NFR 2001

First Performance
Friday Night December 7, 2001

Pen of Bulls: The Perfect Storm

If bull riders were mariners and had to go to sea in the North Atlantic during the fall when the big swordfish are harvested, and they knew that to do it -- in order to make their living, they’d have to weather a storm -- the bulls in this pen would represent a PERFECT STORM. Only unlike the movie, this time there would be a happy ending. From a bull rider’s viewpoint these bulls are the best in rodeo. Solid, seldom ridden, but just buck hard. These are the best bulls in rodeo from a PERFORMANCE standpoint. Great athletes.

How many could they ride? Actually no one has drawn over their head. Each can ride the bull he has drawn and it probably wouldn’t be the best ride he’s ever made. But it would be one of the most memorable. World’s biggest rodeo -- 16,000 people give or take, bright lights, the culmination of a year of hard work, injuries, and adversity -- and a chance to snag a boat load of money.

Vince Stanton -- 73 Rampage II -- Harper Morgan -- $96,878

One would assume that this bull is either a full brother to or a calf out of Rampage I. More likely a brother. He comes to us from HAH PUR’S Repossession Company. The used CARD dealer of rodeo. A full service company. He can get you IN the rodeo business and also take you out of it. The Southern SOPRANO.

Rampy II was in the finals at the RPB… uh… PRB… uh… you know, the bull riding punks that infiltrate this very building every October. Kinda like kids spray painting graffiti on walls and box cars. Good draw for a guy who (when not conducting private judging seminars) has been riding his best late in the season.

Rob Bell -- 301 Copenhagen Cash -- Growney Brothers -- $90,978

A calf out of the famous MR. T. Or maybe out of Meadow Gold’s Marvin the famous Holstein. Cash’s heifers HAVE racked up impressive butterfat statistics and set gallons per day records. Bell has made more outstanding rides this year than any one in rodeo. Rode ranks bulls at big rodeos. This I think is a rematch. Most guys have problems with the long bodied spot if he turns back AWAY from their hand, which is the case with Rob. Into their hands they get to spur. Away from your hand it’s all feel… getting in there and moving out but not too far out. This bull won third best bull this year. Must’ve held the election in Florida.

Lee Akin -- 101 Skoal’s Border Patrol -- Flying 5 -- $89,656

Some of the best rides bull riders have ever made have been on this little guy. Not so sure Lee hasn’t been over 90 on him before. If he hasn’t he’s fixin to. Tricky turnback then rides really good. The kind that bucks so good he elevates a guy’s performance during a ride. Don’t think this bull has been bucked since being injured in late summer. Can’t imagine him getting Lee—a guy I thought rode great all season long.

Cody Hancock -- VC8 Copenhagen Hurricane -- Stace Smith -- $88,130

2001 Bucking Bull of the Year. Hmmm. Thinking Cody rode THE CANE at the Dallas Tour finals. Mighta won 3^{rd --} about the only thing the judges got right. Rankest bull in rodeo? No, but we never said he was. A stopper? Perhaps… but like most UFO sightings, there was no conclusive evidence. Stace Smith (rodeo’s current sweet cakes) loaded this bull up and hauled him all over the place to big rodeos, to televised short gos... he EXPOSED his bull. And Hurricane bucked hard every time. EVERY TIME…. until Dallas which was after the votes had been cast. In my mind VC8 deserved the award. He EARNED it. So is this bull done? I wouldn’t count on it. Last year right before we set the first NFR pens, someone said they’d HEARD Hurricane had parked-it somewhere. Not sure exactly where it was. So I pulled him off the A TEAM and bucked him late in the week. And he jumped through his rosy red rectum. Wasn’t just a spinner… long leaps -- big boy really bucked. Two World Champions... what a way to start the NFR.

Jesse Bail -- 906 Skoal’s Young Gun -- Pinz -- $79,550

One of the most popular stops on our website is MRS. Pinz’s photographs of their bulls. She’s really talented—as is this bull. By far the best bull out at the NFR last year his first time out then Lee came back and rode him in the 10^th round. Gets in the air… can fade…. good draw for a good guy who rode hurt from June on. Probably had to eat more entry fees than most circuit guys paid this year. Jesse had to keep entering and paying his fees not knowing when he’d be well enough to ride. Bail is the closest thing to Ty we have—in more ways than one.

Mike Moore -- 705 Lip Tricks -- Corey & Horst -- $79,182

Best bull name in rodeo. Good bull too. Thinking that Jason McClain nearly rode him in the Caldwell short go. Not sure whether TRICKS is owned by the Hatfields or the McCoys. Warring clans from the not-so-great Northwest (where moss eats away brains). (small meals). Actually I think there are usually THREE warring Tribes up there. Heck… lets talk about MIKE MOORE. Standing O at Dallas. 17,000 people on their feet. Actually TWO standing O’s. The first was for riding Durango in the semi finals. The second was for getting on his reride in the finals after his bull had pancaked and rolled on him. That night lots of people—people badly in need of courage to just cope with September 11—CONNECTED with a bull rider—MIKE MOORE. Regardless of the circumstances—you get up and you go back to work—and you TRY.

