Skoal Pacific Bell

Skoal Pacific Bell
Skoal Pacific Bell bucking at a National Finals Rodeo.
Hall of Fame bull
Country United States
Breed Brangus
Brand 14
Sex Bull
Color dark tan/black w/ white face
Weight 1,750 lbs
Born 1981
Russell Ranch, Folsom, CA
Years active 1987 - 1991
Breeder Dan Russell
Owner Dan Russell
Notable riders Lane Frost, Ty Murray, Jim "Razor" Sharp
Died 1993 (aged 11–12)
Honors
Inducted into ProRodeo Hall of Fame 2007
Awards
Bucking Bull of the Year 1988, 1989, 1990

Skoal Pacific Bell #14 (April 1, 1981 – 1993) was a ProRodeo Hall of Fame bucking bull best known for being the only three-time consecutive Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year (1988–1990) and for only being ridden 5 times in 150 attempts. He was inducted to the hall of fame in 2007. As of 2016, he was the seventh and most recent bull so honored. The PRCA said in an official YouTube induction video that "Skoal Pacific Bell was a crowd pleaser and a cowboy challenger."

Background

Skoal Pacific Bell was born in 1981.[1] he was a dark tan/black color with a big white face.[2] He was a brangus bull who weighed 1,750 pounds (790 kg).[2] Raised and owned throughout his career by stock contractor Dan Russell,[3] Skoal Pacific Bell was born and raised on the Russell Ranch in Folsom, California. He earned the name Pacific Bell at age 4 after he began bucking and Russell noticed that "he liked to throw back his head while bucking as if he wanted to reach out and touch someone."[2]

Like the undefeated PRCA bull Red Rock, undefeated PBR bull Mick E. Mouse,[4] barely ridden PBR bull Bushwacker and other such famous bulls, Skoal Pacific Bell showed that he had no set bucking pattern.[2] The bull would toss his head side to side and could jump extremely high.[2] His bucking abilities made it extremely difficult for cowboys to determine what the bull was going to do and get a qualified ride from him.[2]

Career

At the age of four, Skoal Pacific Bell began to buck, and became the top bull at the 1987 National Finals Rodeo (NFR) for bucking off Rickey Lindsey and Dale Johansen. While the bull was part of the PRCA circuit, he bucked off cowboy after cowboy, including many of the best bull riders of the time. These included 1987 World Champion Lane Frost, who was the only cowboy to ride 1987 Bucking Bull of the Year Red Rock (which he did after Red Rock's retirement, in the Challenge of the Champions). Then came three-time world champion and rider of "the most dangerous bull ever" Bodacious, Tuff Hedeman. Skoal Pacific Bell also bucked off "King of the Cowboys" Ty Murray. At the 1988 NFR, World Champion Jim "Razor" Sharp logged an 85 point ride on Skoal Pacific Bell. It paved the way for one of Sharp's two world championships.[2] "He’s a bull that’s quick and kicks really high and spins real fast,” Sharp later told reporters. “He just bucks hard. It’s a combination of everything that makes him so good. He does it all.”[2] Skoal Pacific Bell also bucked off World Champions Michael Gaffney and Charles Sampson.[5][6] World Champion Ted Nuce was awarded 83 points on him at the 1988 NFR.[7] And then, at what was probably his last ride before retirement, 1998 PBR World Champion Troy Dunn rode him for 91 points at the 1991 NFR.[8]

Death and legacy

Skoal Pacific Bell died in 1993.[1][3] The bull never lived to see his 2007 induction into the hall of fame.[3][9] Russell died on December 29 of 2013.[9]Russell died of a heart attack at age 61 in his home near Henryetta, Oklahoma.[10] Russell was known for raising and owning many champion bulls in the PRCA, including Trick or Treat, Pacific Bell, and Grasshopper, all of whom won the PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year at least once.[9][10]

Honors

  • Selected as the top bull at the 1987 Nationals Finals Rodeo his first year in the PRCA rodeo†[2]
  • 1988 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year[11] award decided by vote of top 30 bull riders
  • 1989 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year[11]
  • 1990 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year[11]
  • Only bull to win PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year three award three times in a row[2]
  • Inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2007[2]
†Red Rock won Bucking Bull of the Year in 1987

References

  1. 1 2 "The Bucking Stock Connection". thebuckingstockconnection.com. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Skoal Pacific Bell - Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame". Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "ProRodeo Hall of Fame will welcome 8 people, 1 bull". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "An Ode to Mick E. Mouse, One of the Most Badass Bulls to Ever Live | VICE Sports". VICE Sports. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "Pacific Bell vs Charles Sampson - 90 Rodeo Salinas". 20 April 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  6. ↑ "Pacific Bell vs Michael Gaffney - 91 NFR, Rd 6". 16 September 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "PacificBell1988NFRTedNuce.MP4". 3 May 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "Troy Dunn vs Pacific Bell - 91 NFR, Rd 10 (91 pts)". 16 September 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "Professional Bull Riders - Stock contractor Dan Russell passes away". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Obituary: Cattleman Daniel M. 'Dan' Russell, 61, was heir to historic Folsom rodeo operation". sacbee. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 "PRCA Bull of the Year Winners". probullstats.com. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
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