Once Upon a Pair of Bulls
This tale of two bulls borders on fairy ‘tail.’ It begins with 007 a 1,700# red brindle Brama-Herford cross called Red Rock. Red for the color and rock for the muscle pack he bunched before busting out of the chute. Some say the name came from a rock formation on his home ranch, but 309 riders he tossed over the course of his career while never giving up a qualified ride, might buy the former explanation.
He was a remarkable competitor to say the least. Bulls are strong. Some are fast. Some are smart. Red Rock laid claim to all three. A gentle soul in the pasture, you could put a child on his back. In the chute he knew his business, sensing what the rider would do. Few made it past his first jump and spin. With the would be rider bucked off, Red Rock would turn to the pen and trot off finished, occasionally preceded by a victory lap around the arena. He retired in 1987 PRCA Bucking Bull of the year, unridden at age eleven. This is where the fairy ‘tail’ begins.
As you may recall, PRCA’s World Champion Bull Rider in 1987 was Lane Frost, previously profiled in this series. Red Rock came out of retirement in 1988 for a Challenge of Champions, seven round match between Red Rock and Frost. Frost won the match riding Red Rock in four of the seven ‘outs’ (out of the chute). You’ll also recall the following year 1989, Lane Frost was thrown, hooked by a horn and died while competing at Cheyenne Frontier Days. Fast forward to the National Finals Rodeo that year.
Enter our second all time great bull, Mr. T. Another 1,700#er Mr. T was considered one of the meanest toughest bulls ever to grace the sport from a bucking chute. Like Red Rock, Mr. T spent much of his career unridden, though three cowboys earned qualified rides. Marty Staneart set the arena record in Cheyenne on him at 93 points. Ty Murry and Raymond Wessel also got their :08 money’s worth, before Murry went ‘Dancing with the Stars.’
Which brings us to the 1989 NFR. Jim Sharp needed one more qualified ride to win the World Championship. He drew Mr. T. The fairy stepped in. Mr. T threw Sharp, giving the title to Tuff Hedeman, Lane Frost’s traveling partner. Hedeman took the title with a second :08 added on in tribute to Frost. NFR held a memorial for Lane Frost that year. Red Rock came out of retirement to attend. In turn, Mr. T retired, joining Red Rock as happily ever after, pasture pals. The End.
Next Week: Steamboat
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
He was a remarkable competitor to say the least. Bulls are strong. Some are fast. Some are smart. Red Rock laid claim to all three. A gentle soul in the pasture, you could put a child on his back. In the chute he knew his business, sensing what the rider would do. Few made it past his first jump and spin. With the would be rider bucked off, Red Rock would turn to the pen and trot off finished, occasionally preceded by a victory lap around the arena. He retired in 1987 PRCA Bucking Bull of the year, unridden at age eleven. This is where the fairy ‘tail’ begins.
As you may recall, PRCA’s World Champion Bull Rider in 1987 was Lane Frost, previously profiled in this series. Red Rock came out of retirement in 1988 for a Challenge of Champions, seven round match between Red Rock and Frost. Frost won the match riding Red Rock in four of the seven ‘outs’ (out of the chute). You’ll also recall the following year 1989, Lane Frost was thrown, hooked by a horn and died while competing at Cheyenne Frontier Days. Fast forward to the National Finals Rodeo that year.
Enter our second all time great bull, Mr. T. Another 1,700#er Mr. T was considered one of the meanest toughest bulls ever to grace the sport from a bucking chute. Like Red Rock, Mr. T spent much of his career unridden, though three cowboys earned qualified rides. Marty Staneart set the arena record in Cheyenne on him at 93 points. Ty Murry and Raymond Wessel also got their :08 money’s worth, before Murry went ‘Dancing with the Stars.’
Which brings us to the 1989 NFR. Jim Sharp needed one more qualified ride to win the World Championship. He drew Mr. T. The fairy stepped in. Mr. T threw Sharp, giving the title to Tuff Hedeman, Lane Frost’s traveling partner. Hedeman took the title with a second :08 added on in tribute to Frost. NFR held a memorial for Lane Frost that year. Red Rock came out of retirement to attend. In turn, Mr. T retired, joining Red Rock as happily ever after, pasture pals. The End.
Next Week: Steamboat
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
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