If being deep in rodeo genetics improves a bull’s chances of siring phenomenal buckers it’s no wonder Pride Rock calves have been on fire lately. Early March saw two Pride Rock calves finish at the top in futurities, proving that the success of his first money earner was no coincidence.
Johnny and David Locke of Locke Bucking Bulls raised 01 Pride Rock. He was a son of Lyons King by Sports Machine out of Red Head, a half sister to PBR Finals Bull 22 Chief. Through Lyons King, Pride Rock can trace his ancestry back to CP 100, CP 9, CP 10, CP 47 and 161 White Sport Coat, to name a few. He was bred to buck and he did.
When Pride Rock was two years old, Johnny and David took him to the Sale of the Century futurity, where he finished in eighth place among a very competitive set of bulls. When he got a little older, they sent him to Mitch Terrell to haul to college rodeos and PBR Challenger Tour Events.
“He was a really good bull and he turned back right in the chute. He was a good bull but he was also one the bull riders wanted to draw too,” Mitch Terrell said.
Unfortunately, Pride Rock’s bucking career was ended prematurely due to injury. “He was injured by turning back and hitting the gate. He knocked his hip out of whack and was done after that,” David Locke said.
Because they liked the way he bucked, Johnny and David turned Pride Rock out on cows. “We didn’t breed a lot of cows to him initially. Outa Da Bleu was the first son to go compete and after his success is when we decided to start breeding him to more cows,” David said.
From Pride Rock’s first calf crop came 465 Outa Da Bleu, owned by Circle T Ranch & Rodeo. During his 2006 futurity season Outa Da Bleu racked up almost $74,000 in earnings. He won the American Heritage Futurity and was the ABBI Year-End Futurity Champion.
In 2007 Circle T gave Outa Da Bleu a year off to grow up and prepare for his 2008 Classic season. The decision paid off when Outa Da Bleu captured fourth place at Amarillo and followed that up by splitting first and second at the Oklahoma City Classic. As of this printing, Outa Da Bleu is sitting fifth in the ABBI Classic Standings and has added over $12,000 to his career earnings for a total of over $86,000 won in aged events.
This year has been a good year for Outa Da Bleu but he also has two younger brothers who are making headlines. Circle T Ranch and Rodeo had such good luck with Outa Da Bleu that they purchased 621 Outa Da Red, another Pride Rock calf, from the Lockes. Outa Da Red finished third at the Kansas City, MO ABBI Futurity and won just under $1,800. Circle T has also been hauling a Pride Rock son called Little Rock who competed at the Freedom futurity and the futurity finals last year.
Ted Keeling and Wes Bruce bought 611 Outa Da Fire, a Pride Rock son, from the Lockes at the NBBA Texas Breeder’s Classic sale last spring. They brought him back to that event’s futurity last month and Outa Da Fire topped the class of 65 calves, winning almost $8,400 at his first event.
Ted Keeling said he liked the way the calf bucked as a yearling and bought him based on his performance and genetics. “The Pride Rock and Lyons King program of Johnny’s is probably one of the most underrated ones going. That Lyons King breeding just works over and over. The last two years, calves from the Lyons King line have won the American Heritage. The percentages have been phenomenal. I’m taking a couple cows up there to breed to him this year because those calves just work,” Ted said.
Dale Lyons, breeder of Lyons King, is also taking cows to Nocona to turn out with Pride Rock this year. “The Lyons King line has done well and Pride Rock produced good bulls like Outa Da Bleu. Who knows, he may be another Houdini. Those bulls have both produced with limited breeding. Pride Rock and Lyons King just might be the next big thing,” Dale said.
Since Outa Da Bleu’s success, Johnny and David have been using Pride Rock and Lyons King as their main herd sires. They have also collected Pride Rock and used the semen on several flushes. “We flushed Outa Da Bleu’s momma, J-Lo’s momma, Hair Trigger’s grandma and Outa Da Red’s momma with Pride Rock semen,” Johnny said. “We’ve got 69 Pride Rock embryos on ice.”
Between the calves already in competition and the embryos from quality donor cows, the Lockes are very excited about the future of Pride Rock calves. “I think he’s got a really good chance, with these calves that are out there this year, of having another son win the American Heritage,” David said.
Johnny said Pride Rock’s percentages are what he’s most excited about. “We haven’t sold but three of them and they’re all out there winning money. His oldest calf crop was Outa Da Bleu’s. I’d say his percentages are outstanding,” Johnny said.
With just four calves competing in aged events since 2006, Pride Rock offspring have earned nearly $100,000. This season and those that follow are sure to bring more top-notch Pride Rock offspring that prove again and again that exceptional bucking bulls don’t happen by accident.
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