Taking care of animals is a big part of many of our lives.  You can have lots of animals but it seems some just stand out and are special.  Im not talking about the performance side but the personality side.  Most dogs are special. They have that going for them, but very few horses and even fewer cattle have that “ I am part human” personality.

The special ones give and take affection.  They enjoy being with humans instead of tolerating it, and have a special personality that sets them apart from the herd.  They are special.

Bruiser was a world Champion bucking bull.  He bucked in such a special way that I really haven’t seen many bulls have the mental or athletic ability to get it done like he did.  He could move his point of balance forward, sideways, or back while kicking over his head and having lots of front end drop.  Amazing to watch.

The place I enjoyed watching him the most was at his home at D and H Cattle Co.  To see he and HD together was always special.  They always seemed to be in a different world when H would be scratching him or cleaning   his feet out like you would a saddle horse.  They enjoyed each other.

Same with daughter Mesa. She had done so much work to keep him sound and healthy and always stuck up for him when she thought he was being asked too much.  They both loved him.

I spent a lot of time with Bruiser this last winter. I was helping around there and when they all went to the finals I and Bruiser stayed home.  There were lots of bulls to take care of but Bruiser was always special and got special treatment.

Our old dog Taco would go lay in the pen with him and sometimes they’d almost be touching.  I would take him out to the exercise pen and he would have a blast in the sand pile and bristling up to the outside bulls across the fence.  I think he enjoyed life.

They had to put the Great Bruiser down this week.  He had bucked so hard for so long that like any other athlete he had injuries and a pelvis is an injury that is hard to heal.  He got the most out of life, no matter where he was and what he was doing.

He was special.

I set up my IPad with the finals on for him to watch. I sent the pictures to HD and Mesa as a joke. when i would take him out to exercise he would always stop and scratch his head on a post, and then go down the alley bellering like a dinosaur.

Mesa wrote this about the bull and it says it all.

Bruiser

It is with extremely heavy hearts that we share the passing of Bruiser.

Sweetpro’s Bruiser had a champion’s heart to the very last minute in his earthly body. He was born in a bottom along the Washita River and that’s where he will be laid to rest, but his life took him to places not many have the opportunity to see. It can be argued that no other bull in history has as many outs as Bruiser in as many different places and surely none have accomplished what he did.
He captured the hearts of many, but none more than his family, especially HD. The bond they shared was something remarkable. That bull gave 1,000% for HD from the time he bucked him with a dummy the first trip to his very last trip.

We could list his accolades, they are many and impressive, but what those of us at the Rocking P will remember is his beller and talks, the intelligence you could see in his eyes when he looked at you and his huge personality.

Bruiser leaves a huge empty space in our hearts, but we are thankful for his time with us. It has been an honor to be his people, and we will miss him.

HE WAS SPECIAL!