LOVINGTON, N.M. – When the top bull riders in ProRodeo arrive in southeastern New Mexico, they’ll have something big waiting for them.
“We’re going to have an even bigger purse for the bull riding,” said Kyle Johnston, a member of the Lea County Fair Board and the rodeo committee chairman.
Lea County Xtreme Bulls will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, and will feature the top cowboys in the game chasing their share of the $37,500 payday. It’s become quite a tradition for fans in this part of the country, the perfect way to kick off five days of rodeo action at the regional exposition. It is one of the top Xtreme Bulls events in the PRCA with regards to payout, and it’s only getting bigger.
“Everybody likes a good bull riding,” Johnston said. “They want to see a wreck on top of seeing a guy ride one. The type of people that live in this area really enjoy coming to the Xtreme Bulls.”
Why?
It’s incredible action. Many of the bulls that will be in Lovington have been featured at the National Finals Rodeo. Added in that mix of athletic bovines will be some up-and-coming animals that will likely be invited to perform at this year’s NFR, set for December in Las Vegas. Dallas-based Pete Carr Pro Rodeo is the livestock producer, and Carr brings in the top bulls from other firms to ensure that it will be a night everyone will remember.
“Everybody comes to this Xtreme Bulls,” said Coy Pollmeier, the defending champion from Fort Scott, Kansas. “No matter where they are, they all come down to Lovington. Everybody in the top 20 was here plus other great guys, not to mention the caliber of bulls we got on. This is probably the best set of bulls we’re going to get on this year.”
That includes Carr’s Bayou Bengal, the 2023 PRCA Bull of the Year. Over his lifetime, the 7-year-old brindle has been ridden just three times, most recently when four-time NFR qualifier and two-time reserve world champion Josh Frost scored 90 points to win in Pecos, Texas.
“That bull is super athletic,” said Trey Benton, a seven-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Richards, Texas. “It’s hard to believe that a 2,100-pound bull can get that high in the air; I bet you’d be able to drive under him when he’s bucking.”
“I’ve never seen that bull have an off trip,” said Creek Young, the 2021 Lea County Xtreme Bulls champion from Nixa, Missouri.
Last August, Pollmeier was the only cowboy in the field to ride two bulls. By winning the title, he pocketed more than $10,000. It was the biggest win of the 23-year-old cowboy’s young career. Two years before, Young capitalized on the momentum of winning the Lea County Xtreme Bulls title and the bull-riding crown at the Lovington rodeo that same week to advance to the first of three straight NFRs.
“The fans can come to our bull riding and see the same guys that they see all the time on TV,” Johnston said. “They want to see the big names, and the big names come to Lovington.
“People tell us all the time that they want to make sure we keep having the Xtreme Bulls, because it’s something they really enjoy.”