Myron Duarte -- 86 Boo Hoo -- Stace Smith -- $69,677

Actually I think this colorful bull’s name is Boo BOO. In the short go at Cheyenne this little guy (the bull) was pretty TESTY with Blu Bryant. Then at Dallas with Casey Baize he just licked um right there, but was a 23+. For sure this bull has an attitude problem. If you want to ride him you’re gonna have to really want to because he’s gonna try to buck you off for 8 seconds. Could be the go round. Myron can ride.

Philip Elkins -- 46 Zandy -- Andrews -- $67,251

I thought this bull had been retired but he reappeared at Waco where Cody Hancock won this first go on him with an 88. Coincidently Philip was 88 in the second go (different bull). This has been a really good bull for a long time. Jim Shoulder’s filled his permit on Zandy. Zandy has more wrinkles than one of those chinese wrinkle dogs. A wild leap then gets it but won’t stay. Philip has probably been on Zandy more than once. Into your hand it’s a pretty easy deal but away from it a guy has to really pay attention. Should place.

Fred Boettcher -- R8 Copenhagen Kish -- Kerby -- $64,942

Think Rob Bell was 94 or something to win Salt Lake City on this bull. Kish also was ridden at the SEAGULLS-R-US Circuit Finals. This bull doesn’t get bucked a lot. Usually they tell us that he’s “out on the cows”. Secret Agents think this bull may get sore from trying so hard. Fred has a Significant Other so if he’s not at a rodeo he’s probably sore from something besides being “out on the cows” (sheep, goats, etc.).In a recent interview Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre said he liked bull riding and he was a fan of Boettcher. TWO CHEESE HEADS--they play their games with the same intensity.

Josh O’Byrne -- 03 I Ninety -- Corey & Horst -- $64,390

Lee Akin was 93-94 on this bull to win the short go at Caldwell. Outstanding ride. If he has his best day you could see another 94 or so score tonight. Josh spent the last part of the season healing-up so I’ll bet he’s pumped and raring to go.

Corey McFadden -- 50 Skoal’s Hammertime Bad Company -- $62,884

If there is a breeze in this pen of GALES it would be this little bull. But he’s a COOL breeze. Seldom ridden but always a 23 and a 23 you can make a 24 ride on. He’s got to fit Cory (he’s probably ridden him before). This McFadden made a couple of outstanding rides in this very arena a few weeks ago and this is a great bull to have to get you on a roll like butter.

Blue Stone -- 75 MR Skoal’s USA -- Gilbert -- $62,450

Blue knows this bull so he probably has a battle plan and has mentally rehearsed making that victory ride. I can sure see it. At the MGM this bull was outstanding his first trip and also bucked hard when Cody Hancock rode him in the finals. Put some stitches in a chin after the whistle. It was rehearsed like the World Wrestling Federation—trying for higher TV rating. THEN I’d heard that they’d switched deliveries on MR. USA and really screwed him up.

I reasoned that maybe at most of their rodeos there weren’t right hand deliveries or perhaps his owners were dyslexics. But anyway… they put him out the Right D at their Circuit Finals and he was great again. If Cindy is standing on the wrong delivery tonight—we’ll know for sure. Steve, ever the resourceful one, had an R and an L tattooed on his wrists.

Jason McClain -- K66 Copenhagen Rapid Fire -- Big Bend -- $62,349

My favorite bull. One of my favorite bull riders. Both talented. Both try. Both kinda cool dudes. You saw Philip ride Rapid Fire in the 10^th round last year. If you stick it on him—he won’t stay but if anything it makes him more difficult to ride. If this were my first NFR and my first bull at it—this would be the bull I’d want to get on. He’s a legitimate 24 indoors most of the time.

Greg Whitlow Injured. -- $62,130

Jason Legler -- 080 Skoal’s Red Dog -- Beutler & Son -- $58,183

This was Bennie’s Bucking Bull of the Year candidate. Come September Ben ALWAYS has a candidate but there is just SO MUCH $50,000 worth of beer can buy. A good bull though. Goes to lots of big rodeos and never misfires. Raises a lot of guys up and gets them by turning back away from their hands. Jason has seen this bull and rides well around Uncle Ben.

Kagan Sirett -- 77 Skoal’s Yellow Jacket -- Flying 5 -- $57,665

Yellow Jacket has been a great bull for a long time. Larry Mahan filled his permit on him. A pattern bucker—solid as a Wilderness Circuit Contractor’s Head—this is a really good draw. Kagan is thinking about going for his doctorate degree in Calculus so I’m sure he can develop a winning formula here.

No matter what anyone says, a Doctorate from Bozeman IS better than a high school diploma.

Rerides: Not necessarily in order: (being in the rerides doesn’t count as an OUT. These bulls will be in the draw Sunday or Monday)

3F Spin Doctor Andrews

690 Mardi Gras Broken Arrow/Thomas Taylor

Extra:4 Copenhagen Grey Cat Bailey
They don’t bring the extras up unless there is a cripple or run out of rerides. If they run out then the extra bull probably wouldn’t be brought up until the next performance since they’d still be on feed and water.