|
BULL OF THE YEAR
SPEED DIAL
Owned by Calgary Stampede
By Dianne Finstad
He’s the kind of bull that cowboys will call home about. When they see the digits C301 by their name on a rodeo program, they know they’ll have to bring their A-game to the table, but have a good chance to win if they do.
That’s why they picked Calgary Stampede’s Speed Dial as the 2009 Canadian bull of the year.
The 1,200 pound black brockle face is hitting his prime as a six-year-old. And he’s leaving cowboys in the dirt as he carves out his reputation in the rodeo world.
“He’s a bull we got from (former bull rider) Kagan Sirett,” said Calgary Stampede Senior Ranch and Rodeo Manager, Keith Marrington.
“He was almost an instantaneous superstar.”
But Speed Dial doesn’t come with superstar baggage. He knows his job and is eager to do it.
“He’s just an honest bull that comes to work every day. You can expect an honest trip, but not the same kind trip every time. He gives the guys a good opportunity to win some money if they can perform to their expectations.”
Like any animals, bulls can be unpredictable, but the one thing you can bet on with this character is that he will be all there for all eight.
“He’s got a number of different trips in him. But he’s got a little attitude once he dumps the cowboy, so you’d better have your head up,” Marrington smiles wryly.
Stampede Ranch Manager Raymond Goodman named the bull.
“The first couple of trips, he really showed that snappy style,” commented Marrington. “So Raymond gave him that name, and it’s fitting.”
Even though you’d think the bull would be grateful the guys gave him the nod as bull of the year, Marrington cautions them that Speed Dial is on a roll.
During his six-week fall tour of U.S. rodeos and the Canadian Rodeo Tour Championship in Calgary, he wasn’t covered by a single cowboy for the required eight seconds. In fact, the occasions when he was ridden this year were rare.
“To my recollection, he was only ridden a couple of times.”
Black Diamond’s Tyler Thomson is one of the few who know what it’s like to ride the bull. In fact, the 89.5 he marked on him last year at Rexall Place during the CFR helped Thomson win his first Canadian bull riding championship. But then the bull got his revenge when the two met again in the showdown round at this summer’s Ponoka Stampede. There the bull provided a bit of a surprise, and Thomson was bucked to the ground looking up before he knew it. The bull was named best of the 2009 Ponoka Stampede.
“He is a great bull,” Thomson later conceded. “And just like any great bull, you can’t take him lightly. Every time you get on you go to win first, and sometimes they’ve got a little more than you.
“I just really like the bull.”
The Calgary Stampede is world famous for it’s Born To Buck breeding program for it’s horses, but relies on suppliers such as Sirett and Bob Delong of Olds, Alta. to keep the bull-power strong. That’s been a priority for the Stampede, Marrington explained.
“About five years ago, we knew we were strong in the horse business, but a little lagging behind in the bull business. We made an effort to go out and buy some bulls of good quality.”
“It’s been working out beyond our expectations.” |
| |
|
