Meet the Member: Warren Johnson
By Kenny Andrews Outfitter, mule skinner and bucking horse breeder, Warren Johnson started Hell’s A Roaring Outfitters in 1982. He has been taking hunters, fishermen […]
UBHA member Tomas Mitchell - courtesy Tomas Mitchell
By Kenny Andrews
Tomas Mitchell from Sheridan AR, is a well-respected pilot and bucking horse breeder. Some of you may recall his name due to the fact that Tomas sold a bucking horse (a descendant of the legendary Custer) at the Benny Binion sale in Las Vegas for $100,000 dollars to the McDonald family of Canada. The McDonalds own a rodeo company in addition to other business interests. Mitchell says he has had an interest in rodeos since he was a young man, and thanks to a successful career in the aviation business he was able to get into it as a breeder and stock contractor.
In 1961 Tomas graduated from Kingsland High School then went on to Henderson State University where he earned a degree in aviation. From there it was off to fly helicopters for the United States in Vietnam. After serving our country Mitchell found a job with American Airlines where he spent the next thirty years before retiring. Since retiring, Tomas still flies for Air Evac Lifeteam and an air medical transportation company based out of West Plains, Mo.
Tomas says the money he was able to make flying helped him fund a dream of raising bucking stock that he has had since childhood. His company, Mitchell Rodeo Co, located near Sheridan, provides horses to a number of rodeo companies. Thomas began breeding rough stock 20 years ago, starting mainly with horses, but has dabbled in bulls as well. He didn’t have the facilities in place to run bulls, so he concentrated on horses instead. With one stud and eight mares he was off and running. At one time Thomas had as many as 300 head in his operation, but today he figures his numbers are around 175 head. Of those horses, 100 head are kept at his ranch in Sheridan Ark, with the remaining horses scattered throughout Texas, Montana and South Dakota being hauled by other contractors. His horses are being ridden at such places as Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth and even in Las Vegas.
“There is a common misconception that bucking horses are simply everyday horses that were never broke,” states Mitchell. “Bucking horses are achieved through specialized breeding just like your race horses. It’s strictly genetics. You can’t go down to the sale barn and just pick up a bucking horse any more than you can a race horse.” And just like the horse racing world, some lineages are more reproductive than others — and this is what triggered the big payoff for Mitchell in Las Vegas. The horse in question is an offspring of a stud horse named “Chism,” one of the last sons of the legendary Custer. Mitchell calls Custer the “grand daddy of bucking horses” because his lineage has produced some of the top bucking horses in the business. Chism was himself active on the rodeo circuit until Mitchell dedicated him to stud service. While getting six figures for bucking horses is a new milestone in the business, Thomas said it’s a trend he expects to see continue as rodeo gets more exposure through increased television coverage.
By Kenny Andrews Outfitter, mule skinner and bucking horse breeder, Warren Johnson started Hell’s A Roaring Outfitters in 1982. He has been taking hunters, fishermen […]
By Kenny Andrews The UBHA is heading to Las Vegas to join the World Famous Benny Binion Sale to wrap up the 2015 season. The […]
The 2015 UBHA finals were held on October 10, 2015 In Bowman N.D. The decision to move the event from the indoor arena to the […]
TERMS:
Rodeo Newstm (ISSN 1934-5224) is published 12 times a year, semi-monthly May-Nov; once in Dec Jan, Feb., March, and April by Publication Printers, 2001 S. Platte River Drive, Denver, Colo., 80223. Iris Ink, Inc., parent company of Rodeo News is located at 3604 WCR 54G, Laporte, Colo., 80535. Subscriptions are $30 per year. Periodicals postage paid at LaPorte, Colo., and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rodeo News, PO Box 842, LaPorte, Colo., 80535.
Canada Post (CPC) publication #40798037. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Rodeo News carries advertising and editorials as a service to the readers. However, publication of advertisements and editorials in Rodeo News does not commit Rodeo News to agree with or guarantee any of the merchandise or livestock advertised.
FINALS UBHA
Oct 10, 2015
3 YEAR OLDS
CONTRACTOR HORSE NAME/BRAND SCORE WINNINGS
1 Lance Lesmeister Fancy Dance/253 91 $4,890.00
2 Skip & Elaine Jones Choctaw Bingo/V45 88 $2,934.00
3 Lance Lesmeister Blue Blazes/252 86.5 $2,282.00
4 Cooper Clan 206 85.5 $1,630.00
5 Cooper Clan 205 84.5 $1,467.00
6 Lance Lesmeister She’s So Fine/205 82.5 $1,222.50
7 Korkow 220 81.5 $937.25
8 Cooper Clan 207 81.5 $937.25
9 Darcy Hollingsworth Gringo Joe/209 80.5 $0
10 Joe Waln BFSOB/236 79 $0
2 YEAR OLDS
CONTRACTOR HORSE NAME/BRAND SCORE WINNINGS
1 South/GF Buckers 394 87 $4,470.00
2 Stan Headings Y153 86.5 $2,862.00
3 MX Bar Ranch Grey Mama’s Boy/371 82.5 $2,226.00
4 MX Bar Ranch 342 79.5 $1,510.50
5 Joe Waln Dirty Bath/366 79.5 $1,510.50
6 Waln Rodeo Snowy River/355 78.5 $1,073.25
7 Smith/GF Buckers Cindy Loo Hoo/321 78.5 $1,073.25
8 Russ Kling 3F 77.5 $0
9 Bud Longbrake 340 76 $0
10 Art & Dereck Francis 311 75.5 $0
YEARLINGS
CONTRACTOR HORSE NAME/BRAND SCORE WINNINGS
1 Johnson/GF Buckers Centerfold/452 84 $1,504.00
2 Joe Waln 444 83 $1,128.00
3 Johnson/GF Buckers Hyna/408 81.5 $752.00
4 K Bar A 7 of Hearts/49 79 $376.00
5 Joe Waln Saya’s Eyes/463 78 $0
6 Johnson/GF Buckers Down Town Dame/419 75.5 $0
7 Joe Waln 40H 73 $0
8 Skip Jones & Elaine Jones Rock n Roll Gyspy/12 70 $0
9 Lance Lesmeister 4A8 52 $0