *(all totals include ground money).

1. Ky Hamilton, 85.5 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Far West, $5,878; 2. Kase Hitt, 84, $4,608; 3. Levi Gray, 83.5, $3,520; 4. Brady Portenier, 80, $2,431; 5. T Parker, 79, $1,705; no other qualified rides. *(all totals include ground money).

Ky Hamilton is the Champion Bull Rider at the 2023 Redding Rodeo with 85.5 points on Far West (Brookman Rodeo).

The Asphalt Cowboys Annual Pancake Breakfast

Succession, PBR style: Riley Gagnon filling gigantic boots as PBR’s second director of livestock

Former bull rider enjoying his dream job as bovine talent continues to skyrocket.

By Andrew Giangola

PUEBLO, Colo. – The launch of PBR Teams in July 2022 thrust the sport into a new era, bringing even more competitive drama and excitement, a host of changes large and small and a critical changing of the guard.

For nearly three decades, one man had been selecting the bulls who dictate each ride. Then in 2022, legendary bull picker Cody Lambert announced he’d be leaving the role of PBR Director of Livestock to become head coach of the Texas Rattlers.

His successor would step into giant boots many people couldn’t imagine anyone filling. Lambert chose Riley Gagnon, a relatively unknown Canadian bull rider.

A year later, with a second successful PBR Teams event at Cheyenne Frontier Days in the books, the report card is in. If Gagnon were a bull, Lambert would probably score him a 45.

“Riley has done an outstanding job,” Lambert said. “The bulls in PBR have never been better. That was really important to me. I didn’t want the PBR to miss a beat.”

With the sport embarking on its biggest change in three decades in adopting team competition, Gagnon faced challenges foreign to the Lambert era.

He’d be the human face of the pen drawn for each team’s five riders across a 112-game regular season, and those teams would be closely scrutinizing the fairness and consistency of the bull matchups at the heart of the sport.

A level playing field – read, a level bull pen – is absolutely essential for fair team competition.

That means the chief bull picker needs to factor in a bull’s bucking style as much as whether he’s an 88-point bull or a 90-point bull.

For example, two bulls might each be deemed an 89 pointer but could be completely different. One could be “soft” – a flashy, fun bull to ride with great timing. The other bull might be worth the same 89 points, but he’s tricky and sneaky, with no rhythm or

predictable patterns, and is not a good match for most riders.

Gagnon has to ensure the bull power and level of difficulty is spread evenly across the team draws.

Though he was only 22 when stepping onto the dirt at Cheyenne a year ago as PBR’s head of livestock for the first games, Gagnon already had years of experience watching and raising bulls.

He bought his first rodeo cows to breed for bucking bulls when he was 12, with earnings from riding steers.

He’d purchase others over the years, raising them on his family’s ranch in Innisfail, Alberta, about halfway between Calgary and Edmonton, where his mom and dad had cattle.

Gagnon’s mother raced barrels, and as he got older, he started riding bulls, though seemingly spending more time healing from broken bones and surgeries than competing.

Lambert first met the promising young rider at a riding academy held on his ranch in Bowie, Texas: A place where Gagnon would live on and off beginning when he was 15. At his second camp, Gagnon got hurt again.

“He was getting better and better at bull riding. But his body just wouldn’t hold up,” Lambert said.

All the time, Gagnon had a keen interest in the bulls he loved since he was a kid.

“Even up in Canada when I was younger, the older guys would ask me about stock. I’d remember them really good,” he said.

“I found a love for it when I was young. I was very passionate about it. It kind of felt like my calling. There would be bulls on tour, and I’d see ‘em once and remember them.”

Lambert was always looking at video, and Gagnon would help with that.

“Not in a million years, did I imagine I’d have that job,” he said.

That began to change when Gagnon was driving with Lambert to a Velocity tour event in Denver in 2019. Over lunch at a Cracker Barrel, Lambert asked if he’d ever be interested in his role.

“I said it would be a dream job,” Gagnon replied.

Lambert explained that for five years, he’d been looking for his replacement. Did Gagnon really want to be the guy? Would he be all in?

It was like sitting on the rankest bull with the gate about to open. Gagnon nodded his head.

Lambert told him to focus on riding bulls for now, not picking them. But he knew he found his man.

He’d send Gagnon videos of bulls and ask what he thought. The two spent more time together.

“There was a lot to learn,” Lambert said. “I knew Riley well enough that I knew he’d always do the honorable thing. And in this role, that’s really important. You’re going to have to deal with the stock contractors over and over, and the one who didn’t have good enough bulls this week might one day have the best bulls. Sometimes the guy who’s the nicest one of them all won’t have the best bulls available. And one day he may.”

Gagnon soaked in everything Lambert had to share about the bull business.

He also adopted a bit of Lambert’s direct, no-nonsense personality, which didn’t always go over well with the stock contractors, who can be a tough crowd.

