Hedeman Taps Texas Twist as Bounty Bull in Del Rio
Presented by Ram Country Dodge, Ram Country Truck Center and Ram Rodeo
DEL RIO, Texas – Labeled the “Big Faker” T2 Texas Twist, a bucking bull with a 100 percent buck off rating in 2017, has been named the Bounty Bull for Friday night’s opener of the 40th George Paul Memorial Bull Riding (GPMBR). T2 was selected by Tuff Hedeman, four time World Champion and Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer, CBR Chute Boss, and the 1992 and 1995 winner of the GPMBR, to be the 2017 Bounty Bull of this historical George Paul Memorial Bull Riding where bull number 4,000 is also expected to buck into the history books.
Friday, April 28, in Del Rio, Texas, at the Val Verde Fairgrounds arena, the winner of the first performance will have an opportunity to stay aboard the bounty bull for 8 seconds with the prize being a new truck valued at over $40,000.
Although T2 is no rookie, he is making his CBR debut in Del Rio. He has bucked twenty-four times on the PRCA rodeo circuit and is widely considered a contender for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo bull selection list. The bull is known to have a big fake to the left, but then almost always turns back to the right while bucking hard with each rotation.
T2 was bred and raised by Hayden Wilson, Paradise, Texas before he became a regular with Stace Smith Pro Rodeo.
“He’s out of 791B Stormy Nights and one of my cows and he bucked hard from the very first time we tried him,” said Wilson. “He was a big calf and we knew turned him out and let him grow into a rider aged bull.”
Many riders have seen him buck, but only one rider on the roster in Del Rio has attempted the elusive bucker. Twenty-eight year old Caleb Sanderson, Kissimmee, Florida, attempted T2, at a PRCA rodeo in Goliad on March 17 of this year. Sanderson is the only rider competing in Del Rio that has been on his back, but many have seen him and are planning to take a shot at riding him.
In the final round at the 2016 Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo he provided the winning ride for Roscoe Jarboe. Five time World Champion bull rider, Sage Steele Kimzey witnessed that ride and had this to say about the 1,800 pound black and white painted bull who now calls Arkansas home.
“He’s a big strong bull that kicks really hard and has a lot of power leaving the bucking chute. He goes either way so you really can’t make a game plan for him and he gets better and better every time he bucks,” Sage Kimzey.
But before you can try T2 for the truck you have to get past the CBR Cheyenne Challenge competition occurring simultaneously within the bucking chutes and powered by the CBR Bull Team Challenge franchise league. The winning bull team owner will take home a $20,000 check, a Hyo Silver Trophy Buckle with the total prize package being worth $45,000 on Friday night with $90,000 being paid out over the two day event. Each bull team is three bulls with ride time added for a total score. The team with the compounded high scores is declared the winner at the end of the competition.
The George Paul Memorial Bull riding is the most distinctive event on the 2017 CBR Road to Cheyenne tour. It will feature 40 riders on Friday night and a three round tournament style action on Saturday night with the 28 elite CBR riders competing head to head for a total weekend purse of over $75,000 in cash and prize packages.
During the Saturday night performance, the riders will be randomly drawn into sections, with the rider who achieves the highest score or longest ride time in each match up advancing to the semi-final round and eventually the final four man Shoot Out Round.
This is the fortieth consecutive year that Del Rio has welcomed the bull riding elite to the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding which will start each night at 8 p.m.
Del Rio is the last stop to host the CBR’s regular season and is the MBR is the sixteenth stop of the regular season tour schedule. The season will conclude at the Road to Cheyenne World Finals in Cheyenne held in conjunction with Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 24-25. The 2017 CBR World Champion, the bull rider who amasses the most points during the 2017 season will receive the coveted World Championship buckle and a $100,000 bonus while in Cheyenne.
Tickets for both night’s performances may be purchased by debit or credit card by phone, 830-775-9595 or in person at the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding office at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds. The celebration begins on Thursday, April 27 with a Super Bull Mixer at Ramada White Horse from 5-7 p.m. Breakfast with the cowboys will be served daily at the Ramada as well as the traditional pool party with poolside lunch and live music throughout the day.
For more information contact Leigh Ann Schroeder at leighann@cbrbull.com.
Courtesy of CBR