Red Rock (bull)

Red Rock #007 was an American bucking bull. He competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit. Bull riders attempted to ride Red Rock 309 times and not one rider was able to ride him until the eight-second whistle in his professional career. His owners brought Red Rock out of retirement in 1988 for a match against Lane Frost. He was also chosen as the PRCA 1987 Bucking Bull of the Year. However, Red Rock is most famous for his association with 1987 PRCA World Champion bull rider Lane Frost and their famous matchup called the Challenge of the Champions. In 1990, both Frost and Red Rock were inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. In 1994, Hollywood released 8 Seconds, a biopic based on Lane Frost's life, which includes his duel with Red Rock. He was the first livestock inducted into the St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2017.

Background

Red Rock was born in 1976 at the Burnt River Ranch in Burns, Oregon. When he was a small calf, his mother died. Red Rock was introduced to the family milk cow along with another orphan calf. She raised them together in the backyard of the family's home. He was a red, tiger striped brindle Brahma-Hereford crossbred. This is also known as a Braford. "He was named after a rock formation near the ranch." He weighed at his prime. Red Rock was a grandfather of the historic bull named Wolfman. Wolfman's other grandfather was Oscar. Wolfman is known for being ridden by Wade Leslie for a perfect 100 point score, the only one in history in any rodeo circuit. This happened in 1991 in Central Point, Oregon, and it greatly enhanced owner Growney Brothers with most of the credit going to Don Kish. ==Bucking career==

Bucking career

Early Days When Red Rock was two years old, Mert Hunking from Sisters, Oregon, bought him. Mert ran a local stock contractor company called Sombrero Rodeo Company. Gary Toole drew Red Rock first at the 1987 NFR and got bucked off. Cody Custer drew him for the second and final ride at the NFR, was bucked off hard and had to be helped up. And those were Red Rock's final two rides in his PRCA rodeo career, retiring unridden after 309 attempts in professional rodeos, bucking first with Mert Hunking and then in the PRCA. At that time, Red Rock was 11 years old. ==Challenge of the Champions==

Challenge of the Champions

The Challenge of the Champions hadn't even been dreamed up at the time of Red Rock's retirement. It was decided that Lane and Red Rock would have 7 showdowns at different rodeos in states across the West. The event was titled the "Challenge of the Champions." Red Rock was brought out of retirement and Lane Frost finally rode him to the eight-second whistle for a scoring ride for 4 of the 7 matches. ==Retirement and death==

Retirement and death

In 1989, Lane Frost was competing in Cheyenne Frontier Days in July, the oldest and biggest outdoor rodeo in the world. He had just dismounted after a successful ride on the bull Takin' Care of Business. On June 8, 1994, Red Rock suffered a stroke while living out his retirement on the Growney ranch in Red Bluff, California. He "died while the vet was attending to him". He was 18 years old. John buried him under an oak tree on the ranch in Red Bluff. Clyde Frost, Lane's father, commented "He was a great bull and he had a great life. I know he's in a better place now...but he had it pretty good here too." ==Honors and recognition==

Honors and recognition

• Years selected to the NFR 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 • Placed in the Bucking Bull of the Finals every year • Unridden in 309 rides, only bucking bull to remain unridden in his career in the PRCA • Inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1990 • In 1994, Hollywood made a feature film entitled 8 Seconds based on Lane Frost's life, which included the Challenge of the Champions with Red Rock. • Bronze statue of Lane Frost riding Red Rock during the Challenge of the Champions held at the Clovis Rodeo. Installed April 2014. • First livestock inducted into the St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2017 • In 2021, inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame ==Tributes==

Tributes

• DVD of the Challenge of the Champions True story documentary made in 2009 • 1:20 scale version collectible figures of Lane and Red Rock by Farm and Ranch Toys • Tehama Oaks - Our Wild West Blend honors World Champion Bucking Bull "Red Rock" • "Red Rock" Video - by the Smokin' Armadillos Tribute to Lane Frost & Red Rock includes real footage of them • "Red Rock" lyrics Tribute Song by the Smokin' Armadillos ==References==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

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