For once, missing the final round of a rodeo might actually be a good thing.
We'll see Thursday night when the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo kicks off with PRCA Xtreme Bulls, presented by Coors Original. While 40 riders are vying for a $75,000 purse that counts toward the Jack Daniel's World Standings and, ultimately, qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, there is another intriguing story line to this event.
As an added incentive to having qualified for Xtreme Bulls, the PRCA installed a challenge bull to provide a lucrative bonus for the cowboy who can tame him, which is easier said than done. Situated between the 40-man semifinal round and the 15-man finals, the challenge ride gives the rider who just misses advancing to the final round by placing 16th in the semifinals a chance to ride a predetermined bull that is one of the rankest.
On Thursday, that bull is Reindeer Dippin' of the Flying U Rodeo Company.
Besides having a perfect buckoff record in all 11 attempts in the past two seasons, the bull has bloodlines to Oscar, the great bucker who is one of only five bulls ever inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.
"That's one bucking dude," said Jason McClain (Lewis, Colo.), who won the Reno Xtreme Bulls tour-stop title last year. "He's pretty rank."
McClain, a four-time Wrangler NFR qualifier, came the closest to posting a qualified ride on this bull, lasting 6.7 seconds last May in Hayward, Calif., before being wiped out against the fence.
McClain is a personal 0-for-1 in challenge rides after coming up short last October in Kissimmee, Fla., against Salt River Rodeo's Clayton's Pet.
With each unsuccessful attempt, $5,000 is added to the Xtreme Ride bonus.
The Xtreme Ride started with a $10,000 bonus in San Antonio, but Zack Oakes (Tonasket, Wash.) couldn't stay aboard Salt River's Just a Dream. The same bull bucked off Greg Fuller (Dimmitt, Texas) in San Antonio. Roughstock hand Jesse Bail (Camp Crook, S.D.) had the latest chance at the bonus but he found the dirt early against Salt River's Lyin' Eyes at the previous Xtreme Bulls stop in Clovis, Calif.
"He's arguably the best bull out there," PRCA Bull Riding Director Bryan McDonald said about Reindeer Dippin'. "He's really athletic and doesn't have a lot of body weight and bulk to deal with. Plus, he's mean."
Seven-time Wrangler NFR bull rider Myron Duarte (Auburn, Wash.) drew the bull in the second round of the 2003 Pace Picante ProRodeo Tour Finale at the MGM Grand. Two seconds after the chute boss opened the gate, Duarte was scrambling back to safer ground after an early sendoff.
"There are days I've seen that bull and I don't know if anyone can ride that sucker," Duarte said. "It takes two leaps in the air like a deer, then it goes around to the right. To ride that bull, everything will have to be right and fall into place. It's not going to be an accident."
Duarte, who re-aggravated an old knee injury last weekend in Union, Ore., and had to have it drained before his 10-hour drive to Reno, would rather not get on Reindeer Dippin' on Thursday.
He has bigger plans.
"A guy doesn't need to get on that type of bull coming off an injury," Duarte said. "I'm glad it's not in the final round, which is where I want to get. But $25,000 would be a real neat opportunity."
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