Code Blue (bull)

Code Blue was born April 4, 2004, near Gladewater, Texas, and bred by Jones Farms. Alvin Jones, who was with Jones Rodeo Genetics, had a hand in determining the genetics that went into producing this world champion bull. He weighed between when he was competing as a bucking bull. Code Blue's sire was #240 Sky King. Sky King was a Don Kish-owned bull selected to buck at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1997. He was also a PBR World Finals bull. Code Blue's paternal grandsire was Kish's Buckin' Best #624 Wolfman. Wolfman was a Don Kish bull who was ridden by Wade Leslie for the only perfect 100 point combined rider and bull score ever awarded on the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) circuit. Wolfman also garnered several awards on account of his many qualifications to the NFR. Code Blue's maternal granddam was a #G79 Red Rocker daughter referred to as JG #20. Red Rocker was a seven-time NFR qualifier whose pedigree is sparse. His pedigree also contained a line to the champion bull Bodacious. Code Blue's home base was with Wagoner on his Silver Valley Ranch in Silver Valley, North Carolina, which Wagoner had been running for over 20 years at the time of Code Blue's competition days. Wagoner made adjustments to his life for Code Blue, mostly to travel around the country – bulls used for competition need time out of the trailer to relax and exercise, thus doubling the time necessary to get to their destination. The bull typically consumed about of grain per day when he was competing. Along with his regular grain, they fed him waffles. He was kept in an enclosed area for feeding with an ample running area, as well as an area for resting and lying down that they labeled his "lounge". The bull developed a personality quirk on account of the transport trailer being parked next to his pen. If the trailer left, he wanted to be on it. They made sure to always have another trailer to take its place if he was not scheduled to go to an event. Otherwise, he got upset. ==Career==

