Bruiser (bull) facts for kids

Bruiser #32Y (born March 2, 2011 – died May 17, 2022) was an amazing American bucking bull. He was a three-time World Champion Bull in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) league, winning in 2016, 2017, and 2018. He is one of only two bulls ever to win this title three years in a row.

Bruiser also won the 2017 Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year award. He and another famous bull named Bodacious are the only bulls to win both the PBR and PRCA titles in the same year. Bruiser achieved this in 2017. He was also the 2015 American Bucking Bull (ABBI) Classic Final winner. Bruiser retired from competing in 2021 when he was ten years old. He passed away at age 11 in 2022. In 2023, Bruiser was ranked as the second-best bull in PBR history.

About Bruiser

Bruiser was born on March 2, 2011. His birthplace was the Rockin P Ranch in Ardmore, Oklahoma. This ranch is owned by D&H Cattle Company. Bruiser was co-owned by Buck Cattle Company. He was an American Bucking Bull.

Bruiser's Family

Bruiser's father was a bull named 009 Show Time. His mother was Page T8. Show Time's grandfather was Wolfdancer. Show Time's grandmother was AR 009, a daughter of the famous bull Bodacious. Show Time himself was a two-time PBR World Finalist.

Bruiser's mother, Page T8, had a famous grandfather too. He was Little Yellow Jacket, a three-time World Champion bull. In 2011, Little Yellow Jacket was the first bull to receive the PBR's Brand of Honor. Bruiser's maternal grandmother was a daughter of Mossy Oak Mudslinger. Mossy Oak Mudslinger was also a D&H Cattle Company bull. He won the 2006 PBR World Champion Bull title. In 2017, Mossy Oak Mudslinger also received the Brand of Honor.

Bruiser was a half-brother to Sweet Pro's Long John. Long John was the 2015 PBR World Champion. They had the same father, Show Time, but different mothers.

Bruiser's Personality

H.D. Page, one of Bruiser's owners, gave a lot of credit to Bruiser's father, Show Time. He said Show Time created both the Classic Champion (Bruiser) and the World Champion (Long John).

Bruiser and Long John had similar bucking styles. But their personalities were very different. Page said Bruiser was "your best friend." He always tried to get along with people. Long John, however, could be unpredictable. Page called Bruiser his favorite bull. He said Bruiser was "fun every morning." He would even "scream" if you didn't come to scratch him.

Bruiser's Career

Bruiser competed in both the PBR and PRCA bull riding events. Later in his career, he was sponsored by SweetPro. This is why he became known as SweetPro's Bruiser.

2014 Season: Starting Out

Bruiser began his professional career in 2014. He first competed in smaller PBR events. Then he bucked in a PRCA event. He also competed in the PBR's top series, the BFTS, including the PBR World Finals.

In 2014, riders successfully stayed on Bruiser three times. One notable ride was by Mike Lee in May. Lee scored 91 points on Bruiser. Another rider, J.B. Mauney, scored 93.25 points on Bruiser at the PBR World Finals in October. This was a very high score.

2015 Season: Rising Star

Bruiser had many strong performances in 2015. In February, João Ricardo Vieira rode Bruiser for 90.50 points at the PBR Iron Cowboy event. This was a season-high score for a ride on Bruiser.

In July, Kaique Pacheco rode Bruiser for an amazing 94.00 points. This ride happened at a Velocity Tour event. It showed how powerful Bruiser was becoming. Pacheco was the first right-handed rider to stay on Bruiser.

ABBI Classic Finals Win

In 2015, Bruiser won the ABBI Classic Finals. This competition is for young bulls aged 3 and 4. Bruiser was 3 years old. He scored 89.75 points and won $200,000. His total earnings in the ABBI set a new record.

PBR World Finals

Bruiser was a finalist for the 2015 PBR World Champion Bull title. He had a great season, bucking off riders most of the time. At the PBR World Finals, he was ridden by J.B. Mauney for 92.75 points.

