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2000 NFR SIXTH PERFORMANCEPen of Bulls: THE ENHANCEMENTSToo Hard.... Too Big....pointed at all angles--It don’t matter..... I’m a sexist pig …. I like um. There are definitely some hard knockers in this pen.... some big ones too. A few will even point bull riders in all different directions. During the year most of these bulls don’t get ridden much. They are usually in short gos right beside the bulls that were out last night (a third of which bucked like they should be used in slack). Most were excellent bulls that just didn’t buck. But anyway... these bulls are a little more difficult.... maybe smarter... or stronger... or have less timing.... or might jump out of it. This is a pen where alot depends where a guy’s head is. It’s one of those “want to ride” pens --you gotta wanta go the distance. We’re half way through. That’s hard to believe... things will go pretty fast from here on out. Every year, some guys catch their second wind and win lots of money. Some guys will catch bottom holes in the average by riding 5. 5 down and 5 to go. No one is out of the ball game at this point. You just have to take it one bull at a time, stay in the present, and see what happens after it’s over. Cody Hancock 233 Wild Thing Flying U/RosserSecret Agents who have seen this bull on the Bud Light Cup have been on the message board at probullstats.com--picking Hancock to win the round. I haven’t seen this bull and I doubt that Cody has seen much of him either. He can ask Reno and Julio about him and be comfortable with what they tell him. All I can tell you is that the first time I ever saw this guy ride it was at Tucson and I could tell he was something special. It hasn’t been easy for him the last couple of years but he got here, he’s in the lead, and he’s riding good. This is no fluke. Rob Bell P73 Limited Edition Big StoneNo fair... two Canadians again. I like this bull... he always bucks... always tries. Will try to “BRING” a guy somewhere during the ride but if it doesn’t work he doesn’t throw another badder move at you--trying to finish you off. Real good draw to get one rode in this pen. This guy is streaky.... let him get on a roll and he’ll blow the doors off. Danell Tipton 604 No Can Do Growney/KishHeard way back in April that Kish has a young bull he was hiding.... an outstanding young bull... and THIS would be him. Kish can move bulls around like one of those carnival guys with those “pea under the walnut shell” games. That’s peA ... not peE. Why would anyone want to pee under a walnut shell unless he was a squirrel? Well, this bull is a bit SQUIRRLEY. An Enhancement in Kish’es pen would be a brain transplant. We have a couple of holes open on the A TEAM... Danell being 96 sure wouldn’t hurt. (the way things have been going this year he might be 66). Danell made the NFR easily.... he just hasn’t been very lucky here. I don’t think that even during the year he got a lot of breaks. But that’s what tests a guy’s metal and makes them great. Great guy. Every person is given their own sets of challenges. They are gifts. How else could you find out who you are and what you can do? Josh O’Byrne 702 Red Bull Flying U/RosserTalk about getting your metal tested... geez.... life and bulls have been beatin on this guy for a long danged time. If I had to pick one guy I’d like to see good things happen to--it would be Josh. Really a good person... a warrior. Want to talk about legendary bravery... I’d always heard that Ronnie Rossen was so tough that he rode with his jaw wired. That impressed me. Heck... Josh goes through a 7 hour operation on HIS jaw and is riding at the Mesquite Tour Finals thing 72 hours later. Not only riding--but winning. Josh will be THAT legendary brave guy who will inspire the bull riders to come-- to ride hurt. To always try. To pick them-selves up and not only come back but comeback and win. This bull can really buck or can be sluggish. I don’t think he stays sound so this will probably be his only trip at the NFR. Fred Boettcher 410 Storm Tracker AndrewsFred and Sammy ought to do some joint ventures outside the arena since they spend so much time together inside it. This is probably the buckiest bull in this pen.... they just don’t ride him much. Should be the go round if Fred can get by him. Looking at the judge’s sheets Fred woulda been 92-24 last night. He rode the bull 7.98 seconds. .20 tenths of a second. My wife among other things is a barrel racer. The fastest I’ve ever been able to start and stop a stopwatch is .17. No one wants to WIN... not just place--more than Fred Boettcher. He’s been a winner at every level including this one. While things haven’t been working well this week--it doesn’t matter. Riding bulls isn’t something Boettcher DOES... it’s something Boettcher IS. Tyler Fowler 77 Elmo BattlesI assume this bull is owned by some guy named Elmo. Elmo C. Battles, I guess. This bull is in the sale so make the check out to Elmo Battles. Charlie