Code Blue's owners first entered him in events sanctioned by the Professional Bucking Bull Association (PBBA). Code Blue finished his tour in the PBBA as the No. 5 ranked bull in the world. Early years In 2006, Rick Wagoner was fighting an "uphill battle" to purchase Code Blue, who he considered to have great potential. The bull had excellent bloodlines, and he was considered very rank (difficult to ride) for a two-year-old. The bull's owner was an Oklahoma doctor who was averse to selling the young bull. However, when the doctor's wife developed health problems, he offered the bull for sale, but insisted that Wagoner purchase additional cattle. Wagoner, an experienced bull owner from North Carolina, was not deterred, even though doing so would strain his finances. Many of their family and friends thought they were crazy at the time, but their opinions soon reversed. The other cattle were a mixture of about 18-20 bulls, cows, and calves, which totaled roughly enough cattle to fill a semi-trailer. On October 22, 2009, the world champion bull contenders were officially announced. The PBR decided to change their usual procedure and selected ten bulls instead of five for the first time. One of the bulls was selected by fan vote, which was also a first. Eight bulls were selected by a vote of the top 40 bull riders, and one bull was selected by Lambert. The PBR announced that the ten finalists were Big Tex, Black Pearl, 2008 winner Bones, 2007 winner Chicken on a Chain, Code Blue, Crosswired, Uncle Buck, Major Payne, Troubadour, and Voodoo Child. PBR World Finals On October 31, on Saturday night at the PBR World Finals eight of the ten world champion bull contenders competed. Two were out during this performance. Code Blue took the lead in the competition by bucking off Edimundo Gomes after 5.20 seconds and scoring 46.76 points. Voodoo Child tied with Big Tex for second when they each scored 46 points. Bones, the previous world champion, was ridden by Pete Farley for 93.25 points and scored 45.75 points to come in fourth and other bulls competed to end the second performance of the night. Nance selected Code Blue in the Round 5 draft because he believed he had the "right combination to crack his code", but only lasted 4.3 seconds. Code Blue received a bull score of 45.5. The bull's other two scores were 46.75 and 47.5, for a three-ride aggregate of 140.75. Nance made it clear he felt Code Blue had all the skills it takes to be a world champion bull. He has a career average buckoff time of 4.41 seconds. Counting trips out of the bucking chute ("outs") that occurred before he joined the PBR circuit, he bucked off riders 52 straight times by the end of 2009, and his owners believe that was unprecedented. On Sunday in the Championship Round, J.B. Mauney finally became the first bull rider to score a qualified ride on Code Blue. Mauney rode Code Blue in the BFTS Championship Round for 76.25 points. The ride was ugly: Mauney's leg apparently got caught in his bull rope, which could have caused a serious accident. Mauney was able to stay on the bull for the requisite time, but earned a "subpar" score. In February, Valdiron de Oliveira rode Code Blue for 4.5 seconds at Dallas Cowboys Stadium at the first-ever Iron Cowboy event, to win $260,000. The Iron Cowboy event is one where the bull riding competitors advance if they make it to the 8-second buzzer, while those who do not are out until there is only one rider left. At the end, the winner is determined by who rides for the most seconds. Just before Valdiron rode, Travis Briscoe was in first place with a ride of 3.6 seconds. In March 2010, Code Blue bucked off Vince Northrop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for 46.75 points. In June, Chad Berger confirmed that Code Blue had been held out of a Touring Pro competition in Bismarck, North Dakota, due to worries of a pinched nerve in his back, which negatively impacted his balance. Berger added that the bull was going to be examined by a veterinarian and a chiropractor to see if something was out of alignment and pinching a nerve. On August 21, 2010, Code Blue made his return to the BFTS at the event in Nashville, Tennessee, after his injury two months ago in June, which laid him up. He bucked off Sevi Torturo with a bull score of 45.25 points. Then on August 21, 2010, at the BFTS event in Memphis, Tennessee, Mauney scored a second qualified ride from Code Blue for 85 points. After Mauney dismounted, the bull bucked one extra time. But then, while trying to turn left toward the gate his back legs could not support him. He fell down once before walking the alleyway. His owners managed to load him onto their trailer and left the parking area immediately. Walton phoned in about an hour later to explain that "We know he's hurt. We just don't know how bad". They were trying to decide when to call a vet in. On Monday, August 23, Code Blue's vet examined him. Dr. Truman Sanner's prognosis was not encouraging regarding future bucking. "Guarded," said Sanner. "It'll be tough for him. I wouldn't want him to return to bucking, but that's not what Rick wants to hear." The vet "observed bilateral high limb weakness" and left open the possibility for nerve damage, alongside other potential diagnoses such as spinal damage affecting nerve impulses. However, he added, "There are a million reasons that could have happened. That's one you'll never know, but you can't rule out he hurt himself bucking." Code Blue's record that year to date was 13 outs and two qualified rides, both by Mauney. Career summary Code Blue was the PBR World Champion Bull in 2009, his first year on that elite tour. He was also the PBR Bull of the World Finals that same year. He was ridden only twice in 27 career outs on the BFTS tour. He was ridden only twice in 33 outs at all levels of competition in the PBR. He has a career average bull score of 45.81 points. The two times he was ridden were by Mauney in 2010. He holds a 93.94% buckoff percentage. His rank in the BFTS all-time ranking is 9th. His rank in the historical ranking is 31st. His rating in the ProBullStats Power Rating is 93.23 percent which puts him in 12th position. Current PBR bull Sky Harbor is a grandson of Code Blue, being the son of a Code Blue heifer and PBR star bull Pearl Harbor. ==Retirement==

Code Blue was retired on account of his 2010 injury. He was not able to compete at the 2010 World Finals and defend his title. In March 2018, stock contractor Chad Berger acquired the 3 year-old-bull Sky Harbor from T-Ray Bulls and Paradigm Bull Company. He is the son of PBR Brand of Honor bull Pearl Harbor. He is also the grandson of three-time PBR World Finals qualifier Black Pearl and a grandson of Code Blue. Sky Harbor competed in the ABBI with Chad Berger's goal of him winning the Classic title. ==Death and legacy==

Code Blue died in early October 2020. He was 16 years old. Some of his sons, including Wileywood Blue and Blue Crush, have gone on to have bucking careers in the PBR. ==References==