TZ BUCKING BULLS – FOR TY RINALDO BULLS ARE A WAY OF LIFE

by Terry Lidral

Ty Rinaldo has always liked bulls.  He grew up on a ranch with cattle and, as a kid, he would ride those ranch cattle around and make them buck.  Then Rinaldo got serious about bull riding and became one of the top riders on the professional bull riding circuit.  An injury ended his riding career, but his love for the bulls and the sport kept him in the business as a bucking bull owner and stock contractor.

“I love the bulls,” said Rinaldo about why he runs the TZ Bucking Bull Ranch located in Colorado with the help of his sons Tanner and Tucker. “And for me, bull riding is a way of life.  When I was riding bulls, I spent a lot of time hanging out with Cody Custer and a lot of other bull riders who were my buddies.  I really enjoyed that part.  Hauling bulls to events gives me an opportunity to still hang out.”

Rinaldo also enjoys bucking his bulls in competition and that’s why he hauls to a variety of events.

“I take my bulls to PRCA events, PBR events, college and open events.  And I go to benefits to help out when I’m invited.  There are plenty of events to keep me busy year-round.  I have a herd of 20 bulls.  I have several jobs so I keep the herd small.”

The small size of the herd allows Rinaldo to get to know each and every bull.  And he considers every bull to be part of the family.

“I spend time watching every bull.  Getting to know them is the fun part.  Every bull has a name and each one has a distinct personality.  You know the ones you can get close to and the ones you better stay away from.  Some are nice and some are just mean.  But I love them all.” 

Rinaldo does not raise bucking stock.  He made the decision to sell all his cows a while back.

“The bulls I have on the ranch range from 3 years to 11 years old.  I quit raising bulls because I’m too impatient to wait for the calves to grow up,” Rinaldo said with a chuckle.  “You have to wait to see if they’re going to buck and sometimes you have to wait for them to be big enough for a rider.  By that time, you’ve gotten attached to them and they become family.  If they don’t buck, it’s hard to get rid of them but a bull that doesn’t buck costs as much for feed and vet bills than a bull that does.”

So, Rinaldo buys bulls when he needs to add to his herd.  And there are specific things he’s looking for when he considers a bull for purchase.

“I get calls all the time from people wanting to sell bulls,” explained Rinaldo.  “They want me to look at a video or come see them.  But I prefer to watch the bull buck at my place.”

There are some good reasons that Rinaldo wants the bull hauled to the TZ Ranch.  Hebeau wants to see how the bull bucks outside his comfort zone.

“He’s used to coming down that alley and he’s used to being in that chute.  And when he bucks, he knows where to find the out gate.” Rinaldo explained why he prefers not to make an evaluation on a bull in their home arena.  “A bull can buck great when he’s at home and when I get him back to my place, he doesn’t buck well in the strange environment.  I don’t want that.  If a bull is going to make it in competition, he has to be able to handle new places and the stress of being hauled.”

“I’m looking for potential in a bull,” continued Rinaldo.  “I assess a bull on the whole process.  I watch him in the back pens and running up the alley.  I watch him as the rider is getting on to see how he handles himself. I take the bulls that jump up and they come out and take the corner to get away.  Those bulls have a big heart and they last longer.  The easier bulls that have no fight don’t have the heart I’m looking for.”

When Rinaldo adds a new bull, he introduces him to the herd gradually.  He emphasizes the importance of having proper fencing to keep the bulls separated.

“I use pipe fencing,” Rinaldo said of his choice of material.  “And I do use barbed wire.  I make sure that the fence is well secured to keep the bulls in.  And it also helps with the neighbors who aren’t happy to find bulls in their gardens,” Rinaldo added light- heartedly.

As for the introduction of the new bull, Rinaldo makes sure to let him get acquainted with the herd. 

“I put the new bull in a pen next to the herd so he can sniff them,” explained Rinaldo.  “The bulls might fight back and forth along the fence as they get to know each other.  The next day, I start by putting the new bull in with two other bulls to start out.  My pens are two acres so they have plenty of room.  I watch them.  Sometimes you’ll get an immediate fight so I have my four-wheeler ready if I have to go in there and break them up.  Usually, by the next day, I can put the new bull in with the herd.”

There is one bull on the TZ Ranch who does not mix in with the other bulls.  According to Rinaldo, his former PBR Finals bull Perfect Storm has made some enemies in his younger days.

“Perfect Storm is 11-years old and he’s not in the mix.  I keep him split off from the herd because the other bulls don’t like him.  He used to whip them all when he was younger and they remember.  Now that he’s older, it’s their chance to get even,” Rinaldo explained.

Rinaldo considers that he has three main jobs as a bucking bull owner.  The first one is feeding his bulls right.

“My number one job is to feed them right,” stated Rinaldo.  “I had a group come in to develop a feed that was suited for my bulls.  Because of the altitude, we decided the bulls should eat like sprinters and they put together a medicated mix with the right protein.  It builds them up and keeps them muscled.”

“My number two job is to keep them fit,” continued Rinaldo.  “I exercise them with the four-wheeler.  I warm them up at a jog, then run them and make them change direction.  This keeps them in the best shape possible.  They are fine tuned athletes and because of this, there is less chance that they will get an injury.” 

“My third job will surprise you,” said Rinaldo of the job he considers to be of the ultimate importance.  “I need to make sure that the bulls are having fun.  A bull can be an outstanding bucker at 3 years old, but if he’s not having fun, he can just quit.  You can’t make a bull buck.  It’s important to make it a fun and positive experience.”

When a bull can no longer meet the standards of the level of events Rinaldo goes to, he has to be sold.

“I weed off my bottom bulls.  It’s hard because the bulls all become part of the family.  But it costs to keep a bull so I send him to a lower level.  He might end up as a practice bull for some of the better riders.  He might end up at an easier level where guys can build their confidence level by riding him,” said Rinaldo.

As for his current prospects, Rinaldo sees good things in the future.

“I have a bull called Razzle Dazzle that I’m excited about.  He is really unpredictable and has no kind of set pattern.  He’s smart and when he bucks, he can get the feel of the rider in a jump or two.  Then, he does something unpredictable to get the rider off his back.  He’s a 4-year old and he’s got some maturing to do.  I see big things out of him.”

Rinaldo’s son is also getting into the bucking bull business and he’s starting out with Bruiser sons.

“My son is getting into the business and he bought three 3-year olds from Kody Lohstroh.  They are really looking good.  We talked to Kody and he said he thought they were ready to start competing so we’ll take them to an event this year.”

Rinaldo considers readiness for competition to be essential.  He makes sure his bulls are ready to handle the stress and changes that go along with being hauled to an event.

“We do our homework here at the house.  We make sure the bulls understand the process and we load them on both sides of the chute.  I want them ready for what happens at an event.  I’ll take my bulls cross town to an indoor arena that’s not familiar to them and buck them there.  I get all the bugs out.”

To Rinaldo, bull readiness is only part of being successful with your bulls at the higher levels of competition. 

“You have to make sure your bulls are ready for the bigger events.  You’re not going to get a second chance if they don’t buck.  But it’s just as important to make sure you’re absolutely honest about your bull.  Don’t inflate your bull’s ability or you’ll look bad.  Don’t say they are spectacular if they aren’t.  Not only will people remember the bull, they will remember you.”