Diamonds May be Forever but Bucking Bulls are More Fun
GEM Bucking Bulls – CBR Bull Team Challenge Profile
By Leigh Ann Schroeder
The main attraction in Window Rock, Arizona is usually the window formation of sandstone that the community is named after, but the landscape changed for a moment on Saturday night in the largest territory of a Native American nation in North America, where two young women lined up three bucking bulls and challenged the field of veteran stock contractors on the Road to Cheyenne to win the Navajo Nation CBR Bull Team Challenge Championship. (BTC)
Entering their first event of the season, GEM Bucking Bulls, Ruby Bausch and Crystal Chandler, defeated the field competition by 2.28 points. Competing in the first of their team’s three required appearances, GEM brought three bulls that produced 2 qualified rides and the rank Bull of the Event award from their team anchor, 756 Whacked Out, a son of the legendary bucker Bushwacker, who bucked off the Navajo’s hometown cowboy, Cody Jesus in 3.13 seconds producing a 93.5 bull score.
The team named after their first names, Ruby and Crystal, took on an instant identity winning with two qualified rides in round one with 3312 Lil Cranky (86.5 – Billy Q. Phillips) and 3274 Bring the Bling (86.5 – Brendon Averett). Both bull competed in Cheyenne alongside Wacked Out.
During the Kick off reception of the Navajo Nation CBR the partners of the GEM Bull Team said their goal was to bring “strong bulls that are rideable,” and hope for a ride score on all three and by the end of the night it was evident they are both overachievers.
GEM, sporting the coolest name of the BTC, Ruby and Crystal met and joined forces less than 45 days ago at the CBR World Finals at Cheyenne Frontier Days. They purchased their CBR bull team from William Barnett and Scott Burleson who placed second this year in Cheyenne at the World Finals BTC event.
“We like the people involved in CBR, it’s such a friendly environment where everyone helps each other out and when Scott and Mr. Barnett decided to give up their team we stepped up and bought in,” said Crystal Chandler, who was an evacuee of Hurricane Harvey before traveling to Window Rock.
Searching for the anchor of their team, they purchased 756 Wacked Out after CBR World Champion Sage Kimzey’s thrilling 92 point performance to seal his third CBR World title in Cheyenne.
The girls were looking forward and enjoyed their first CBR event flanking and competing and were not concerned about the male dominated atmosphere on top of the chutes, “Our girl power is pretty strong,” laughed the infectious smiles of both GEM partners.
They both enjoy bred to buck programs at their respective ranches and are involved heavily in the breeding aspect of the industry and plan on competing with futurity bulls and yearling bulls in the coming year.
Ruby’s story
Ruby Bausch from Stephenville, Texas, who once enjoyed wearing a t-shirt that says “My bull bucked off your boyfriend” joined the male dominated bucking bull business in 2008 when she started collecting cows and hauling bucking stock all over the country for one of the family businesses.
In 2010, she met Joy Hawks and her life took a new path when she joined the Rhinestone Renegades, a woman’s organization dedicated to teaching and promoting women in the livestock end of the sport of bull riding. With an education from Western Texas College and Tarleton State University, learning to flank and compete with bucking stock, Bausch felt she had found her calling.
Ruby, a cowgirl that competed in poles and barrels and showed horses as a youth, graduated and went to college in Stephenville where she met Riley Sanford who introduced her to bucking bulls.
With the help of Rhinestone Renegades, a once timid Ruby quickly added contractor to her already full resume that includes Moore-Bausch Bucking N Truckin, second in command at 9A Ranch Bucking Bulls, driver at BS Cattle Company, Bausch Bucking Bulls, and the latest job – owner at GEM Bull Team.
Ruby, an avid hunter who was headed to Michigan to deer hunt, also has that in common with GEM partner Crystal Chandler.
Crystal’s Story
A native of Deville, Louisiana, Crystal decided she was a rodeo kid at six years old when she got her first horse. Growing up in high school rodeo in central Louisiana, Crystal was an all-around cowgirl qualifying for the state finals in team roping, barrel racing and breakaway roping all four years. She also competed in the National High school finals in team roping and barrel racing.
When she is not hauling bulls these days you might find her in the roping pen as she still team ropes when times permits.
Bucking bulls are a long-time part of the family and Curtis and Sheila Chandler made the trip with GEM to Window Rock after evacuating from the ravaging waters in Richmond, Texas and Hurricane Harvey. The Chandler’s raised a former CBR bucker 10B Show Me.
Crystal took the time to thank multiple CBR bull team owner William Barnett who made this venture possible.
“Mr. Barnett has helped us out quite a bit and we appreciate him and look forward to our partnership on some other bulls with him and Scott Burleson,” added Crystal.
GEM will compete in Jackson, Tennessee next in January and it is highly likely this team will stay intact but they are already busy lining up a second team for the Horizon competition on night one. Del Rio is their third and final team out and my guess is they will be on the roster for the Horizon Series first performance as well.
For more information on the CBR contact leighann@cbrbull.com and for information on the Bull team Challenge contact kay-lee@cbrbull.com.
Courtesy of CBR