ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 20, 2019

STOCK OF THE YEAR

Three take top annual honor

BY TRACY RENCK S tanding out among a crowd of that talent. The 2019 PendletonWhisky “Let ’er Buck” Stock of the Year recognized Beutler & Son Rodeo Co.’s Killer Bee for Bareback Horse of the Year, Northcott Macza’s Get Smart for Saddle Bronc of the Year and Harper &Morgan Rodeo’s Hot & Ready for Bull of the Year. exceptional roughstock requires a perfect balance of animal athleticism and the cowboys capable of showcasing She was named top bareback horse of the 2018Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. She also was the top saddle bronc horse of the 2013 and 2014Wrangler National Finals Rodeos and was runner-up for Saddle Bronc of the Year in 2015. Killer Bee is the daughter of Commotion, the Bareback Horse of the Year from 1998-2000. Commotion, who sired more than 70 horses who have gone on to compete at the Wrangler NFR, was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo., in August. Another daughter of Commotion’s is Wound Up, the top saddle bronc at the 2016Wrangler NFR and the 2017 Saddle Bronc of the Year. “This is really good,” said Bennie Beutler, who runs Beutler & Son, with his son, Rhett. “We’re tickled that she received this honor. She just likes to buck, and she knows when the lights are on.” Killer Bee is 16.2 hands tall and weighs 1,350 pounds. Get Smart, of Northcott Macza, based in High River, Alberta, is a first-time horse-of-the-year winner in the PRCA, but he’s won the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year five times, including receiving the honor in 2019. Get Smart, 17, also was the top saddle bronc horse of the 2018 Wrangler NFR. “This is a huge award for us to win,” Get Smart Killer Bee Killer Bee, 14, is no stranger to receiving honors.

Will Lowe failed to make the whistle while aboard Killer Bee during Round 8 of the 2018 Wrangler NFR.

PRCA ProRodeo photo by James Phifer

Get Smart is 14.3 hands and weighs 1,100

2019 TOP STOCK BAREBACK RIDING 1. Killer Bee, Beutler & Son Rodeo Co. 2. Virgil, C5 Rodeo 3. Top Flight, Pickett Pro Rodeo SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Get Smart, Northcott Macza 2. Medicine Woman, Frontier Rodeo 3. Spring Planting, Flying 5 Rodeo BULL RIDING 1. Hot & Ready, Harper & Morgan Rodeo 2. SweetPro’s Bruiser, Powder River Rodeo 3. Spotted Demon, Big Stone Rodeo, Inc.

pounds.

Hot & Ready

Hot & Ready is 9 years old and weighs 1,650

pounds.

“Garrett Burruss is Scott Burruss’ son, and Scott is a partner,” said Scotty Lovelace, general manager of Harper & Morgan Rodeo. “Garrett flanks him and takes care of (Hot & Ready) all the time. (Hot & Ready) is very easy to be around. He’s old-school lookin’ with a hump and horns. “He has all the traits because he has kick and speed and a little bit of move forward to him, just enough that he can buck guys off. To be 9 years old, this is a big feat. Usually they are starting to slip by the time they are 9. He has been the best bull in this herd for nine years and one of the best

Ward Macza said. “When I bought out (Harvey Northcott), ol’ Harvey raised this horse (Get Smart). He’s the son of (the horse) Wyatt Earp. He (Get Smart) is bred right, but he’s a freak because he’s not very big.” Wyatt Earp was the top saddle bronc horse of the NFR in 1997 and 1998. Earp was the father of Grated Coconut, who was a PRCA-record six- time Bareback Horse of the Year for Calgary Stampede.

bulls in the world the last three years.” A year ago, Hot & Ready finished third in the bull-of-the-year voting behind Big Stone Rodeo, Inc.’s Spotted Demon and Powder River Rodeo’s SweetPro’s Bruiser.

ProRodeo Sports News 12/20/2019

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