by Terry Lidral
The bucking bull game can be for anyone, anywhere. It just sometimes takes some adapting to accommodate extenuating circumstances. For John Brennan, those extenuating circumstances happened to be living in a suburb of Detroit.
“I have always been a fan of bull riding,” said John Brennan who has made his dream of being part of the bucking bull business into a reality. “If there was bull riding on television, I would make a point to watch. As my interest grew, I started watching videos on youtube. That’s where I learned about futurity competition and came across videos from Exclusive Genetics,” he explained about what fueled his enthusiasm to get involved.
Exclusive Genetics was owned and operated by former Championship Bull Riding CEO Billy Jaynes. Jaynes offered bucking bull partnerships, bull housing and training for competition, as well as bucking bull events for people who couldn’t or didn’t want to be ranchers.
It was on a business trip to Fort Worth, Texas that Brennan got his first up close and personal experience with bull riding. And right then and there, he knew he wanted to be a part of the bucking bull industry.
“In March of 2017, I was in Ft. Worth for a conference,” related Brennan. “For our private entertainment one evening, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers had rented Billy Bobs and bull riding was part of the evening entertainment. Being up close to the bulls really sold it for me.”
The next year, Brennan took the big step and entered into the bucking bull business.
“In 2018, I made the decision to contact Billy Jaynes of Exclusive Genetics to see about possibilities for being involved first-hand in bucking bull competitions, “said Brennan of the conversation that changed the focus of his life. “Billy Jaynes was very down to earth, very open to my questions, always open for a visit and did very well in competition.”
Brennan has always been drawn to high levels of competition. He felt Jaynes’ program could offer him the opportunity to play at top competitive levels with bucking bulls.
“In my previous competitive endeavors, I have always been attracted to competing at the national level or the world level where, with planning and strategy, one could be competitive. Competition in the ABBI provides an excellent competitive environment where it is possible for anyone to chase the dream of being a world champion regardless of where you live,” Brennan explained.
So, in June of 2018 Brennan researched his prospects and purchased half interest from Exclusive Genetics in bucking bull EG7095 Above & Beyond. The bull would remain at the Exclusive Genetics facility and Jaynes would train and haul the bull for competition. Brennan would be able to be get updates on his bull, watch his progress and be a part of the competition process.
EG7095 Above & Beyond proved to be a truly competitive yearling in futurity competition. The bull won 1st place at ABBI Belton Revolution, 3rd place at ABBI Two Bulls Futurity (Duncan, OK), 3rd place at BBG Yearling (Orchard, Texas) and 4th place at Bordertown (BTCA) Buckle up for Vegas. Above & Beyond went on the finish 6th in money won heading into the 2018 ABBI World Finals.
Brennan’s involvement with bucking bulls has grown since 2018. Billy Jaynes closed the doors on Exclusive Genetics/Jaynes Gang at the end of 2018. Dennis Davis, who was then head trainer of Exclusive Genetics/Jaynes Gang, started Dennis Davis Bucking Bulls which was a transition that has worked well for Brennan. It’s even turned into a friendship.
“Dennis Davis is like a family member. Our ABBI membership numbers are back-to-back,” Brennan told us of the relationship that grew out of the bull business. “I always make a point when traveling out West to spend time with Dennis in the back pens. I get together with him at his training facility in Texas at least once a year.”
“Dennis Davis has really taught me a lot about the yearling and futurity competition” continued Brennan. “In addition, Dennis Davis is probably one of the best in the bull teams and we speak frequently about bull team strategy. I compete with Dennis in bull team events. We enter under Dennis Davis Bucking Bulls Dream Team.”
When asked about his relationship with Brennan, Davis explained about Brennan’s special ability to relate to the bulls and Davis’ training.
“The relationship between John and myself has become more than just business. We’ve become close friends. John is very informational and hands on which is especially beneficial to me as a trainer,” Davis said of Brennan’s complete investment in the partnership. “The transparency and engagements help to streamline decisions such as entering or not entering events. Often an owner would like to attend certain events or certain classes but not really understand the reason they should not enter due to lack of engagement to industry or event details. John knows exactly what his bull’s capabilities are and makes great decisions as to what events to enter and in what part of the country to maximize his bulls’ potential to win.
Brennan has come to find that Michigan has an active and productive bucking bull community in its own right. And he is enthusiastic about being part of it.
