RAPID CITY, S.D. - The year was 1990, and the cowboy making headlines at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo® was a young gun named Ty Murray. It was in the Barnett Arena that Ty Murray became only the second man ever to ride the infamous bull Mr. T, and win the round with 86 points. At the time no one knew they were watching a legend in the making, but it was in Rapid City that Ty made one of his first marks on rodeo history. Fast forward twenty-three years to this Friday night, and you will have an opportunity to see the son of that infamous bull in the Short-Round of the Xtreme Bull Riding. Known as Ice T, this bull is just as good as his dad was, as proven last week at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, CO. He propelled Minnesota cowboy Brent Stall to the top of the leader board with a 93. Coincidently Brent is competing Friday night and it is safe to assume he would like a repeat on Ice T.
Ice T of Burns Rodeo isn’t the only bull to be on the lookout for in the short-round on Friday. Sutton Rodeo has brought in a formidable line-up of bulls from a number of top PRCA stock contractors, including the unridden bull Child’s Play of Brookman-Hyland Rodeo, and Burch Rodeos’ great National Finals Rodeo bull Zombie Zoo. Not to be outdone, the cowboys entered include an all-star line-up; look for 2012 PRCA World Champion Cody Teel to jump to the lead in the first section of bull riding on Friday night aboard Brookman-Hyland’s Mr. Nice Guy.
Looking at Saturday nights’ competition, if there was a pick to be made it would be on Arkansas cowboy Reese Cates. While his name might be new to the PRCA, it isn’t new to the sport. Cates is a former PBR Rookie of the Year and PBR Finalist, and is looking to leave his mark on the PRCA in 2013. Joining Reese is a field full of talent, including former PRCA World Champions Dustin Elliott and Shane Proctor along with some young up and comers including one name synonymous with bull riding: Frost. A young rookie from Utah, Joe Frost is a cousin of the legendary cowboy Lane Frost, and looks to be just as talented.
The bulls that will be seen on Saturday have a love – hate relationship with the riders, and can either propel them to the pay window or leave them with nothing but a mouth full of dirt. Look for Dakota Lewis to get a high score aboard Burns Rodeos’ bull Shredder, if he can get him covered. Former World Champion JW Harris was 86 on him at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver earlier this month, and he helped South Dakota cowboy Ardie Maier take home 2nd in the average at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo this past July. For those 10 lucky cowboys that make the short-round on Saturday, they will have the opportunity to take on Sutton Rodeos’ Crystal Springs Peach. This bull won a round at the 2011 WNFR, and then went on to be unridden at the 2012 WNFR.
The competition this weekend will pit veteran cowboys against the young up and comers, but the question shouldn’t be who is going to come out on top, it should be who will you be watching make history?
Xtreme Bull Riding will take place in the Barnett Arena at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, Friday, January 25th @ 7:30pm and Saturday, January 26th @ 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased online at www.gotmine.com, by phone at 1-800-GOT-MINE, or in person at the RPCC Box Office.
