Bodacious (bull)

Sumner took the bull as an amateur to a few rodeo events sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA)[6] and the PRCA in 1991. D&H Cattle Company is a well-known and respected stock contractor. However, both father Dillon Page, and son H.D. Page were both professional bull riders prior to being stock contractors and bull breeders. Later the Pages bred and hauled Bodacious' progeny.[7] In 1991, H.D. attempted Bodacious three times. The first time Page attempted Bodacious was in Edmond, Oklahoma, in an IPRA sanctioned rodeo.[3][8] According to Page, Bodacious "smashed my face pretty good on the way up". Then Page drew the bull a second time at his hometown in Ada, Oklahoma, in a $1,000-added PRCA event. His friends convinced Page to wear a helmet this time. Page maintains that the bull got him in the face again but on the way back down instead, in the helmet. The very next weekend at Athens, Texas, he drew the bull again. Page said, "You've got to be kidding me!" Despite being hit in the face again, this time Page managed to stay on for the requisite eight seconds, but one of the judges disqualified him for a slap. A slap or any other touching of the bull with the free hand is against the rules and disqualifies the rider, even if he stays on for the required time.[8]

Terry Don West is best known for riding the infamous bull Bodacious. He also has five world champion bull rider titles between the PRCA, IPRA and BRO. West had attempted Bodacious four times and gotten a qualified ride twice.[9] In 1991, at a PRCA event, two-time World Bull Riding Champion Terry Don West rode Bodacious for West's first of two qualified rides. His ride went down in history as the first qualified ride on the as yet unknown bull, and the prize money bore that out, as West won only $181. His ride was the first qualified ride, yet it was not the first qualified professional ride.[10][4]

One day when Sumner was watching the bull roam around his pasture near Goltry, Oklahoma, he realized he might have a major league bull. He contacted his friend Sammy Andrews of the Andrews Rodeo Company in Addielou, Texas,[1][2] a third-generation stock contractor.[11] Sumner sold him to Andrews in 1992 for $7,500.[4] Andrews gave Bodacious his name, and hauled the bull to buck at rodeos for his entire professional career.[1]

Bodacious only bucked on the PRCA circuit in this season. In 1992, soon after he bought the bull, Andrews took Bodacious to Houston, Texas, to one of the PRCA's biggest rodeos, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Hall of fame bull rider Cody Lambert was matched with Bodacious, who knocked him unconscious.[2][13] Later in 1992, Bubba Dunn drew the bull at Lufkin, Texas. Since Dunn was unfamiliar with the bull, he asked Andrews about him; Andrews told him the bull had "a lot of down", which meant Dunn should watch out for the bull's head meeting up with his own. Dunn made the whistle at eight seconds and became the first rider to make a professional qualified ride on Bodacious.[2] Two months after Dunn rode Bodacious, Canadian Greg Schlosser drew Bodacious in San Antonio, Texas. Earlier, Lambert had warned Schlosser about Bodacious, saying that the bull was one of the baddest bulls he had been on. Schlosser had flown in all the way from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and was undeterred after traveling so far. Schlosser made the whistle and scored 82 points on Bodacious.[2]

Meanwhile, Bodacious had grown into his full adult weight of 1,900 pounds (860 kg). He had gained several hundred pounds since starting his career on the PRCA, and developed massive muscles including a "bulging neck". Most bulls at this weight become slower, but Bodacious did not. When he jumped up and "jerked riders onto his broad head, he did it with the full force" of his weight.[2]

Hedeman's first attempt to ride Bodacious was in Memphis, Tennessee. Hedeman described the experience as "unbelievable," explaining, "when he left the chute his front end came up so high. I was right in the middle of him, and riding him like you have to ride a bull with a lot of downdraft. But my chest was touching his horns, and my head was right over the top of his. I couldn't keep my hand in the rope." His first attempt failed. Hedeman drew the bull a month later at a rodeo in Tampa, Florida. That time, Hedeman's hand came loose from the bull rope at five and a half seconds and though he hung on a bit longer, Bodacious threw him just before the eight-second mark.[14]

Andrews took Bodacious to the 1992 National Finals Rodeo (NFR) that year in Las Vegas, Nevada. Andrews was nervous about the night that Jim "Razor" Sharp had drawn Bodacious. At that time, Sharp was already a two-time world champion. Sharp expected to ride this bull who was much better than average, but whose full reputation had not been established yet. After Bodacious came out of the chute, he turned back, then he threw Sharp off pretty hard because Sharp made "two-and-a-half flips in the air".[3]

