by Terry Lidral
Two Buck Chuck is turning heads in the bareback riding this year. They’ve ridden him in back-to-back weekends for 90 points. Powder River Rodeo couldn’t be prouder of the stud they raised.
Two Buck Chuck is the son of Sutton Rodeo’s great Chuckulator and Powder River Rodeo’s Moon Beam. Chuckulator, a multi-time qualifier for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, was the 2012 PRCA saddle bronc of the WNFR and the 2012 PRCA Bucking Horse of the Year. Moon Beam was herself a National Finals Rodeo qualifier. That means Two Buck Chuck has some big shoes to fill. And he’s doing just that!
“We raised him right here on our ranch,” said Lori Franzen proudly.” She and her husband Hank started their highly successful Powder River Rodeo breeding program back in 1986 in Riverton, Wyoming. Two Buck Chuck is one in a long line of great ones they’ve raised over the years.
“His outs this year are fabulous,” continued Franzen. “He’s not been out in the past two years where he hasn’t been one of the high marked horses or won the round and the rodeo. He’s been 90 numerous times and he always performs.”
Two of those 90-point scores came on back-to-back weekends in July. At the Black Hills Roundup in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, Two Buck Chuck combined with Kaycee Field to put up a score of 90.5 points. It was the winning score of the rodeo. The following week at the Dinosaur Roundup in Vernal, Utah, Two Buck Chuck and Orin Larsen combined to put up a score of 90. But Two Buck Chuck had already topped that performance.
In the horse’s first out of two at the Black Hills Roundup, with Cauy Pool on his back, Two Buck Chuck put up a stellar bronc score of 23/22. That was the high mark of the event.
“This year, the only horse to beat Two Buck Chuck was at Belle Fourche and it was himself,” Franzen told us with a laugh. “He was out twice and they won first and second on him.”
Being experienced stock contractors, the Franzens know that it can take time for a horse to reach its potential bucking ability. Their patience, in this case, has paid off well.
“We always had high hopes for this horse. He did come along slow. We let him mature into what he is today by taking a great deal of time with him,” explained Franzen.
Now seven years old, Two Buck Chuck is living up to the expectations of his lineage. Like his great athletic sire, he is often photographed with all four hoofs up off the ground. And he’s showing promise as a producing stud.
Two Buck Chuck has been on mares since he was 2 years old. His first colts are now ready to buck.
“His grandmother, Moonshine, is one of our foundation mares. His mother is now carrying on the tradition as one of the best brood mares in our herd,” said Franzen of the genes running through this stud’s veins. “Two Buck Chuck has been on mares since he was two. We bucked his first colts this winter and he’s already showing promise as a breeding sire,” said Franzen with excitement in her voice.
What makes Two Buck Chuck so special is that he loves to buck.
“He is a special animal because he loves what he does for a job. He gets stronger the more trips he gets. He is a confident stud that truly loves to buck and show off,” Franzen told of the bronc she’s proud to have raised.
“Chuck is a flashy paint with two blue eyes. He’s a true bronc who is proud and self-assured. He’s got the coolest character and a heart as big as the moon,” she went on to say. “He’s just what you want in a stud. We are truly lucky to have a special breeding program that has given us the opportunity to create great horses like Two Buck Chuck.”
As for how this horse got his name, Franzen put it this way.
“Myself and my daughter, Jill, named him after a cheap wine and it fit well with his sire’s name, Chuckulator.”
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.
I was wondering about purchasing a print from the salt flat ride that Kaycee Field put on Two buck Chuck. My husband would love a print and I would like to get it for his birthday in May.
Thanks for visiting Bucking Stock Talk Magazine. Kaycee Field’s ride on Two Buck Chuck across the salt flat was from the film “Unbroken” produced by Ariat presents. I’m not sure where you could find a picture. Perhaps you might contact Ariat International or Kaycee Feild or Powder River Rodeo on facebook by message Lori Franzen might be able to help you. She’s great. Happy birthday to your husband and come on back and visit us again here on BST.