Bruiser finished second in the World Champion Bull race that year. His half-brother, Long John, won the title. Bruiser was very consistent. His owner, H.D. Page, said Bruiser "just never failed."

PRCA National Finals Rodeo

Bruiser also competed at the 2015 National Finals Rodeo (NFR). This is a big PRCA event. In Round 2, he bucked off Kody DeShon. He earned a high bull score of 46 points.

2016 Season: First World Title

Bruiser started 2016 strong. Mason Lowe rode him for 91 points in January. This was Lowe's first 90-point ride in the PBR. After this, Bruiser went on a streak of seven buckoffs.

Bruiser Matures

By 2016, Bruiser was five years old and much more mature. He weighed 1,750 pounds. In July, at a PRCA event, Cole Melancon rode him for 92.50 points. Bruiser earned 46 bull points for this ride.

His owner, H.D. Page, noted how powerful Bruiser was. He said Bruiser was different from other top bulls. Bruiser's timing was perfect, making him seem easier to follow. But he was still incredibly strong.

2016 PBR World Champion Bull

Bruiser won his first PBR World Champion Bull title in 2016. The PBR World Finals were held in a new arena, the T-Mobile Arena. Bruiser earned the title on Championship Sunday. He bucked off Dener Barbosa at 7.15 seconds. He received a 46.25 bull score for this effort.

Bruiser tied with his brother Long John and Pearl Harbor for the title. The tie was broken by Bruiser's consistent high scores throughout the season. He was the most consistent bull all year.

2016 PRCA National Finals Rodeo

Bruiser also competed at the 2016 NFR. In Round 9, Brennon Eldred rode Bruiser for an incredible 94.5 points. This was one of the highest scores ever at the NFR. Eldred called Bruiser "the greatest bucking bull in the world."

2017 Season: Double Champion

Bruiser continued his dominance in 2017. In January, Derek Kolbaba rode him for 92 points. This ended Bruiser's streak of 14 consecutive buckoffs. Many experts picked Bruiser to win the world title again.

Rivalry with Pearl Harbor

Throughout 2017, Bruiser had a strong rivalry with another top bull, Pearl Harbor. They were the two best bulls in the PBR. In March, Stormy Wing rode Bruiser for an amazing 95.25 points. This was one of the highest scores in PBR history.

Later in March, J.B. Mauney rode Bruiser for 94.25 points. This was Mauney's second time successfully riding Bruiser.

2017 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year

In October, Bruiser was named the 2017 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year. He never allowed a ride for less than 90 points in the PRCA that year. Only two riders successfully rode him. This was a huge honor for Bruiser and his owners.

2017 PBR World Champion Bull

Bruiser and Pearl Harbor were nearly tied heading into the 2017 PBR World Finals. Bruiser was the "reigning World Champion Bull." He was also a favorite among riders.

In Round 2 of the Finals, Bruiser bucked off Emilio Resende in just 1.91 seconds. He earned a high 47-point bull score. This put him in the lead. On Sunday, he bucked off Ryan Dirteater in 7.19 seconds. This secured his second PBR World Champion Bull title. He also won the 2017 Bull of the Finals Championship.

Bruiser became the fourth bull in PBR history to win back-to-back titles. He also became only the second bull, after Bodacious, to win both the PBR World Champion Bull title and the PRCA Bull of the Year title in the same year.

2017 PRCA National Finals Rodeo

Bruiser competed in two rounds at the 2017 NFR. In Round 3, he bucked off Boudreaux Campbell in 7.8 seconds. He earned an excellent 47.50 bull score. In Round 9, he bucked off Ty Wallace for another high score of 47.00 points.

2018 Season: Three-Peat Champion

In 2018, Bruiser aimed to tie Little Yellow Jacket's record of three consecutive PBR World Champion Bull titles. If he won, he would be considered one of the greatest bulls ever. He had already won two PBR titles and the PRCA Bull of the Year.