Bodacious bucked on the PRCA and BRO circuits in this season. In 1993, Terry Don West attempted Bodacious again, and Bodacious bucked him off and bruised his ribs.[4] In 1993, Hedeman participated in the 1993 BRO World Finals, in Long Beach, California. He remained resolute in his determination to get a qualified ride on Bodacious.[14] "He was like a monster once he matured. Even the good guys were very scared of him. You’d see world champions ride him for a jump or two and then get off."[5] This time, Hedeman scored 95 points on Bodacious in his third attempt on him. Hedeman felt this ride was the best in his career. He explained "the judges told me they wished I hadn't been the first guy out. They were saving some room, on the chance that there would possibly be a better ride. But when it was over they said they'd have marked me higher if I'd ridden last. Sammy Andrews, who owned Bodacious, said he'd have marked me 98 or 99, and that it was the best ride he'd ever seen".[14] There are those who consider it the greatest ride in history, "a near perfect exhibition of balance and anticipation." [5] The ride helped Hedeman win the 1993 BRO world championship title. At the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, Colorado, Ben "Legs" Stevenson scored 93 points on Bodacious. It was the last qualified ride on the bull until West scored on him in 1995.[15]

Bodacious bucked on the PRCA, BRO and PBR circuits in this season. In 1994, Terry Don West attempted Bodacious a third time, and it nearly killed him. It was at a PRCA event at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in Houston, Texas.[4] He opted out of wearing any protection during the ride. Bodacious battered West with his head and shoulders as West was falling off him. West received broken ribs, a broken wrist, and a punctured lung.[10] West's wife, Michelle, revealed that West didn't want to get on Bodacious that night, and she had made light of his fears. "Then when he was lying out there, gasping for air, about to pass on, I said to myself 'That's real smart, Michelle.' I decided never to put my two cents in from then on."[4] Bodacious received national attention for this incident.[16]

At Houston, PRCA World Champion Bull Rider Cody Custer also attempted Bodacious for the first time. Custer acknowledged he was nervous and said this was "probably the biggest challenge in my life". Bodacious burst out of the chute, and then he jumped to the side once. Then he charged forward, which sent his rear legs over Custer's head. "For a moment, it looked as if Custer could withstand the force", but then he was thrown, a horn nicking his cheek. Custer only made two seconds on the bull. "I don't know," Custer said later, stunned, "He does something to get your feet behind you."[17]

1994 also marked the first year that Bodacious also bucked on the PBR circuit. At an elite Bud Light Cup (BLC)[18] event in Nashville, Tennessee, Scott Breding bucked off Bodacious just short of the 8-second whistle.[19] Then later that year at a PBR event in Guthrie, Oklahoma, 1994 PRCA World Champion bull rider Daryl Mills bucked off Bodacious.[20] Later on at the inaugural PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the Championship round, Clint Branger (who had successfully ridden the bull at Bullnanza in Guthrie, Oklahoma in 1993[21] bucked off Bodacious just shy of the requisite eight seconds.[22] This buck-off ultimately cost Branger the 1994 PBR World Champion title.[23] Also, at the 1994 Bull Riders Only World Finals in Denver, Colorado, Bodacious bucked off Brent Thurman during the Championship round, just shy of reaching the eight-second mark.[24]

Bodacious bucked on the PRCA and PBR circuits in this season. In February 1995, according to the cowboys, Bodacious "learned a new trick, a sort of stutter hop on his front legs, followed by a faster, more powerful lift with his head". In Lufkin, Texas, at a PRCA event, Bubba Dunn took Bodacious on for a second time, and he scored 93 points. During this ride, Bodacious "creased the brim of Bubba’s hat and bruised his cheek". Dunn felt lucky those were his only injuries that day. "Bo was psychotic. He didn’t like people." says Lambert. "If you were on his back, he wanted to hurt you."[2] Dunn only attempted Bodacious two times, and he rode him both of those times. In fact, he said, "In 1995, (heck), I had to ride Bodacious to get invited to the PBR."[25]

