ProRodeo Sports News - March 9, 2018

The future bodes well for the colt. “I’m really excited,” said Tim Bridwell, of Bridwell Pro Rodeos. “Unfortunately, in the rodeo business, with the horse program, it takes so long the kids will end up enjoying it more than we will probably. Hopefully everything goes well, and he grows up safely and becomes everything we think he can be. But that’s most of the fun of this, right? It’s all trial and error if it’s going to cross right or work.” Tiger Fever already is enjoying himself, while mother watches, Bridwell said. “He’s frisky, he’s just like the other baby colts, he likes to run around and play and buck,” Bridwell said. “His mom is an older mare, so she’s pretty gentle and slow moving. He usually runs laps around her while she just stands there.” In December, Clayton Biglow registered 84 points aboard Beaver Fever in the second round of the WNFR. Wyatt Denny notched 74.5 points in the seventh round while on the mare. In 2015, Beaver Fever teamed with Steven Peebles for 84.5 points and the WNFR second-round win. Peebles went on to win the average and the world title that year. If Tiger Fever follows his expected genes, he’s likely to be a big horse. Beaver Fever is about 1,300 pounds. Tiger Warrior is about 1,500 pounds. Tiger Fever’s size is already notable. “He’s pretty-good sized,” Bridwell said. “Comparing him to other colts, yeah, he’s pretty big. That Calgary (Stampede) blood, those animals are real

big. Some of their horses look almost like Clydesdales.” Beaver Fever’s oldest offspring – Beaver Bend – bucked in the third round of the saddle bronc riding at the WNFR in December. So Beaver Fever is already producing buckers. “She’s already proved her oldest colt bucks really well,” said Bridwell, adding that she has other offspring that haven’t bucked yet because they are too young. “She has some more coming, that’s for sure.” Tiger Warrior was sired by Calgary Stampede’s Grated Coconut, the most decorated bareback bucker of all time as a six-time winner of the bareback riding bucking stock of the year award. Tiger Warrior, 9, was also namedWNFR top saddle bronc bucking stock runner-up in 2017 after he bucked off Jesse Wright in the fourth round and combined with Brody Cress to put up 85.5 points in the ninth round, which tied for third place. “The chances of him getting to the NFR down the road are very, very good,” Calgary Stampede’s Keith Marrington said. “We find it that way, when you match the good ones up you usually get a good one. It doesn’t work all the time, but you cross your fingers and hope, but I think this should work just fine.” The bonding of these two great buckers from two top stock contractors benefits everyone, Bridwell said. “Even though we’re all competitors in this business,” Bridwell said, “sometimes we do some trading around to help one another to make the rodeo industry, as a whole, better for everybody.”

Calgary Stampede’s Tiger Warrior had Brody Cress aboard at the 2017 WNFR. Tiger Warrior also sired Tiger Fever, born in February. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Greg Westfall

ProRodeo Sports News 3/9/18

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