PUEBLO, Colo. (September 16, 2010) - Stock contractor Brad Boyd calls BFB 309 Spit Fire a “big teddy bear.”
“He likes people and enjoys being petted,” said Boyd, who with partner Tim Floyd runs one of the country’s premiere bucking bull operations on 9,000 acres in Stephenville, Texas. “When you put him on the semi, he immediately lays down in the truck.”
Spit Fire’s laidback personality, though, changes in the blink of an eye once the chute gate is pulled open. At that moment, the 2,200-pound, dark red warrior goes to work.
Spit Fire, acquired from Rod Conat in 2008, has put up impressive statistics during his PBR run. He’s bucked off 37 of 48 riders.
Eight out of nine times in 2010, the world’s best bull riders have found themselves tossed over the top of the 7-year-old superstar, wondering what the heck just happened. Only Valdiron de Oliveria has made the whistle, with a score of 92.25 points in Oklahoma City. Spit Fire’s average buckoff time is 3.51 seconds this season, with an impressive average bull score of 45.01.
“The bull leaves the chute so hard,” said Boyd, whose herd also includes the highly regarded Black Pearl. “Once his front feet hit the ground, he has that suck-back to him; he starts bucking backward, which is kind of odd. He’s big and strong and jerks the rope out of their hands. If they are still sitting there (after opening jump), he’ll continue to bring the game to town.”
Jody Newberry knows what Boyd is talking about. In Pueblo, Newberry tested his mettle against Spit Fire and took a head-first spill into the arena dirt.
“He’s a lot stronger than most bulls, and I feel like he bucks as hard as anything I’ve ever been on,” said the Oklahoma cowboy.
Newberry told himself before getting on Spit Fire that he had to prevent the bull from launching him over his head.
“My strategy was not to get bowed out forward over him,” Newberry said. “He did it to me anyway.”
Spit Fire’s Pueblo trip, Boyd said, was his favorite of the season, as the bull was marked 46.25 points.
Despite the bull’s impressive track record, the riders don’t respect him, according to Boyd.
“They give him respect for fear but he doesn’t get the respect for being a great bull like I like him,” Boyd said. “It kind of makes me proud that they are scared to death of him, to be honest with you.”
Because of Spit Fire’s calm demeanor when he’s not bucking, Boyd believes his prize animal has three more years of being a top performer in the PBR.
“He’s a big, gentle animal that doesn’t waste a lot of energy,” Boyd said.
