by Terry Lidral
In 2019, BST had the privilege to talk with Dillon Page about his 3X World Champion bucking bull Bruiser, who was at that time at the top of his game, and why the superstar bull was so extraordinary.
Bruiser is the 2023 recipient of the PBR Brand of Honor and will be remembered as one of the greatest bovine athletes to ever compete in the sport of bull riding. We celebrate the life of this one-of-a-kind bull by sharing this article with our readers.
There’s no bull we’ve ever had that does things like Bruiser. Bruiser loves his job,” Dillon Page remarked when talking about his champion bull. “He brings it every time he bucks,” he added proudly. “People don’t understand that these bulls enjoy what they do.”
What Bruiser does is put on a show of skill and athleticism. When the latch cracks, he is ready to show his stuff.
Inside the arena, Bruiser is a mass of mobilized energy with a will that keeps riders and bull fighters guessing as to his next move. With a power rating of 88.16 out of 100, he is a bull that receives the highest respect.
But there is another side to Bruiser, the one Dillon Page says makes his bull extra special.
“Bruiser has a special personality. He’s got a personality like people do. He’s gentle, although that wasn’t always the way. Now, his mama’s not close to being real gentle so he started out like her” Page chuckled. “But Bruiser’s been kept in a pen like a horse. That gentled him down. “
Bruiser usually has his own traveling accommodations and is an easy traveler.
“That bull likes to travel. When he knows the truck is backing up, he comes running. When we’re loading, he has a soft beller that he does while he’s pacing the pen like he’s talking to you,” Page said. “He is usually kept in his own spot in the trailer. He eats real well on the road. He’s no problem.
And Bruiser likes people.
“That’s what’s his special personality. He has those people that he likes. If one of his special people walks up to the pen, he will come up to wait for a rub, like a dog. He will try to put his head under your hand so you can rub on him,” Page told us of his bull’s exceptional character.
“But is he’s doing something like eating or something he wants to keep doing, he doesn’t want you there,” continued Page. “He’ll give you a nudge to go away. And sometimes it’s a big nudge because he has some pretty big bull size.”
Sweet Pro Bruiser had an amazing career in the PBR with a lifetime average bull score of 45.3427. See his PBR lifetime stats here: https://pbr.com/athletes/bulls/profile/20120
Before Bruiser bucks or exercises, he has a ritual he performs. And he refuses to be interrupted
“When we’re running him through, he will find a rough spot on the part of the gate, often the latch, and he will scratch on his neck, chin and jaw. And he won’t stop and move on until he’s done,” laughed Page. “Sometimes he finds another rough spot on the way through and goes through the whole ritual again.”
Dillion Page has raised plenty of championship bulls but he considers Bruiser to be exceptionally special.
“Out of the thousands of bulls we’ve raised, he’s one of a kind.”
Read more about the legends of bull riding here: https://buckingstocktalk.com/topics/legends/
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.