But with time, he’s found his own authentic style, more Riley Gagnon than Cody Lambert, earning the bull handlers’ respect.

Listening to Lambert, Gagnon came to realize the bull business is both very simple (get the best available bulls) and very hard (deciding which bull has to stay home and breaking that news to the stock contractor.)

Today, as the sport has grown, the lines for determining which bulls don’t go to the big show are even finer.

“There was a time Cody had to go out and search for bulls,” Gagnon said. “He built it up where so many people wanted to be a part of what he and PBR made. The market got flooded by bucking bulls. You have to find a reason to take one and find a reason not to take one. Having to explain yourself is tough. You want to put the best product in front of the fans.”

Another thing Lambert put in his ear was the huge responsibility ahead.

“The riders and the bulls are what PBR is,” Gagnon said. “You gotta care about it. There are many different sides of the PBR. Without the bulls and riders, none of us have a job. It’s a big role but one that also gives me the feeling of riding bulls. The thing I miss about riding is when you’ve stayed on, you did your job. This gives me that satisfaction.”

And at the same time, because no night is 100 percent perfect across every out, Gagnon is never fully satisfied.

“There are always misfires, that bull you leave at home who you wish you brought,” he said. “That is what keeps me up at night –turning away a bull, and the one I chose over him doesn’t work out. That’s always very frustrating.”

That level of introspection and commitment is one of the things Lambert liked in Gagnon.

“He’s a young guy, but he’s kind of an old soul,” Lambert said. “He wants to do things the right way.”

The livestock director’s goal – put the best product on the dirt –hasn’t changed from when 20 cowboys broke away from the rodeo 30 years ago to form PBR, and one of them, Lambert, started choosing their bulls.

Just as Lambert was intensely driven to do his part to orchestrate the best on-the-dirt competition, Gagnon tries to take something away from each event to make the next one even better.

As he does that, one change in the role is that with the advent of teams, in order for PBR to stay as independent as possible, all the bulls now come through ABBI, the world’s leading DNA registry for bucking cattle.

“We are fortunate to have Riley as our natural first choice for this extremely important role following an intensive mentorship under the tutelage of Cody Lambert, teaching him every aspect of the job,” said Jay Daugherty, President, ABBI. “It’s gratifying seeing Riley carry the torch to ensure our sport matches the top bull riders against the world’s very best bucking bulls.”

Riley Lambert, PBR’s VP of Competition and Judging, echoes Daugherty’s sentiment about a surprisingly smooth transition.

“Riley is the only person for the job,” Lambert said. “He has proven this with his productivity and work ethic, taking the job and running with it at the highest level. I’m grateful to have him on the PBR and ABBI team.”

Following Lambert’s marathon run, Gagnon is often asked about what it’s like to fill those big boots of his legendary predecessor.

“Cody Lambert will never be replaced,” he said. “But if I can do half the job he did, I think we’ll be alright.”

Article provided courtesy of PBR.

WHERE’S THE BEEF?

*-Added Money Amount Is For Each Night Information Subject to Change Without Notice

WHERE’S

THE

BEEF?

*-Added Money Amount Is For Each Night Information Subject to Change Without Notice

WHERE’S THE BEEF?

*-Added Money Amount Is For Each Night Information Subject to Change Without Notice

Events highlighted in yellow have ads in this issue of Humps N Horns for more information.

Daylon Swearingen gets the job done to win the PBR Canada London Classic in London, Ontario. Swearingen had a total of 174.50 points on two head. Photo provided courtesy of Bill Boswell.

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Western Wanderings

cookie’s surprise

These past few weeks have been really tough We’ve been fighting wind, dust and drought I’ve tried to keep camp somewhat normal But that outcome is still much in doubt

I haven’t had time to clean up or bathe To keep cowboys all fed was my aim But I must be starting to stink pretty bad I’ve been hearin’ the cowboys complain

You don’t ever complain about the cook

It’s the unwritten law on a drive But my cowboys are all getting’ restless And my ratings are in a nosedive

We were camped by a river one morning

The boys jumped me with a shout and a laugh They hauled me down to that river

Stripped me and gave me a bath!

They left me there sittin in the water Scrubbed clean from head to toe I climbed out and put on clean pants and a shirt That they brought me for after the show

I was madder than I can remember For what they had done to this man Humiliated, embarrassed, and actually ashamed I started to hatch me a plan

Next morning I cooked them flapjacks A treat enjoyed by each man I sweetened the batter with molasses To hide the taste of my plan

Castor oil is a well-known laxative Even when ate in disguise

Those cowboys heading out to work the herd Are in for a huge, big surprise

(This is Part Three of a Quadrilogy: Cookie’s Revenge) (Look for Part Four in the next issue)

By Kelly B. Robbins