by Terry Lidral
Partnerships’ Variety Garners Success in the Bucking Stock Industry #4
Justin Cornwell of Cornwell Bucking Bulls has built success in the bucking bull industry through hard work. Cornwell Bucking Bulls is a small operation that has continued to grow over the last few years by offering partnerships to individuals who share the same passion for the bull industry.
“The PBR would rather have stock contractors bring a trailer load of bulls than have multiple contractors bring only one or two individuals.” Cornwell explained about the disadvantage for a small operation that owns a good bull or two and wants to be a part of top tier competition. “These people who love the bull industry want to get entered into PBR events but it is not that easy to get there with just one bull.”
Cornwell likes the fact that through partnerships he is able to give small programs the opportunity to get their good bulls to high profile events.
The Undertaker, 4X PBR Finals bull and fan favorite, came to Cornwell as an up-and-coming 1600 pound 3-year-old too big for futurity events. (The Undertaker was raised by Chad Riley/Riley Bucking Bulls who joined Cornwell in partnership. The success of the Undertaker caught the notice of PCP Bucking Bulls who came on board as the third partner.) After easing the young bull into rider competition, Cornwell saw great potential in The Undertaker and moved him into the PBR. The bull’s size, superior athleticism and impressive bull scores quickly made The Undertaker a fan favorite who has been and continues to be a consistent top tier bull in the PBR Unleash the Beast series and he’s headed for the PBR Team Finals in Las Vegas. Read The Undertaker’s story here: https://buckingstocktalk.com/bucking-bull-the-undertaker-big-athleticism-with-big-attitude/
“Someone with a single good bull can get their bull entered in top level events,” said Cornwell. “I can also provide the opportunity for people who may not have the time or knowledge to get a good bull out there in competition.”
Cornwell’s partnerships offer full-service packages while the bull is in his care. Bulls that are competing require regular maintenance services which can be costly in both time and money for a small program with a single bull in competition.
“I take care of housing, managing the feed, worming, hoof trimming and all the other general maintenance of a competition bull. My program is also great for people who want to own a bucking bull but don’t have the facilities themselves,” Cornwell explained.
Another advantage that Cornwell sees in partnership for a small operation is that a single bull becomes part of a herd. It is difficult, especially for young bulls, to adjust to the stresses of competition and being alone compounds that stress.
“There’s a lot that goes into getting a bucking bull ready for competition at the professional level. Every bull is an individual and they respond to things in their own way. But bulls are herd animals and most bulls are less anxious in a group of familiar bulls,” explained Cornwell.
“A young bull has a lot of different experiences to get used to,” Cornwell went on to say. “Taking them to their first events is like taking them through boot camp. There are long long hours in the trailer and sometimes there’s a layover for feed and rest in a strange place.”
Once the bulls arrive at the event’s bull housing, there’s even more stress to deal with.
“At bull housing there are strange bulls and more travel to and from the event on different trucks. The bulls are always being shuffled around,” Cornwell said of the competition routine. “Then there’s the sound and noise of the event, especially the pyrotechnics. Some bulls are quirky and have a really hard time handling it all.”
For Cornwell, there’s a good solution to easing a young bull’s transition into professional competition.
“I pair young bulls with calm veterans like Sugar Boom Boom. He’s relaxed and they follow his lead,” Cornwell went on to say. “It’s a good way of conditioning young bulls to the stress of all the things they have to deal with on the circuit.”
Sugar Boom Boom, a PBR Finals bull, is a seasoned veteran on the PBR tours. Cornwell calls him a special bull who is relaxed and calm and takes everything in stride.
Cornwell values the friendships he has gained through partnerships and feels a special sense of accomplishment when he plays a part in making someone’s dream come true. Loren’s Dream is a bull that A.J.Buffalo named in memory of her son, Loren, who lost his life in combat in Afghanistan in 2011. Buffalo, who has a small operation in Arkansas, is carrying out the mother/son dream of raising bulls together and her goal was to get Loren’s Dream to the PBR. Through partnership with Justin Cornwell, Loren’s Dream has been competing on the PBR tour and made an appearance at the 2023 PBR UTB Monster Energy Buckoff at the Garden in New York City.
Read the story of Loren’s Dream here: https://westernlivingjournal.com/bucking-bull-lorens-dream-keeps-alive-the-dream-of-an-american-hero/
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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.
All this looks to me AWESOME!!!!!!