Serendipity Strikes Top CBR Bull Team Owners Burleson and Barnett
Serendipity Strikes Top CBR Bull Team Owners
#1 CBR Bull Team Challenge Qualifier – Scott Burleson – William Barnett Team #1
The story of the number ranked bull team in the CBR Bull Team Challenge is usually overflowing with exciting tales of triumphs flanked with expert analysis from the owners on how they carefully bred and selected the bulls for the team events and each out. The paragraphs usually follow with trials and tribulations of hauling bulls and qualifying for the chance to compete next week for the $300,000 purse that is ready to be awarded at the Road to Cheyenne CBR World Finals at Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 24 – 25 in Frontier Park Arena.
Don’t look away now, because this year the story of the top ranking team is anything but that and if you add one word to your vocabulary this year it should “Serendipity” the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
In 2013, a former Cheyenne Frontier Days tie-down calf roping contestant decided to attend Billy Jaynes BBG Bucking Bull Sale in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay while at the National Finals Rodeo. A gregarious gentleman just happened to take the seat next to the cowboy from Hockley, Texas and the two men realized they were from the same area around Houston, but had never met. Neither had ever owned a bucking bull so they began to discuss what they knew. Burleson confessed he had picked two bulls in the Jaynes Sale Catalog by opening up the book and looking at the name of the bulls on the page that it stuck on – the names – Mexican Cartel and Cowtown Cartel.
The two became friends and partners on that fateful day and two years later their friendship and loyalty to one another is the foundation of not only the success of this team, but the substance of a greater gift when William Barnett suffered life threatening injuries sustained in the back pens of a charity bull riding last May. Scott Burleson picked up his partner and the bulls and the two persevered and turned personal tragedy into great triumph on this season’s Road to Cheyenne.
“What I like about CBR is that the stock contractor and the bull rider are cheering for each other,” said Burleson while making his way to Cheyenne with a caravan from Texas full of his family, friends and bull riding fans.
William Barnett a vivacious race horse owner and businessman purchased multiple CBR bull team franchises a little over two years ago and with his life hanging in the halls of a Houston hospital, the young man that fate would sit next to him a few years back – took the lead.
“The day I met him I knew I had a friend for life – he would do anything for anybody and our motto is – If we can’t have fun doing it don’t do it,” added Burleson.
This year the team won one Championship in Bossier City and two back to back second place finishes in Conroe and Mercedes. While Barnett was recovering from multiple surgeries, Burleson held down the teams astutely bucking the same trio of bulls at each of the Team #1 outs.
Houdini Martini, a bull sired by Page U28 was purchased by Burleson from the D & H Cattle Co. yearling sale. He was ridden by Josh Barentine for 89 points in Conroe, bucked off Wyatt Rogers in Mercedes, and was 84.5 with Dustin Boquet in Bossier.
“He looked good after his futurity years so we put a rider on him and he has the same trip every time you buck him,” said Burleson from the road.
Bull number two is co-owned by the dynamic duo and is a full bucking brother to another famed bucker on the CBR tail, Painkiller (Jaynes). Y9 Final Judgement was also purchased from Billy Jaynes, but not in the sale. Burleson describes him as a bull with a big heart and three CBR super star riders would agree with that observation. Y9 and Vastbinder were 87 in Conroe. Radley bested that by .5 in Mercedes, and in Bossier – Cody Jesus finished second with his 89.5 on the “always consistent” son of Little Yellow Jacket.
The third and magic bullet of this team is the reigning CBR Bucking Bull of the Year, Cowtown Cartel, bred and raised by the late Julie Carrillo and purchased the day the two partners met. Cowtown Cartel was a late bloomer, but once he hit his stride he has provided many magical and profitable moments on this year’s Road to Cheyenne. He was nominated by Tuff Hedeman for a second time for the prestigious Bull of the Year CBR award.
2079 pitched a no hitter on this bull team this season – he bucked off Corey Bailey in Conroe, Chandler Bownds in Mercedes, and Cody Rostockyj in Bossier, but each time his bull scores added with time ridden are a winner for the South Texas bull team owners. He was Bull of the Event in Mercedes with a 90.5 4 judged rank bull score.
In 2017 Cartel lifted Sage Kimzey to his second CBR World title with a 93 point ride at the CBR World Finals at Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Cowtown Cartel has provided 7 90 point plus rides since Newt Brasfield was the first to cover the big yellow bull in Las Vegas in March of 2016. His career high score would be matched with Brennon Eldred for the win at the 39th George Paul Memorial Bull Riding in Del Rio, Texas.
For more information on CBR and the CBR Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge see cbrbull.com contact leighann@cbrbull.com. 940.902.1112.
Courtesy of CBR