ProRodeo Sports News - August 2, 2019

BAREBACK HORSE

Commotion Three-time Bareback Riding Horse of the Year BY TRACY RENCK

PRCA ProRodeo file photo

QUICK FACTS • Age: 25;

passed away, Sept. 7, 2016 • Three-time

2014 and was runner-up for Saddle Bronc of the Year in 2015. Another daughter of his is Wound Up, the 2016 Top Saddle Bronc at the Wrangler NFR and the 2017 Saddle Bronc of the Year. “Besides him being such a great bucking horse, he was also a breeder, and that doesn’t happen very much,” Beutler said. In August 2013, artist T.D. Kelsey’s larger-than-life-statue of Commotion was dedicated at the National Route 66 MuseumComplex in Elk City, Okla. When Commotion wasn’t at rodeos, he lived at the Beutler’s Ranch in Elk City. Commotion was buried next to the statue. “He was an outlaw,” Beutler said. “We

C ommotion, one of the greatest bucking horses of all time, was honored as such by being enshrined in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo., Aug. 3. “I think this is great,” said stock contractor Bennie Beutler. “With ommotion, he either bucked them off or they would win first on him. He was one of the horses who liked to buck, and he never had a bad day.” Commotion passed away Sept. 7, 2016, at the Beutler & Son ranch near Elk City, Okla. He was 25. The 1,300-pound bay stallion, who stood at 16.1 hands, was voted the top bareback horse at his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 1997. That year at theWrangler NFR, in Round 5, Cleve Schmidt tied for second place with an 85-point ride while aboard Commotion. In Round 10, Denny McLanahan failed to register a score on the talented horse, who was 7 years old at the time. “He gave 110 percent all of the time,” Beutler said. Commotion went on to win the next three Bareback Riding Horse of the Year awards (1998-2000), when he was part of the Beutler and Gaylord Rodeo Company string. He made 10 consecutive trips to the Wrangler NFR (1997- 2006) before retiring in his prime at the 2006 Finals at the age of 15. Two rounds were won on him at the Wrangler NFR. Commotion sired more than 70 horses who have gone on to compete at the Finals. His daughter Killer Bee was named the Top Saddle Bronc at the Wrangler NFR in 2013 and

PRCA Bareback Riding Horse of the Year (1998- 2000, when he was part of the Beutler and Gaylord Ro- deo Company string)

never did halter break him. He was very independent, and he strutted around like he was king of the road. After he was in bareback riding for seven or eight years, we put him one year in the bronc riding, and he was really good. “But then we went back to bareback riding because that’s what he was best at. He just bucked hard every time, and cowboys were only able to ride him about half the time. When he would buck somebody off, he would prance around the arena. He knew he was special.”

ProRodeo Sports News 8/2/2019

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