“Michigan is very active with bucking bulls. It’s just not very well known at this time,” explained Brennan. “But we are looking to change that. Northern Futurity Group plans to add Derby and Classic to their class schedule in 2022. This, in my opinion, will help breeders, owners and partners experience competing with their bulls up through the levels, from yearling right on through the classic year, while staying close to home.”
“The Northern Futurity Group (NFG) is a Futurity series consisting of 7 events between March and September and a finals event in October. The events in the past have showcased Futurity, Juvenile, Cowgirl’s and Junior classes. The NFG did also have a couple of Derby/Classic events this past year with hopes of adding more for the breeder’s in the region in the future.” Kevin Shamblin, President and Founder of Northern Futurity Group
Brennan has been able to bring his classic bulls close to home through an association and ensuing partnership that came about with Shiloh Walden of Walden Bucking Bulls.
“When ABBI announced the Vegas Yearling Maiden, my vision was to enter a Michigan bred yearling. This ultimately led to meeting Shiloh Walden which led to visiting his bucking bull operation in the Irish Hills close to Michigan International Speedway. Walden Bucking Bulls is about 1 hour 45 minutes from where I live in Waterford, Michigan.”
Brennan partnered with Walden on a Walden Bucking Bulls bred yearling to compete at the Vegas Yearling Maiden event. When Brennan’s Classic bulls were transported from Dennis Davis in Texas to Michigan, the Yearling was transported down to Texas from Michigan to train with Dennis Davis who will handle him in the Vegas Yearling Maiden.
To find out more about Dennis Davis Bucking Bulls and the programs offered, click here: https://www.facebook.com/dennisdavisbuckingbulls/
Brennan’s visit with Shiloh Walden produced much more than a Michigan bred yearling for competition. Brennan not only found a place close to home to care for his bulls, he found a partner and friend in the fellow Michigan bull man.
“The meeting with Shiloh Walden last year during the 2020 Christmas holiday led to me bringing my classic bulls up from Texas to Michigan,” Brennan told us about how the association got started. “During the visit we drove out to look at the pasture and it was snowing heavily. The older bulls were in the tree line, one of their hide-out spots.”
Walden pointed out a bull to Brennan and then showed him a video. When Brennan saw the video, he was highly impressed with the bull’s ability and potential.
“The video was of the bull’s trip with his first rider a few months before as a 2 year-old. My first reaction was, ‘”WOW”, do you plan to enter him in ABBI Derby competition?,’” Brennan related the highlight moment.
“Shiloh Walden’s ABBI number is 1560, a small breeder who has taken several bulls to PBR events. But he has not been to very many ABBI events over the last 20 years,” Brennan explained the hesitancy. “My reply to his hesitation was that he didn’t need to worry about how C6 KONG would do. It was pretty clear to me from the video the only worry would be which events to enter.”
Brennan saw an opportunity to promote a small breeder from Michigan who had developed a quality breeding program that was producing results. And he was excited about the competition potential of Walden’s young bull.
“Being able to help a small breeder from Michigan live one of his lifelong dreams of qualifying for the World Finals is not easy to put into words. I made the offer to be the second set of eyes, second set of ears,” related Brennan about his offer of partnership.
An original part of Brennan’s plan was to bring his Classic bull RB427 Dynamo from Texas to Michigan with a goal to get his bull qualified to compete in the South Eastern Bull Rider Association Finals (SEBRA). (The event takes place in January 2022 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
“The original plan was to bring Dynamo to Michigan so he could make a run at the SEBRA Finals,” Brennan explained about getting involved in the Eastern bull competition circuit. “I took Dynamo to the Jerome Davis PBR Invitational on Labor Day weekend where he bucked off his rider and was marked a solid 86.00.”
Brennan has joined with Walden Bucking Bulls in another venture. And this one looks into the future of both breeding programs.
“The second part of partnering with Shiloh on entering C6 Kong in events was to bring my other Classic bull, EG7095 Above & Beyond up to the Michigan farm from Texas. We now haul the bulls together and both bulls had great trips at the PBR Touring Pro Division event in Columbus, Ohio on October 8th,” said Brennan. “But I’m also interested in the breeding quality of Shiloh Walden’s cows. He has bred high caliber bulls from his program’s cows and I consider several of the Walden cows to be excellent candidates for breeding to Above & Beyond.”
Brennan is pleased with how EG7095 Above & Beyond is competing. And he is hopeful that his bull will be a productive sire as well.
