MIKEL J. MORENO SCHOLARSHIP AWARD NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

By Cindy Moreno
Posted Tuesday, August 4, 2009

(Pueblo, Colo.)-- Applications for the 2009 Mikel J. Moreno Scholarship Award are now being accepted by the ABBI (American Bucking Bull Inc.). The annual award was started by Cindy Rosser Moreno and Julio Moreno to honor the memory of their late son, Mikel Moreno.

Mikel was a successful bucking bull breeder before losing his battle with leukemia at age 18. “The scholarship was started to help a young person with their goal of going to college, a dream our son wasn't able to see come true for his own life,” explained Cindy Rosser Moreno. This will be the third year the scholarship has been awarded. Past recipients include Jonathan Chandler and Bryn Agnew.

Applications are being accepted until September 18. The winner will be invited to the World Finals Stock Contractor Award Banquet in Las Vegas in November where the award will be presented as part of the ABBI World Finals Award ceremony. The ABBI World Finals is held in conjunction with the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals. CLICK HERE FOR APPLICATION

Applicants for the Mikel J. Moreno Scholarship Award need to be high school seniors who will be attending college this fall. Applicants must also have been an ABBI member for a minimum of two years. Applications are available on the ABBI website: www.americanbuckingbull.com. Applications must be accompanied by a letter to the Scholarship Committee detailing the applicants involvement in the bucking bull industry and their future career goals. Applicants should also list the college they plan to attend and their expected course of study. Any additional information applicants would like to submit to help the Committee make their selection is also welcome.

Mikel was a native of California and the grandson of the legendary rodeo icon Cotton Rosser. Mikel was instrumental in the success of his parent's bucking bull breeding programs and helped to produce great PBR bucking bulls like Reindeer Dippin', Troubadour and Big Mike. Holey Slinger, Mikel's Kat, Water Patrol and Johnny Ringo were just some of the bulls that came out of Mikel's own breeding program. The bucking bull bloodlines he helped to develop live on in countless bucking bull programs including Flying U, Flying C and Moreno Livestock.