In February 1995[26], at the PBR's Bullnanza event in Guthrie, Oklahoma, Clint Branger rode Bodacious. The bull had bucked off Branger in 1994, but at the Bullnanza event held at the Lazy E Arena, Branger evened the score, riding the bull for 92 points.[23][27][28] Bodacious was given a bull score of 46 points for the outing.[29][30]

In 1995, at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo in San Antonio, Texas, West of Henryetta, Oklahoma, took on Bodacious for a fourth time at a PRCA event.[15] Despite his injuries in the past, he made his second qualified ride on the bull, scoring 87 points and earning $10,365. This time he wore a protective vest.[4][15] His qualified ride on Bodacious won him the round.[15] The score between them now was 2-2.[4] The qualified ride on Bodacious marked the first time the bull had been ridden in two years.[4][15]

In June 1995, at a PBR event in Nashville, Tennessee, Australian bull rider Rodney Lidgard drew Bodacious in Round 1 and bucked off the bull in 1.30 seconds. The judges decided that was enough time to give the bull an outstanding bull score of 48 points, which is very rare.[27]

In May 1995, at a PBR event in Charlotte, North Carolina, multiple hall of fame cowboy Ty Murray drew Bodacious in round 1. He bucked off the bull in 1.70 seconds. Bodacious was given a bull score of 44 points, a relatively low score. Also in May 1995, also in the same round, a cowboy recorded only by his last name of Willard drew Bodacious. He bucked off the bull in 1.60 seconds. Again, the judges decided this short buckoff qualified for an outstanding bull score of 48 points.[27]

In September 1995, during the Championship round of a PBR event, also in Guthrie, Oklahoma, Jerome Davis drew Bodacious. He was bucked off the bull in 6.60 seconds, who was given a bull score of 46 points.[27]

In October 1995 at the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena,[31] Hedeman drew Bodacious. His confidence was high, his riding percentage was high, and he was the point leader by "an insurmountable three hundred points".[14][5] Hedeman felt sure he would ride the bull this time. From 1993 to 1995, Bodacious had been out of competition for long periods due to an injury; however, he returned as a more dangerous animal, having developed a new bucking move "involving him bringing his rear up with his head to the ground, luring a rider to shift his weight forward, and then thrusting his head up full force, to smash the rider in the face".[14]

An article in the New Yorker described the encounter:

This time, a split second after leaving the chute, the bull bucked forward with all his might. Hedeman did what riders are supposed to do: he leaned high over the bull’s shoulders and flung his arm back as a counterbalance. But just as he came forward, Bodacious threw his head back—smashing it square into Hedeman’s face. Hedeman stayed on somehow, his hand twisted in the rope, only to get head-butted again, thrown into the air, and bounced off the bull’s back like a rag doll.[5]

Hedeman lasted four seconds. Looking back at the ride, Hedeman feels he was "overconfident and underprepared". "When I nodded for him, the first jump felt fine," he said. "Then, all of a sudden, whack! When I hit the ground, I felt numb." What Hedeman could not see was how his face really looked; how much blood was on it. "When I was walking out of the arena I bit down and my teeth didn't come together, so I figured my jaw was broken," Hedeman recalled. "I didn't realize my whole face was smashed. But when I looked at people looking at me, they looked like they'd seen the devil." At the hospital, doctors diagnosed Hedeman and said every major bone in his face was broken. Hedeman went through two surgeries which installed six titanium plates and totaled 13 hours. On discharge, the swelling of his face was so extreme that his own young son could not recognize him.[14]

In December 1995 at the NFR, Hedeman drew Bodacious for the last time in the seventh round of the finals, part of the Championship round, about two months after his previous bout with the bull. Hedeman "had lost twenty-five pounds and his body was still healing, but he’d managed to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo anyway". When it was Bodacious he drew, he climbed onto the bull's back in the chute to secure his eligibility to ride the following night, but he let the bull go out without him when the chute opened.[5][18] He called Bodacious, "the baddest bull there has ever been."[32]

Then, in the 9th round of the NFR two nights later, bull rider Scott Breding drew Bodacious. Breding had attempted Bodacious two times before.[2][5] Scott Breding gave him his final professional ride.[2][5] He tried wearing a hockey mask for the ride. It took less than four seconds for Bodacious to use the same move that he did on Hedeman to fracture Scott's left eye socket and cheekbone. He also broke his nose and knocked him unconscious. After treatment, Breding was released from University Medical Center and attended the remainder of the NFR but did not compete further.

