by Terry Lidral
Creating a partnership in the bucking bull business can be as confusing as it can be exciting. There are a great variety of options offered by the bucking bull people selling partnerships in their livestock commodity. For some it’s just part of their business. For others, it’s about giving those outside the industry a chance to experience the passion for these wonderful bovine athletes first-hand.
As with most everything else we do for recreation, the bottom line is money. Bucking bull partnerships run a wide range of costs and expenses. First and foremost, find out exactly how much it costs for the initial purchase and what percentage of the bull you will be getting for your money. From there, explore the potential continuing costs and fees you will be held responsible for once you’ve signed on the dotted line. Some bull owners require that certain things be paid in the partnership on a billing basis that might include feed costs, medical bills, transportation, housing, travel costs, entry fees for events, etc. This topic should be discussed to the partner’s satisfaction before entering into any kind of binding agreement. A bull partnership can be much like buying a house. The initial mortgage may be comfortably affordable, but the added costs of maintenance, taxes, living fees and unforeseen expenses can break the bank.
Learn about the different levels of competition and decide what level you’d like to be involved in. Competition with an unproven yearling futurity bull is much different than competing with a seasoned 5-year old who is putting up quality bull scores on the professional tours. The opportunity for participation with your bull at the professional levels may well be more limited than in the less formal atmosphere of the bucking futurities. As you discuss the partnership, ask about the opportunities you will be provided to participate with your bull and how you might be kept apprised of his progress.
Bucking bull partnerships should be fun. Ask anybody in the business and they will tell you that monetary rewards can be scarce and, for those who do make a business out of stock contracting and breeding programs, the road is uphill to profit. Bucking stock people do what they do because they have a passion for these magnificent animal athletes. The definite payoff in a bucking bull partnership should be the opportunity to share in the passion.
If you are interested in becoming involved in the bucking bull business, it is a good idea to research the bloodlines and genetics of the programs you are considering. Great sires like Houdini, Bodacious, Skat Kat, Mossy Oak Mudslinger, Showtime, etc. all bring specific traits to a breeding program. Cow genetics are also important to the overall disposition and athletic talent of a bucking bull. Learning about these traits can not only help you make a better decision in choosing a program, it can help you better understand what you might want to look for in a bull you are considering for partnership.
Futurities and bull riding competitions are what the bucking bull business is all about. Anyone who is thinking about buying interest in a bull should take the time to learn about competition standards and how the bulls are scored. For each level of competition – futurity, classic, derby and pro events – there is a specific set standard of evaluation of qualities to the bull’s performance. The significance of a bull score is where it falls within the standard range. If you are considering buying into a bull that is already competing, do not be timid about asking for his record of bull scores.
The major point that should be understood about a bucking bull is that there is no guarantee that the bull will win or place at any given event. Bucking bulls are highly tuned athletic animals who tend to be reactive and temperamental. A bull that has put up high scores in the past several events can have an off day for a variety of reasons (over stimulation in environment, not feeling well, undetected injury, mad at the world…) and run off down the arena. It’s all part of the game, and everyone in it, from the partner on up, needs to accept that there may well be some disappointing events.
Any bull can have a bad day, but not every bull can have a great day. Deciding on a bull for partnership is much like a crap shoot. No matter the bloodlines, some bulls just won’t be impressively athletic or inclined to buck. Many people choose to partner on a bull that already has a record of competition or, at least choose to buy interest in a young bull that has proven himself with a dummy. Taking a chance on an unbucked calf or young bull can be risky but selecting a breeding program with a higher percentage of successful bucking bulls in competition can help to put the odds more in your favor.
As with any other business deal, the buyer should feel that the contract is fair and freely negotiated. Any and all questions should be truthfully and satisfactorily answered before the partnership is drawn up into a legal contract. Word-of-mouth and hand-shake agreements create an opportunity for problems and dissatisfaction for all parties involved, say nothing about potential monetary loss. That’s not to say there aren’t some great guys out there who have done straight-up deals on the shake of a hand. But, unless you are familiar with the business and those in it, it’s a risk that may be too big to take.
There’s an old saying, “If it’s not fun, don’t do it.” The best guarantee to success in a bucking bull partnership is to do it for the fun of it. If you come to love these awesome bovine athletes. then you’ve spent your money well.
Author: Terry Lidral
Terry Lidral is a western writer/journalist who lives in Idaho. She is the publisher and editor of the online magazine Bucking Stock Talk and the online magazine Western Living Journal. Her publishing credits include Storyteller for Real American Cowboy Magazine, writing feature articles for Humps N Horns Magazine as well as a wide variety of national and international web sites, historical magazines and news publications. She is known for her "up close and personal" profiles of celebrities and industry moguls such as NPR's Tom Bodett; PBR's Wiley Petersen and D.H. Page, PRCA's Sammy Andrews, Cindy Rosser and Julio Moreno to name a few. She has been applauded for her way of making a personal connection between her readers and her subjects. She indulges in her love of rodeo by serving as an associate board member for the Caldwell Night Rodeo. She is also an accomplished trainer and handler in dog agility. Her shelties Amelie and Milo are titled in NADAC, USDAA and AKC.
