Three Bars (bucking horse)

Last updated
Three Bars
Discipline Bareback bronc
Sex Mare
Foaledcirca 1961
Died1993
Country Canada
ColorBrown
Owner Reg Kesler
Honors

Three Bars was a Canadian rodeo bucking horse that was specialized in bareback bronc riding. She was the Bareback Horse of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) three times in 1967, 1973, and 1980. She was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) in 1989, [1] and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 2004. [2]

Contents

Background

It was spring in the year 1965 when stock contract Reg Kesler from Rosemary, Alberta, bought a 4-year-old mare born c. 1961. Purchased from Bill McBeth of Lethbridge, Alberta, Three Bars was unknown to Kesler then. Nonetheless, Kesler's acquisition of the mare started a true legacy. In addition to being a champion bucking horse, she also became a top breeder. [1]

Career

Three Bars was part of stock contractor Reg Kesler's herd. His herd was pastured in Missoula, Montana, and Rosemary, Alberta. She was the most famous horse he owned. She was selected three times for the top bareback horse of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1967, 1973, and 1980. Her pedigree includes many great bucking horses. These horses also bucked at the NFR. “This horse was probably the rankest horse I was ever on,” said world champion bareback rider and ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee Bruce Ford of Kersey, Colorado. "She never had a set pattern, but she didn’t want you on her back." [2]

In addition to her NFR awards, she also had five runner-up championships in 1966, 1967, 1970, 1972, and 1977. Additionally, she also added a third place in 1974. World champion bareback rider Joe Alexander claimed she is one of the rankest bareback horses in rodeo history. [1]

During the years she was bucking, gaining notice, and becoming a champion, Kesler was using her to breed in his program for bucking horses. She produced 12 colts, whom most of went to success in bucking as well. There was Three Chicks, Three Knotts, Three Jangles, and best known was Three Cheers. [1]

Legacy

Three Bars was retired from competing in rodeos and breeding in 1986. She died in 1993 and was buried in the front yard of the Kesler Ranch in Rosemary, Alberta. Now, her tradition carries through her progeny. [1] ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee Jim Ivory said about Three Bars: “was no doubt the best, rankest bareback horse there’s ever been,” Ivory said. “She could throw everybody off, and it always hurt, for some reason. There’s been a lot of good ones over the years but she was unbelievable.” For three decades, Three Bars bucked at the NFR. She won the Bareback Horse of the NFR three times. Ivory bucked off two times. "She almost killed me the first time," he said, "and she did the second time." [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodacious (bull)</span> American bucking bull

Bodacious #J-31 was an American bucking bull. He was known throughout the rodeo world as "the world's most dangerous bull". He was also known as "the greatest bull ever to buck". During his rodeo career, he was the 1994 and 1995 Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year, as well as the 1995 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull. He and Bruiser are the only bulls who have won bucking bull world championship titles in both organizations. Bodacious is best known for his serious injury to bull riding icon Tuff Hedeman. Not long after, Bodacious also seriously injured Scott Breding. His owner, Sammy Andrews, then retired Bodacious. In 1999, Bodacious was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, and in 2017 into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. In 2019, the PBR inducted Bodacious into the Brand of Honor, which is part of the PBR's Heroes and Legends Celebration, the PBR's unique way of honoring outstanding individuals and livestock in the sport of rodeo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association</span> American rodeo organization

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the largest rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions events in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The PRCA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ProRodeo Hall of Fame</span> Hall of fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy was opened in August 1979 as a museum designed to "preserve the legacy of the cowboy contests, the heritage and culture of those original competitions, and the champions of the past, present and future." It is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and only inducts Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women's Professional Rodeo Association members. It is the "only museum in the world devoted exclusively to the sport of professional rodeo."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ty Murray</span> American rodeo cowboy

Ty Monroe Murray, is an American nine-time World Champion professional rodeo cowboy. He was one of the top rodeo contestants in the world from the late 1980s to early 2000s. He is one of the co-founders and a board adviser of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). From 2005 to 2020, he was also a regular color commentator for several televised PBR events.

Lewis Feild was an American professional rodeo cowboy. He specialized in bareback bronc riding and saddle bronc riding and competed on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit. He was the World All-Around Cowboy Champion from 1985 to 1987 at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). He was also the World Bareback Riding Champion from 1985 to 1986. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame inducted him in 1992 in the all-around category.

Billy Etbauer is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in saddle bronc riding. He competed on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit along with his two brothers, Robert and Dan. He won the PRCA saddle bronc riding world championship five times.

