V-61 (c. 1962 - 1974) was a hall of fame bucking bull known only by his brand, V-61. In 1970 he was the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the NFR. In 2012, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame inducted V-61. In 2015, the Bull Riding Hall of Fame inducted him into its inaugural class. In 930 attempts, only four bull riders managed to complete rides on him for a total of five qualified rides. His owner retired him in January 1974, but his retirement was short-lived as he died later that year.
Video V-61
Background and early career
V-61 was most likely born in 1962 since a veterinarian estimated his age at 9 years old in 1971. A Texas rancher named Rudy Vela bought the weaned, juvenile bull V-61 at a beef cattle sale of cows that had been culled into categories of canners and cutters. Apparently, V-61 had been an orphan calf and bottle-raised. Vela deemed the bull more suited to bucking than to be raised for beef since he never outgrew the "funny quirks" Vela felt all orphan calves possess. He branded the junior bull on the hip and raised him to adulthood. V-61 also was unsuitable for breeding since he was unregistered. Due to these considerations, Vela resold the young bull for rodeo stock. While Vela owned V-61, he never bucked the bull. He did, however, tie a dummy on his back a few times. Every time V-61 sent that dummy flying before the requisite eight seconds was up. And for four years on the amateur circuit with his next owner, Sloan Williams, he remained unridden. It got to the point where the cowboys would not even get on him.
In 1968, Harry Knight was looking to retire as a stock contractor, and he was offering his rodeo company for sale. Billy Minick was interested because Knight had good bucking stock, so he purchased Knight's Rodeo Company. Minick traded rodeo competition for contracting, creating the Billy Minick Rodeo Company. Next, in 1969, Sloan Williams was providing Billy Minick with calves for rodeo calf roping events. Williams owned V-61 at that time, having bought him from Vela. Sloan pressed Minick about buying the bull, saying, "No one will get on him any more at our rodeos, he's such a hard bucker. I'm hauling him for nothing. Would you like him?" So, Minick and his father drove a trailer to Williams' ranch in Hungerford, Texas, and picked up V-61 and another bull. After Minick bought V-61, and he started bucking the bull on the PRCA (known as the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) at the time) circuit, V-61 quickly became known as an unrideable bull.
None of his owners ever named V-61; he had a brand on his hip and that was how he became known. His sire was claimed to be a Brahma bull, and his dam was a Jersey cow. V-61's head was Jersey-colored, and the rest of him was generally gray. He weighed 1,800 pounds (820 kg). When the Vela's were inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, Minick took the opportunity to confirm that V-61 was definitely raised on a bottle.
PRCA
For his debut in the PRCA, in 1969, at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), every bucking bull was bucked two times, except V-61, who was bucked three times. He still bucked off all three riders.
In 1970, his first full season in the PRCA, his threw all 23 riders who drew him that year. At the NFR in that year, he was named PRCA Bucking Bull of the NFR.
He bucked off three riders in the finals that year. He bucked off Bobby Berger, Sandy Kirby, and bucked off and severely injured Dicky Cox, who had to spend several days in the hospital. The bull gained such a reputation that Life Magazine featured him in the same issue when Muhammed Ali appeared on the cover. Life Magazine traveled to Cheyenne Frontier Days especially for the story. The feature appeared in the October 23, 1970, issue of the magazine.
In early 1971, in San Angelo, Texas, World Bull Riding Champion Freckles Brown drew V-61. At the time, Brown was 50 years old. Minick was concerned about the match because of Brown's age and because V-61 bucked so hard. However, his fears were allayed when the bull left the chute "like a milk cow" and in about six seconds the bull dropped a shoulder and dumped Brown.
In 1971, at Cheyenne Frontier Days, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Rodney Nelson was competing at amateur bronc riding. He stayed to watch the bull riding because multiple hall of famer Myrtis Dightman had drawn V-61. He related that V-61 jumped out of the chute with Dightman on top and dispatched him in a couple jumps that even a horse might have trouble matching. The images stuck in his mind for a long time because it was such a tremendous effort for both parties. Also, prior to riding the bull, Dightman informed Minick he could ride his bull. Minick was of the opposite opinion. While Minick watched Dightman prepare in the chute, he said, "I watched him pull his rope tight, then he let the rope off a little, then he pulled it tight again. When the chute opened Dightman went off the bull in a very few seconds."
The ride heard around the world
On June 6, 1971, in Gladewater, Texas, at the Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo, V-61 met his match. 1972 World Bull Riding Champion Johnny Quintana rode him for the first time and scored a high score of 94 points. The ride was so momentous that many couldn't hear the buzzer due to the noise of the crowd. Quintana later rode the bull again that year. Quintana was later inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Minick once admitted that Quintana was the man he thought might be able to ride his bull. Later on, amateur bronc rider Roddy Nelson was talking to North Dakota rodeo legend Duane Howard about V-61. He inquired of Howard as to whether he had seen Quintana ride him the first time he had gotten a qualified ride. "I judged that rodeo," Duane said. "It was awesome! The noise from the crowd was so loud there was no way anyone could hear the whistle, but I had timed the ride on my stopwatch and knew John had conquered him!" The score only stood for a year; several riders broke the highest score record in the 1970s, including Quintana again.
