Star Rafter G Rodeo Horse Assault Retires
Standout horse Assault, out of the Rafter G Rodeo stable, has retired. Assault’s last out was on Jan. 20 at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Assault, 23, carried saddle bronc rider Q McWhorter to an 84-point trip at Dickies Arena.
It was fitting that he retired at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Assault competed there 19 times and was a draw in the short round 17 times.
Assault made 14 combined appearances at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – 10 times in bareback (2006, 2010-17 and 2021) and four in saddle bronc (2018-19, 2022-23). The horse was named after the 1946 Triple Crown winning thoroughbred of the same name.
“He was a great horse, a one of a kind,” Rafter G Rodeo General Manager Jim Gay said. “It is long list of things that made him so special. His longevity for one, but he was outstanding the very first performance we bucked him at Fort Worth. He handled well and never caused any problems. In his older age, he might have got a little grouchy, but don’t we all. He never missed anything due to injury – ever – in his 19-year-career. That’s pretty amazing. He was an Iron Man.”
In 2013, Assault was named Bareback Horse of the NFR. That appearance at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Assault bucked off Ty Breuer in Round 3 and Casey Colletti in Round 8.
“Assault was always outstanding, and you knew what to expect,” Gay said. “If he had an off day, it was better than 75 percent of the other horses’ best day. He technically was our greatest horse ever and the big deal was he was my dad’s last favorite horse. My dad was in the rodeo business his whole life 75-plus years and he had all kinds of horses, and all kinds of favorites and Assault was his last favorite horse. That makes this more emotional.”
Jim’s father was ProRodeo Hall of Fame stock contractor Neal Gay. He passed away Aug. 11, 2022, at the age of 96.
Kaycee Feild, who won a record six PRCA Bareback Riding World Championships before retiring last season, praised Assault.
“That horse was a really tough competitor,” Feild said. “There were days you would dream of getting on him and it was effortless to make a good ride and he was getting in the air and showing off. Then, there were days he would come around tight in a circle and drop out of there and he was the real deal. It was never a day off with that horse and you always had a chance to win on him. That horse brought it every single time and gave you an opportunity to win money.”
In 2014, Richmond Champion had a 90-point ride aboard Assault to win The American. He earned $100,000 for the ride and he also collected the $1 million bonus for coming up through the qualifying ranks.
“The day Richie won the $1 million on him was pretty dang special,” Feild said. “He bucked so hard that day and it was cool. It was the first American, the first $1 million on one ride and the Gay family, to have success like that, was just a fun day.”
Jim said Assault will retire to the Rafter G Rodeo Ranch in Terrell, Texas.
“I have one of his older brother’s there that is 27 years old, and he is in great shape and he and (War Admiral) will enjoy their retirement together,” Gay said.
Courtesy of PRCA