“It has been really neat that in just over three years, I’ve competed with him as a yearling and now I am seeing him compete in the PBR,” Brennan told of the experience of competing with his first bull ever. “He really didn’t start to grow into rider bull size until this spring so he’s somewhat of a late bloomer. But now that he is there, I’m very pleased with his performance.”
“I’m very optimistic that EG7095 Above & Beyond will sire high caliber bucking bulls to compete in Yearling and Futurity events,” said Brennan, enthusiastic about the beginnings of his breeding program. “At the present time, there is one confirmed pregnant cow from Above & Beyond.”
Developing the association with Shiloh Walden has given Brennan the opportunity to become more closely involved in the everyday of the bucking bull business. And he loves being able to regularly visit his bulls.
“Living fairly close to Shiloh Walden and my classic bulls, it’s been a tremendous learning experience. If Shiloh and I are not getting together in person, we speak on the phone probably every other day. Plus, I have been able to travel with him to the events this year.”
Being more closely involved has given Brennan the chance to see the greater picture of bucking bull competition. In the Classic and Derby events, bull riders can play a major part in a successful out for a bull. Because of this, Brennan sees an important parallel with helping bull riders make it to the next level.
“If I own or am competing with a high-level Derby or Classic bull, I feel rider development also needs to be considered as part of the investment,” Brennan told us of his commitment to the complete sport. “I really pay close attention to the riders I select for Bring Your Own Rider (BYOR) events. The goal is for the bull’s full ability to be shown as well as possible. I spend a significant amount of time scouting rider. It definitely brings another element to the equation .”
“With a great majority of Derby and Classic events being Bring Your Own Rider, it has been tough this year for contractors to find riders,” said Brennan. “I am very fortunate with the rapport Shiloh Walden has with the riders in Michigan who enter the SEBRA events he produces. I think that because of this, we did not have any issue securing riders for the BYOR events we entered this year with EG7095 Above & Beyond and C6 KONG.”
The successful performances of both Above & Beyond and C6 Kong over the course of this season were due, in part, to having the right rider on their backs.
“It wasn’t by accident that one rider, Jakob Lake, was asked to ride EG7095 Above & Beyond during a practice trip at 3 BAR B in Adrian, Michigan earlier this year and then asked to ride C6 KONG at East Coast Heritage,” Brennan explained about his care in rider choice. “Jakob has a lot of potential as a rider and went on to win his first SEBRA event after East Coast Heritage. He then made the short round at the Jerome Davis PBR Invitational as a permit entry.”
Growing up on a cash crop farm in Gratiot County, Michigan, Brennan has a deep affection for Michigan and its agriculture. He is happy and proud to be a part of the growing bucking bull scene in the state of Michigan and in the Eastern part of the country.
“There are a lot of good opportunities to enter bulls at all levels into quality competition here in the Eastern United States. People like Tiffany and Jerome Davis are putting on top quality events in top quality facilities,” Brennan told of the opportunities available. Kenny and Cristy McElroy started to hold events at K-C in 2021 which really opened up possibilities to stay in the East during the during the season.
Brennan has been fortunate to have met people who have offered to help to him along the way. And he is grateful for their support.
“Supporting the Northern Futurity Group and ABBI is a high priority to help anywhere I can. And, I want to encourage individuals looking at getting started in bucking bulls like I did.”
“Michelle Simpson, Teresa Workman, Richard and Teri Braun have always been there to answer questions about partnerships when I was starting out. Todd Yount started just before me and we have remained in close contact,” Brennan related his appreciation.
Brennan enjoys the chance to pass on the favor of supporting those new to the business. Drawing from his own experiences as a “little guy” getting into the sport of bucking bulls, Brennan offers this advice.
“Don’t be intimidated and don’t get upset if the first event you enter doesn’t go well. You will not know how it will go unless you enter. Make a plan, work the plan, plan to enter at a minimum of three events during the year. Of course, this can be dependent upon the performance of the bull and the progress he is making. Don’t sabotage potential success by not moving forward, be prepared for the bull exceeding your expectations. Set aside the money for entry fees and travel expenses just like it’s an investment account because that is really what it is. Entry fees are basically an investment in your program. The most important thing is to enjoy the experience and don’t hesitate to make introductions and ask questions. Associations can make all the difference.”
For more about bucking bull partnerships, click here: https://buckingstocktalk.com/bucking-bull-business-consider-partnership/
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.