Continued Dominance

Bruiser started 2018 strong. In January, Ryan Dirteater rode him for a career-high 93.25 points. This was a "revenge ride" for Dirteater. Bruiser earned 45.50 bull points.

In February, Bruiser bucked off Emilio Resende for 46.00 points. He shared the "Bull of the Event" award with Pearl Harbor. Bruiser continued to have many high-scoring buckoffs throughout the season.

Pearl Harbor's Passing

In April 2018, Bruiser's rival, Pearl Harbor, sadly passed away. At the time, Pearl Harbor was the No. 1 bull in the PBR standings. H.D. Page said he was a "huge fan of Pearl Harbor" and that their rivalry was "really fun."

Third PBR World Title

Bruiser's next major appearance was at the PBR World Finals in November. He bucked off Francisco García Torres. Then, in the Championship Round, José Vitor Leme rode him for 93.75 points. Bruiser earned 45.75 points for this ride. This ride clinched his third PBR World Champion Bull title.

His last outings for 2018 were at the PRCA's National Finals Rodeo. He bucked off Cole Melancon. He was then ridden by Eli Vastbinder for 91 points.

2019 Season

Bruiser's 2019 season began in February at the PRCA's San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. He bucked off Tristan Mize. Later, 4-time PRCA World Champion Bull Rider J.W. Harris rode him for 92.50 points to win the event.

Throughout the year, Bruiser continued to compete in PBR and PRCA events. He had many successful buckoffs against top riders. In July, Cody Jesus rode him for 90.25 points. In August, Ruger Piva rode him for 92 points.

At the PBR World Finals in November, Cody Teel rode Bruiser for 91 points. In December, at the PRCA's National Finals Rodeo, six-time PRCA World Champion Bull Rider Sage Kimzey rode Bruiser for 94 points. Bruiser won the NFR Bull of the Finals award that year.

2020 Season

Bruiser's 2020 season started strong. In February, he bucked off reigning PRCA All-Around World Champion Stetson Wright for 47 points. He also bucked off Ruger Piva.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected events in 2020. Many PBR and PRCA events were canceled or rescheduled. Bruiser competed in several events held without fans. In one event, Alex Cerqueira rode him for 91.25 points.

Bruiser continued to buck off riders throughout the summer and fall. His last out for 2020 was in November. He did not compete at the PBR World Finals or the National Finals Rodeo that year.

Retirement

After not competing for a year, Bruiser officially retired in late October 2021. His owners, D&H Cattle Company, announced that he had hurt a tendon in his leg. H.D. Page said that Bruiser would be able to breed cows and have a good retirement. He would relax on the ranch.

Death and Legacy

Bruiser passed away on May 17, 2022, at 11 years old. He left behind an incredible legacy. He had many honors and awards. Many riders have stories about competing against him. He competed in six PBR World Finals and made five trips to the NFR.

Bruiser was known as a great bucking bull in the arena. But he was also very friendly in the pens. This combination of being a fierce competitor and having a gentle personality was rare. Experts like Cody Lambert said, "We'll never, ever see another Bruiser."

Honors

• 2015 ABBI Classic Champion
• 2015 PBR Reserve Champion Bull
• 2015 NFR Bull of the Finals
• 2016 PBR World Champion Bull
• 2016 PRCA Reserve Bull of the Year
• 2017 PBR World Champion Bull
• 2017 PBR Bull of the World Finals
• 2017 PRCA Bull of the Year
• 2017 NFR Bull of the Finals
• 2018 PBR World Champion Bull
• 2019 NFR Bull of the Finals
• ProBullStats Hall of Fame
• In 2023, was ranked No. 2 on the list of the top 30 bulls in PBR history.
• In September 2023, was posthumously awarded the PBR Brand of Honor at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• In May 2024, was posthumously inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame.