Sculpture commemorating Bodacious the Bull in all his glory.
Bodacious the Bull was infamous throughout the sport of rodeo, and was commonly referred to as "The World's Most Dangerous Bull". The 1800lb cross bred Charbray bull known for his characteristic coloring as the "Yellow Whale" made unanticipated moves that rodeo athletes were not accustomed to and were defenseless to protect against. Only six cowboys were able to complete their rides in 135 attempts.
It was suggested that Bodacious had gotten stronger and trickier as he matured after, in 1994, he gained national attention at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, employing his signature head snapping move that resulted in life threatening injuries to bull riding star Terry Don West. Tuff Hedeman, was one of the few to stay on Bodacious for a full eight seconds. But in 1995 Hedeman witnessed the brutal nature of "Bo" first hand when he suffered a major face smashing, and required emergency reconstructive surgery after a vicious encounter with Bodacious at the Professional Bull Riders Finals. Hedeman drew the bull again at the National Finals Rodeo in 1995, and opted not to ride him, calling Bodacious "the badest bull there has ever been." In the same year, Scott Breding sustained serious injuries and became the last cowboy to attempt a ride on Bodacious.
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Throughout retirement, Bodacious toured state fairs, rodeos, and even appeared as a celebrity guest at Harrah's Las Vegas, and the Silverton Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1999 Bodacious was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs where he was declared "The bull the cowboys didn't want to draw. But the fans loved." He was later featured in GQ and Penthouse magazines articles, and Bodacious was profiled on the Fox TV program "Guinness World Records Prime Time".
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The band Primus devoted a song to the late bull entitled "Ballad of Bodacious" (lyrics bottom-right).
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Bodacious died on May 16, 1999 in his retirement holding pen at the Andrew's Rodeo Company Ranch and was buried nearby. Owners Sammy and Carolyn Andrews said the cause of death was kidney failure.
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"Ballad of Bodacious"
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by Primus</b></font>
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Bodacious am a whole lotta' bull
over nineteen hundred pounds.
He's born in Galry, Oklahoma
and he's the baddest sonsabitch around
if a Burma bull ever were a super star
then Bodacious just might be.
He's a cream colored, beefy brawn,
full-fledged, four footed bovine celebrity.
Who's gonna ride Bodacious?
Who's gonna tame him down?
Look out for Bodacious,
he's bound to hold his ground.
Here comes Bodacious,
ya'll just step aside.
Big and bad Bodacious
takes a toll from those who ride.
Young Bo met a man named Tuff Hedeman
at the start of his buckin' spree
and Tuff became one of the few to make the whistle
back in Nineteen Ninety Three.
Tuff tried to ride Bo again at the finals
in Nineteen Ninety Five.
Bodacious had got a little older and wiser
Tuff barely came out alive.
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