loads up his herd every July and tries to get them exposed to the NFR type guys. Goes to Cheyenne and Dodge... puts on Hill City....none of those being financially lucrative. And this year at Dodge, his best bulls were all out the night before the short go and he was good enough to buck them again for us. So... meet ELMO. It’s not like Battles doesn’t have some good bulls... it’s just that the guys couldn’t think of many that bucked consistently enough (which in retrospect, wouldn’t have mattered here). This week on the American sporting scene... Tyler Fowler is the most rooted for athlete. People in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and in foreign countries are picking it up via satellite and tuning in--in order to see how he does. They hurt when he hurts... they feel it when he gets slammed... they cheer when he gets the whistle, and they SMILE when he smiles. He is making their lives better.This little guy from Alabama has accomplished something that the PRCA and rodeo haven’t been able to do since Lane Frost--reach people (other than the animal rights nuts) on an emotional level. Rodeo fans, non rodeo people, professionals, blue collars, kids with debilitating diseases, grown ups in terminal wards.... non English speaking people who can’t understand what’s being said or even what’s going on---they see that face... they see that heart... and they love him. Like Lane it isn’t anything premeditated or planned—nothing fake. In less than a week Fowler has become part of their lives. For some it’s the only thing they have--HOPE.... hope that the underdog CAN win... CAN beat the odds... WILL try no matter how bad it gets. And smile. Always that smile. Tyler’s been having a bad week. It happens. A lot has to do with the luck of the draw--whether bulls fit guys or not or what kind of day a bull has. Good bulls have been sluggish here--and that’s played a part. No timing... slower than normal... loggy--it’s the worst I’ve ever seen it here. When lots of really solid NFR veteran bulls bloop off or walk in circles then it’s time to radio in-- HOUSTON... WE’VE GOT A PROBLEM.” All sorts of theories are being tossed about. Too warm... had to be in here too early.... too much hay... not enough exercise.... ground.... can’t slap them on the butt.... the angle the chutes are set at. It could be any or all of those things... or nothing at all. They’re doing things the same way they always have here. The chute set-up should be the same. Feed, exercise.... the same. It’s been warm here before. If you think slapping a bull actually makes a difference--get the policy changed. I thought it had been three days ago. Grasping at straws, though. The ground looks okay to me but when I see bulls that have had several hundred trips on them... been here before... were here 6 weeks ago at the PBR Finals... and have always turned back... but didn’t here---then I have to wonder. Only the animals can know how the ground feels. Seems like the horses have been doing good on it but bucking horses probably require less in regard to ground. As long as it isn’t rock hard or too deep— they get along pretty well. Bulls are different. If it is slick or has too much give in it--it can be a problem. To do what they do--they have to be able to push off. Even though it looks fine... too many bulls that ALWAYS turn back in the gate--are going out further. They seem unsure. Bulls that always turn back one direction have been going farther... changing leads and then going the other way. That just doesn’t happen. Then I saw two fighting bulls stifle themselves last night..... there has to be a problem with the ground. I’m no expert... that’s just my guess. This is the best set of bulls we’ve had here in years--and the BEST end of them didn’t buck. The only pen that was even close to being right was the A TEAM--the first performance. Ah heck... I’m probably just making excuses to justify bad selections. There were some.... but too many solid bulls haven’t bucked. But I’ll tell you this.... if I had $50,000-$150,000 invested in my bulls I’d be trying to figure out what was wrong. There has been more than one bull that’s consigned to this sale that have had its value drop from $5,000-10,000... to a $1,000-$1,500. I don’t mean just go to griping and whining--go dig in the ground and see what you think. Some of you ARE experts. Some of you spend all your time in buildings You’ve seen every possible problem. I may be totally off the wall on this. Thomas Taylor brought three bulls and they all bucked hard. It looks fine to ME.... I haven’t seen bucking bulls slipping. I’m sure their ground guy is preparing it the same way he always has.... but there might be a problem. I’m just not qualified to know what it is. The thing I DO know is that too many of these bulls haven’t been just a little off-- they have been completely different bulls. That just doesn’t occur without cause. Kagen Sirett 92 Moonshine SirettThis should be another ride for