Rodeo News: Superstar Bull SweetPro’s Bruiser Passes Away
River Powder SweetPro’s Bruiser, a PRCA Superstar award-winning sire, passed away suddenly on May 17th. He was 11 years old.
SweetPro’s Bruiser won the PRCA Bull of the Year award in 2017 and finished second in 2018. Bruiser was also the NFR’s top sire in 2015, 2017 and 2019. In October 2021, he announced his retirement.
Bruiser was thrown over cows and broke his pelvis about a month ago, according to H.D. Page’s D&H Cattle Company page in Dickson, Oklahoma.
He tore a ligament in his leg two years ago and the ligament was weak, Page explained. He also thinks his pelvis pinched a nerve. I kept him here (on the ranch for three weeks) trying to get him moving again before deciding to release him. I buried (Bruiser) with Shepherd Hills Tested, Long John and Mossy Oak Mudslinger in the same spot.
Page was coming to terms with Bruiser’s death.
As far as bucking goes, he was a fantastic bull, Page said. It’s not a secret. Everyone knew how talented he was, but a lot of people didn’t know him as well as I did. He was a regular part of my routine. Bruiser was a fascinating character. He wouldn’t walk past a post without scratching it, and he’d yell at you every time he saw you go by, yelling until you got there and scratched him. He was very unique.
He has probably done more for my family than any other bull. His earnings exceed a million dollars and his offspring begin to emerge. We have only begun to scratch the surface of what his descendants will do. His physical and mental toughness, as well as his athletic ability, are passable traits. SweetPro Bruiser will never run out as long as he’s rodeo and bull riding. From now on, that will be part of the game.
Top PRCA bull riders, including world champion Sage Kimzey, acknowledge Bruiser’s skill.
Kimzey, a seven-time world champion (2014-19 and 2021), rode Bruiser in the most memorable race of his career. In Las Vegas for Round 8 of the 2019 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Kimzey scored 94 points on Bruiser.
Round 8’s sire of the night was SweetPro’s Bruiser, and it was a ride Kimzey will never forget.
As a bull rider, Bruiser is someone you aspire to step up to, and I’m glad he did, Kimzey told ProRodeo Sports News of his only ride on the range bull after Bruiser’s retirement. He is, in my opinion, the coolest fighting bull of all time. In the backyard, he is a pet. You can scratch it and love it. He was a fair opponent. He looks good on the box and is everything you could want. On every ride, he is incredibly athletic and super fair and honest. He has that wow factor.
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