When Ridden To The Buzzer Bucking Bull From Strong City
Ranch Will Take The Best Cowboys To Gigantic Paychecks
By Frank J. Buchman
Objective is for the bull to buck the best of any in the draw. Yet that big male bovine must be just barely rideable by the very best cowboy to win a healthy paycheck.
Goal has been met to extent as production from Flint Hills Genetics at Strong City is among those most elite.
Following a limited successful amateur bull riding career Kim Reyer with his family pursued breeding, raising and selling bucking bulls.
Coupled with personal experience, dedicated breeding genetics mating best to best Reyer also sponsored several competitive bull riding events
“We’ve had success with bulls we’ve raised now owned by contractors throughout the country bucking them at major events,” Reyer said.
“One of our best is attracting considerable attention from professional bull riders and event promoters,” added the breeder.
The bull tagged FHG 52, when born in 2015 at the Chase County ranch, is better known nowadays as Lil Man. He’s a solid black, stout-built bull with dubbed horns weighing some less than 1,500-pounds, according to his breeder.
Not a big bull by certain standards likely reason for the moniker Lil Man. Far from being a ton bull like some which size alone is intimidating. Yet, Lil Man is sure manly enough to get his job done.
“We breed bulls to buck and buck riders off yet the bulls must be rideable by the best cowboys to win payback,” Reyer clarified. “If a bull is impossible to ride, nobody really wants to own him. Bull riders don’t want to draw the bull, get on or even attempt to ride such a bull.”
Lil Man fits the breeder’s design from every aspect. “He’s pretty, a little bit mean, yet nice to handle in the chutes, but knows how and likes to buck. Lil Man is predictable cranking hard to the left every time the chute opens bucking most riders off,” Reyer said.
“Importantly though, Lil Man can be ridden by the best riders on the right day. A cowboy will always draw a check on Lil Man when their riding ability shines through,” he added.
Phenom Genetics, Arlington, Minnesota, bought FHG 52 in 2018, renaming him Lil Man. “They hauled Lil Man to local events where he proved himself soon moving into professional ranks,” Reyer explained.
Collecting checks for top placings in bucking bull futurities, Lil Man has now bucked at several major events.
Lil Man is sired by Flint Hills Genetics’ Overstreet. “He’s a bull that bucked successfully for us four or five years and then put to use breeding,” Reyer said.
Overstreet bucked in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Central Plains Rodeo Association (CPRA) Finals.
Dam of Lil Man is X66, a Plummer “renowned bucking line” bred cow, Flint Hills Genetics bought from Jimmy Crowther.
Sold as a two-year-old in Crowther’s New Frontier Bull Sale in 2017, Lil Man was later purchased by Phenom Genetics.
“They have been hauling Lil Man now to PBR and other events,” Reyer said.
Latest out for Lil Man was Saturday night at the PBR Global Cup in Arlington, Texas. Cody Jesus, Sawmill, Arizona, representing the Navajo Nation, drew Lil Man for the prestigious televised bull riding event.
The five-foot-nine, 21-year-old, 130-pound cowboy is a Navajo Bull Riding World Champion who rides with his left hand.
However, coming out in his predictable rank, twisting, high-kicking, cranking-to-the-left style, Lil Man was the winner.
A video rerun verifies the champion bull rider’s abilities stumped by Lil Man’s bred in ability and desire to buck. Jesus went flying through the air at 4.6-seconds.
It was a disappointing result for Jesus but made the bull’s breeder happy. “The judges gave Lil Man a score of 43.5-points for his bucking performance,” Reyer said.
Now after 13 outs in PBR and PRCA competitions, Lil Man has an undebatable winning record bucking off 11 cowboys. “The cowboys who made the whistle on Lil Man scored 92.5 points and 88.25 points, winning major checks,” Reyer said.
“His Saturday night marking 43.5-points surpassed Lil Man’s previous high bull score of 43.25 points,” Reyer noted.
Don’t get the idea Lil Man’s Saturday performance was any letdown of ability. Jesus’ record as a bull riding winner is undisputable.
Jesus earned 272.50 points on three bulls winning $46,075 at the Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding in Hobbs, New Mexico.
In an earlier PBR Global Cup outing, Lil Man also put Silvano Alves from Pilar do Sul, Brazil, on the ground.
Silvano Alves was the first rider to win back-to-back PBR World Championships. Within 18 months of riding in PBR events, Silvano Alves won $1.8 million dollars.
Certainly, Lil Man has the ability to buck off the very best bull riders in the world. His bucking career is just getting started with certain promise Lil Man will be in the bright lights of events for years to come.
“We weaned nine bulls last fall that are quarter and half-brothers to Lil Man,” the breeder commented. “Those bulls will be in the New Frontier Bull Sale in March 2021.”
The PBR Global Cup is a bull riding team competition PBR developed in 2017. “They intend to give the winning country the ability to say they have the best bull riders,” Reyer explained.
PBR Global Cup events are also scheduled at the Sprint Center in Kansas City February 29 and March 1.
CUTLINES
Cody Jesus, Sawmill, Arizona, Navajo Bull Riding World Champion, drew Lil Man Saturday night at the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Global Cup in Arlington, Texas.
In 4.6-seconds, Lil Man bred by Flint Hills Genetics of Strong City sent Cody Jesus flying through the air. That was Saturday night at the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Global Cup in Arlington, Texas.
Appearing relaxed Lil Man raised by Flint Hills Genetics of Strong City has a change of attitude coming out of the chute at Professional Bull Riders (PBR) events around the country. He’s bucked off 11 of the 13 cowboys who’ve attempted to ride him to the eight-second whistle.