In round 10 of the next day, December 11, 1995, the gate opened to reveal Sammy Andrews and then a yellow bull flashed out of a chute without a rider. Andrews announced that his famous bull was officially retired. The crowd was both shocked and relieved.[18] Bodacious was 7 years old at the time, still in his prime.[32] "I didn’t want to be the guy who let him kill someone," he said. "We're going to put him out on top," said Andrews. "I was hoping Scott would get by him. If the bull ever needed ridden it was last night. But these boys (bull riders) have made me." Andrews said Bodacious would be used for breeding.[28]

Though officially retired, Bodacious did buck at a few non-sanctioned events in 1996 before being permanently retired. One such out came at the now defunct Original Coors Showdown Rodeo in Phoenix, Arizona, against bull rider Bryan Barker, whom the bull proceeded to buck off in under 3 seconds, earning a bull score of 48. This was his last known appearance at a rodeo.

The 1996 BRO World Championships were held April 3–5, 1997 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite some injuries, Terry Don West was intent on riding a bull named Woolly Bully on finals night. Not only did West manage to ride the bull for 8 seconds, but he turned in a 91 point score. "This, tonight, is a dream come true," West said of that night's ride which won him the 1996 Bull Riders Only world championship title. Bull rider Shane Thurston came in second place with an 84 on the bull Nitro. Thurston and West made the only qualified rides in the championship round.[33] West was reported as saying he would ride the infamous bull Bodacious in a sponsored match for the Bull Riders Only Championship in April 1997. The plan at that point was to bring the bull out of retirement to face West or another cowboy if West was not signed up by BRO officials in time for the week of October 3–5. The event was planned to take place in Las Vegas.[34]

Retired in 1995, BRO planned a big event to bring him out of retirement in 1996 and have a special matchup with a bull rider. Although the bull was retired due to injuries he was causing riders, many want to see him buck again for another ride. It was planned to have him buck at the BRO World Championship in Las Vegas. The then rider in the works to match up with him was Terry Don West, who just won the PRCA bull riding champion title. "I don't think anyone craves getting on that bull," said West recently. "But if the money's right, that would be the reason I would want to get on him. We're in negotiations, and I'm sure there are other guys wanting a shot at him, too. But I think the fans out there would love to see me matched up with him." The president of BRO, Shaw Sullivan, assured everyone that Bodacious would not be put into a draw. "It'll be a match," Sullivan said. "With West matched against him, it would be the rankest bull in the world and the rankest bull rider." The event was planned to be held at the Thomas and Mack Arena. It was to be broadcast by the Fox Television Network to 100 million homes.[35]

Bodacious was to be brought out of retirement one final time in the spring of 1997.[4] On Saturday, April 5, 1997, Terry Don West planned to take on Bodacious for a fifth and final time in an attempt to break their 2-2 tie. Fox Television talked West into it, with the $10,000 purse being donated to Sunrise Children's Hospital.[10][4] This event was to cap off the $1 million Wrangler Bull Riders Only (BRO) 1996 World Championships at the Thomas & Mack Center.[4][36]

"I hope this is the last time they buck that bull. He will kill somebody," said West, who was the reigning PRCA World Bull Riding Champion at the time. West nervously climbed into Bodacious' pen for a photography session at Harrah's. The bull was accompanied by a familiar cow and two calves to keep him calm. "He'll tear the pen up," West said. "When I got in there, he gave me a look, saying 'Don't get no closer. You'll pay for it.'"[4]

West, then 31 years old, was slated to wear a chest vest and a face mask. He also pre-purchased additional insurance. Bodacious may have been inactive for almost two years, but "Bo hasn't forgotten how to buck," said West.[4] However, two nights before the match scheduled with Bodacious, West had a match with a bull named Bananarama.[33] Bananarama fell back against the chute while West was getting ready, pinning West and resulting in two black eyes, a broken ankle, and a concussion.[33][10] West was not able to compete the following night nor to take on Bodacious by Saturday night at their scheduled time.[33] Thus, West's fifth ride with Bodacious never took place.[10] This meant that Bo's retirement stayed in effect, and at that time, it was well along the second year.[33] Fox nevertheless donated the money to the children's hospital.[10]