Ralph Lane, a fan, recalls running from the far end of the arena when he heard Quintana was about to mount V-61. Minick, who was living in Fort Worth, Texas, at the time, had counted V-61 unridden in 466 attempts in the PRCA and several hundred in amateur rodeos. "After Quintana rode the bull three or four jumps and it began to look like he was going to ride him, the crowd started cheering and coming to their feet." Lane said. Lane added, "I remember Billy Minick throwing his feet down and hollering. 'He didn't make! He didn't make it!" However, two judges said otherwise: Quintana had made it to the eight-second mark.
Quintana's score of 94 on that ride was the highest score ever recorded at that time in a bucking stock event. Minick was disappointed that V-61's unridden streak was broken. He had many great roughstock, but V-61 was the best. Wherever he went, they promoted the bull. Tommy Morse, a Gladewater rodeo organizer who saw Quintana's ride, said, "It seemed the longer he rode him, the higher the bull jumped. It was a ride heard around the world."
Illness
In August 1971, a 9 year old V-61 suffered a hematoma of the spermatic vessel. Minick took the bull to see Dr. W.A. Aanes at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. They operated on the bull, and the surgery went well; it was less dangerous than expected. V-61 became a popular patient during his stay. Since Dr. Aanes was good friends with Paul Harvey, the well-known radio announcer, for the duration of the bull's stay, Harvey reported on his condition. In September, V-61 returned home to convalesce under doctor's orders until the NFR.
Others who scored a ride
In 1971, at the NFR held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, V-61 was ridden for a qualified ride by Bobby Berger, who made the requisite eight seconds and scored 79 points. Berger won the round due to that ride. Bill Nelson drew the bull in the 10th round and bucked off.
In May 1972, bull rider Andy Taylor drew the bull. At this time, the dirt happened to be very deep in the arena. When the dirt is like this, it can be tough on roughstock to buck really well. So Taylor left the chute and rode V-61 for a qualified ride. He then fanned the bull with his hat. Minick confessed it made him angry. He told Taylor, "As good as that bull has been for this business, you didn't have to do that!" Minick thought Taylor's supercilious gesture weakened V-61's career as a top ranked and unridable bull.
In 1972, at the NFR, John Dodd drew V-61 in the first round, and V-61 bucked him off. Hall of famer Phil Lyne drew V-61 in the sixth round, made a qualified ride and scored 70 points.
The last ride
Minick had thought to retire V-61 after the 1972 NFR. But then Bob Watt, who ran the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, asked Minick to buck him one last time before retiring him. Minick acquiesced. Upon the draw, Andy Taylor had drawn V-61. Minick took care of V-61 to be sure he was loosened up. Minick said, "I was on the chutes, and when V-61 bucked Taylor off, I threw my hat out across the arena." In January 1974, Minick retired V-61 after his performance in Fort Worth.
V-61 completed his career with 930 attempted rides and only five qualified rides. Those qualified rides were two by Quintana, one by Bobby Berger, one by Phil Lyne, and one by Andy Taylor. Bulls with buck-off records of this type are rare.
Maps V-61
Retirement and honors
V-61 did not get to enjoy his retirement long, as he died later in 1974. After his death, Minick had V-61's head mounted. He also had hide containing the V-61 brand from his left hip saved, and he framed it. The mounted head hung in Billy Bob's Texas for many years, where Minick was the owner. Later Minick had it moved to his ranch, and placed it in his log cabin home in Roanoke, Texas, mounted above the awards and the brand. As Minick said, "Every stock contractor wants to have one great one, and V-61 was mine."
In 1996, the Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo committee, who routinely honors rodeo notables, gave Minick silver spurs to honor V-61. Then, in 2010, they gave Minick the original white chute gate #3, with the statistics of the ride "Quintana vs. V61, 94 points" branded on it. Minick displayed the chute at Billy Bob's Texas for many years. It is now on display at the Bull Riding Hall of Fame in the Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas. The Bull Riding Hall of Fame started inducting honorees in 2015. In June each year, the chute is returned to the rodeo in Gladewater, Texas, for display. The Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame inducted V-61 in 2012. The Bull Riding Hall of Fame inducted V-61 in their inaugural class in 2015. He was the 1970 PRCA Bucking Bull of the NFR. Bud Yale of Fort Worth, Texas, who always tied the flank strap on the bull, related that V-61 always left the chutes quickly. "He would sense when the gate was about to open and would draw up and get ready to make that big jump out." Yale said. "When the gate opened, he'd bale out of there and kick like you wouldn't believe."
Minick owns scrapbooks containing clippings and art of V-61, including a photograph of the bull jumping approximately four feet off the ground with Myrtis Dightman riding him.
References
Bibliography
- Wrangler NFR (PDF). Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. 2017. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
External links
- The Bull Riding Hall of Fame
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Source of article : Wikipedia
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