Kagan. Don’t know whether this bull is good enough to place in this pen if they ride a lot of bulls but you can probably be 84-85. Looked a little heavy to me but I haven’t seen him since July. Kagan should ask Rhett... they bucked this bull at the college in Weatherford before they came out here. As so ask Danell. I figure this guy to finish strong. He can really ride. I would bet that he has been on ranker bulls in Girlitz’s practice pen than some he’s been on here. Glove not tied on…. ball cap…. loose rope… no bull fighter… green bulls laying on their bellies….Practice pen bull riding is the best. How come? Because it makes you have confidence in your ability… not to rely on all that equipment or worry when things don’t quite feel right. Dan Wolfe VC8 Terminator SmithThis bull is also in the sale. Not an old bull either. Been really good this year every time I saw him. HMMMM. Jesse made a great ride on him at the MGM.... won second. I guess that me and Cliff Overstreet were the only two people who saw the drop. Dan was there and saw the ride. This sure might be the go round. Dan isn’t in the sale so he must be better. I don’t think Rockin Wolfe even realizes how good he can ride. Lee Akin 574 Party Hound Growney/KishThis bull could work in two or three different pens--including the A Team at times. Pretty much a pattern bucker but he had an off day his last trip at the PBR finals. Sure bucks but I think the way Lee has been riding all fall--he can ride the HOUND on his very best day. Good draw. Flaky owner. Shane Drury 273 Vindicator Growney/KishLooks like Shane is BACK and there is still plenty of time to make up some ground. And this is a bull he can win the round on. He can different days but he really bucked both trips here last year--in fact-- bucked off Mike White in the tenth round. No matter what kind of day he has Shane should ride him and place. Oh yeah... last night Shane ended up stuck in the computer and didn’t get printed out. What we had said was .... He has 141 Sandman of Sammy Andrews.... will ride him for.... uh.... 85 points and lets see....probably split second and third. Right again. A second longer in a couple of rounds and Drury would have been running away with this. Jesse Bail 26 Juice Monkey Guidry/ NelsonJesse saw this bull not turn back with Josh at the MGM.... hop, skip, and be a bad boy. Trying to remember which way he turns back... but at the MGM I’m thinking they had him on a left hand delivery but ran him up into the front chute where he couldn’t turn back... so he must go to the right. This bull bucks but Jesse has the right ingredients to be a World Champ. Ability and Try. Takes um both and he has huge amounts of each. Philip Elkins 928 Mega II PinzThink someone was only 83 on this bull at the Moss brain Circuit Finals. Vince Stanton said he bucked hard but looked a little lost. He’s still a baby. Probably not enough BEEF to place high but should be another whistle for Philip. Last night you got to see just a little of what Philip is capable of. No telling how many bulls this guy has been on. Philip Elkins can ride bulls. Gregory Potter K77 River Dance Big BendSome guys wouldn’t like this draw because this bull can have days when he’s a handful. Think I’ve seen Greg ride him at least twice. At the MGM —he was very tricky to ride. He’s BIG, athletic, and he bucks hard. The only reason Greg is PRCA ing it is because he wants to win the world. He’s a veteran... can ride ranker bulls than most--and he’s in good shape. He’ll finish strong too. Cory Check 1 Rowdy Rickey 4L (Lowry)This black bull had two really good days here last year. They’ve been riding him more this year but it’s high 80’s if they do. Think he mighta been ridden at the Puerto Rican/Cuban Circuit Finals ( Southeast Circuit Finals) held in the suburbs of Havana. Rick’s owned by a good guy... was a great timed event NFR competitor ... and uncharacteristically good hearted. #747 got hurt the other day and Charlie retired him rather than sending him to market. Unfortunately I’m afraid that Cory is going to grow up to be a stock contractor. He loves bucking bulls. Hate to see a good guy go bad--but what you gonna do? Bull can have a little rear (RARE) on the turn back but whatever he does it’ll happen real quick and then get faster. The gate cracks and this dude wastes no time getting it on. “No honey.... Cory isn’t here.... it’s just me, Brad Pitt... Here.... let me loosen those ropes so you can have some more of daddy’s special tea. Yes, Sugar... time for more Frolicking.” Robey Condra P45 Diamond Cutter AndrewsRobey should know this bull... looks like just a good spinner but ends up getting most guys down on his head. That shouldn’t bother Condra. This bull runs with the big dogs all year long--big rodeos--big bull ridings--and he always tries. Haven’t seen Robey ever quit either. If he’s gonna nod--he’s gonna try... and more often than not--he’s gonna win. Rerides:
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