by Terry Lidral
Denny McCoy has been involved in bucking bull competition since before the ABBI began. He was at the first ABBI sanctioned bull competition put on in Duncan, Oklahoma. And only a triple bypass operation could keep him from a perfect record at the Heritage events.
He’s raised and trained some of the best, the most famous being the PBR superstar Bells Blue. It was Bells Blue that earned what was then the highest score at an ABBI Classic event – a whopping 94.75.
McCoy has watched bucking bull competition and the bucking bull industry change over the span of time he’s been involved.
Read what Denny McCoy has to say about Bucking Bull Training here: https://buckingstocktalk.com/denny-mccoy-on-bucking-bull-training/
“The judging criteria in futurities has changed over the past 15 years,” said McCoy. “Back in the old days, futurity calves scored high if they spun real fast.”
And back then, futurity calves and PBR bulls were looked at differently. Today, according to McCoy, competition bulls are all judged on the same criteria.
“Judges have changed what they look for in futurity bulls,” McCoy stated about the sport he knows well. “Today’s judges look for quick extension and a break over. The young ones have to have an intensity. The futurity calves now are like a bucking bull. That’s why a futurity winner goes right on up through the classes. You seldom have a calf that can’t win in futurities go on up and win at the higher levels. They have to be bucked and tried at the lower levels. Of course, there’s always the exception,” he added.
There may be exceptions, but the current super star bulls of the ABBI Classic division are proving McCoy to be right.
“Take our bull Ridin Solo,” McCoy offered as an example. “That bull was the 2018 ABBI Futurity Champion.”
Ridin Solo, of Sara and Cord McCoy, put up an average bull score of 90.59 as a two-year-old. And that was based on 22 outs.
Ridin’ Solo is making a run at PBR World Champion Bucking Bull for 2021. After his great success in the futurity ranks, he is proving he has what it takes to be one of the stars in the top level of competition. See Ridin’ Solo’s PBR profile here: https://pbr.com/athletes/bulls/profile/13024691/ridinsolo
“Then, in 2020 as a 4-year-old, Ridin Solo was leading the ABBI Classic division. He was doing the same as he’s always been doing. And he was winning,” said McCoy, emphasizing his point.
It’s a point that is raising the stakes in the futurity game. But it doesn’t lower the passion for the sport. Everybody wants to raise “The One” who can win a championship. And that’s what the game’s all about.
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.