Reg Kesler began his rodeo career at the age of 14 at the Raymond Stampede, competing in the boys steer riding. At the time, it was common for cowboys to compete in many or even all the rodeo events, and Kesler was no exception as he grew into his rodeo career. He participated in all five major rodeo events of the time: saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, tie-down roping and steer decorating, a precursor to steer wrestling. Kesler especially excelled in the roughstock events, namely saddle bronc riding and bareback riding, appearing in the top four in the Canadian standings in those events six times. He was also a successful competitor in the wild cow milking and wild horse racing, an outrider in the chuckwagon racing, and a well-known pick-up man. Kesler was a ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scamper (horse)</span>

Gills Bay Boy, nicknamed "Scamper", was a ProRodeo Hall of Fame timed-event horse notable for his success in barrel racing. His owner, Charmayne James, rode Scamper from 1984 to 1993 in the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). They won the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Championship consecutively from 1984 through 1993. They won the NFR in 1984, 1986–87, 1989–90, and 1993. He is also the recipient of the 1992 American Quarter Horse Association Silver Spur Award. Both Scamper and James won many other championships, awards, and honors. After being retired from competition after last competing in 1993, he was cloned six years later. The clone, nicknamed "Clayton", has been kept a stallion and stands at stud. Scamper died on July 4, 2012, at the age of 35.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stock contractor</span>

A stock contractor is an individual or business that provides animals for rodeo competition. Stock contractors supply roughstock - horses for saddle bronc and bareback bronc riding and bulls for the bull riding event, plus steers for steer wrestling and team roping, plus calves for calf roping events. Use of stock contractors who specialize in providing these animals has produced a more uniform range of bucking stock which are also quieter to handle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Rock (bull)</span> American bucking bull

Red Rock #007 was an American bucking bull. He competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tornado (bull)</span> American bucking bull

Tornado was a bucking bull who was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. He went to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) at least four times. He was voted Bucking Bull of the NFR four times consecutively from 1962 to 1965. Owned by rodeo champion Jim Shoulders, Tornado was named the "meanest bull alive" at the NFR four times. Tornado is best known for his matchup with ProRodeo Hall of Fame bull rider, Freckles Brown, which is most often referred to as "The Ride." It was Brown who, in 1967, broke Tornado's undefeated streak of 220 buckoffs in six years. Tornado, Brown, and Shoulders all have been recorded in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture maintained online by the Oklahoma Historical Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V-61 (bull)</span> American bucking bull

V-61 was a hall of fame bucking bull known only by his brand, V-61. In 1970, he was the Bucking Bull of the NFR. In 2012, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame inducted V-61. In 2015, the Bull Riding Hall of Fame inducted him into its inaugural class. In 930 attempts, only four bull riders managed to complete rides on him for a total of five qualified rides. His owner retired him in January 1974 and he died later that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War Paint (horse)</span> Saddle bronc riding horse

War Paint was a saddle bronc who was a three-time Rodeo Cowboys Association Bucking Horse of the Year. He won the award in 1956, 1957, and in 1958 he tied with another horse. He was inducted into four halls of fame, the most prominent being the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2011. War Paint was known for his bucking ability and his buck-off record, which was close to 90 percent.

Jimmie Gibbs Munroe is a ProRodeo Hall of Fame barrel racer inductee for 2019. Munroe is also the granddaughter of Zack Miller of the renowned Miller Brothers 101 Wild West Show. In addition, she also served in many positions on the Women's Professional Rodeo Association and helped advanced many causes for women competitors.

June Ivory was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2004.

Grated Coconut #G-65 is a Canadian former rodeo bucking horse that was specialized in bareback bronc riding. He was a six-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bareback Horse of the Year. He was also a six-time Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) Bareback Horse of the Year from. He has been inducted into three halls of fame, including the ProRodeo Hall of Fame of the PRCA, the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame of the CPRA, and the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame of the PRCA-sanctioned Ellensburg Rodeo.

Virgil F13 is a rodeo bucking horse. He is specialized mainly in bareback bronc riding, but is sometimes used in saddle bronc riding. Although born in North Dakota, United States, he has lived most of his life in Alberta, Canada. Virgil is a two-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bareback Horse of the Year, as well as a two-time Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) Bareback Bucking Horse of the Year. He won the award in both organizations in the same years; 2017 and 2018. He was also awarded the Bareback Horse of the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) four times from 2015 to 2018, as well as the Bareback Horse of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 2017. He is also the horse that was ridden for the highest-scored bareback ride in PRCA history, which occurred in 2022.

Medicine Woman #302 was an American rodeo bucking horse that specialized in saddle bronc riding. She competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and was a four-time PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year. She won the award in 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2016. She also was the Saddle Bronc Horse of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 2010 and 2015. In 2022, she was posthumously inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

Descent was a bucking horse who was specialized in saddle bronc riding and competed in the Rodeo Cowboys Association. He is a six-time Bucking Horse of the Year awardee. He won the award in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, and 1972. He is also a 1979 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inaugural inductee.

The George Paul Memorial Bull Riding is an annual bull riding event held every spring at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds in Del Rio, Texas, United States. It is held in honor of George Paul, the 1968 Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) World Champion bull rider.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Three Bars". Canadian Rodeo Historical Association. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Three Bars". Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. www.prorodeohalloffame.com. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  3. ↑ Nicolaus, Ruth (March 21, 2017). "Back When They Bucked with Jim Ivory". The Rodeo News. Retrieved April 6, 2022.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.