A Bull By Any Other Name

PROFILE OF PBR BUCKING BULL NAMED ‘FIND JESUS’

PRAIRIE GROVE -- By any other name Pick-It Construction's recently-retired PBR bucker, "Find Jesus," would still be a bull with all its animal characteristics -- yet without the dinner-bell effect.

J.W. Hart, who trained and hauled "Find Jesus" to and from Professional Bull Riders touring events for Pick-It owner Nathan Ogden as a stock contractor, told Ogden in 2015 his new goal in life was to make a gate that "Find Jesus" could not break.

In 2017 "Find Jesus" busted his way into the PBR World Finals at Las Vegas, Nev., the highlight of his career with Ryan Dirteater, of Tahlequah, Okla., scoring an 88.25 point-ride courtesy of "Find Jesus" in Round Four.

"It was a blessing for us to be able to buy an animal like this, an animal athlete at this level and I decided since it was a blessing I wanted to name him and give the glory to God that's why we chose to name him 'Find Jesus,'" Ogden said.

"Just like Jesus, Jesus is a chain-breaker, 'Find Jesus' is a gate-breaker," Ogden said referring to a chart-topping debut hit from Zach Williams, the title cut from his debut album, "Chain Breaker," released in 2016 which won the GMA Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song-of-the-Year.

The song might describe the current predicament plaguing bull riders and rodeo in general as competitors, stock contractors, pick-up men, announcers, judges, timers and bullfighters seek venues where they can employ their skills with event after event shut down by the coronavirus.

"If you've been walking the same old road for miles and miles"

"If you've been hearing the same old voice tell the same old lies"

"If you're trying to fill the same old holes inside"

"There's a better life, there's a better life"

Ogden endeavors to offer a slice of that better life this weekend by hosting a PBR Touring Pro Division event dubbed, "Buckin' At The Ranch," in the midst of a 400-acre pasture at the Ogden Ranch, 11471 Illinois Chapel Road, Prairie Grove, in the same spot as Luke Bryan's 2016 Farm Tour concert. The two-day event which begins at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday was supposed to be part of Springdale's Rodeo of the Ozarks before that got canceled due to covid-19.

Ogden quoted James 1:2-3 - "Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance" in his press release announcing the relocation of the event.

In the midst of busy preparations, Ogden still tends to ranch chores.

"Find Jesus" and his girlfriend, "Last Bid" responded to Ogden's call, trotting in from a nearby pasture to a shed built just for them once "Find Jesus" communicated to Ogden he wasn't interested in bucking off any more cowboys during a PBR event. His last official score rang up 36 for the bull and an overall tally of 75 for Alisson De Souza at PBR's "Bucking On The Rez" presented by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Dept. in September of 2019 at Window Rock, Ariz.

Owner and animal reached an understanding.

Ogden wouldn't send "Find Jesus" out again, refusing to violate the bull's will in the same manner Ogden perceives his namesake deals with mankind.

In Ogden's eyes there's a standing invitation for everybody alive to respond as the chorus of "Jesus Has A Table Spread" implores, written in 1907 by C.B. Widmeyer, and, according to hymnary.org is published in 61 hymnals.

"Come and dine," the Master calleth, "Come and dine,"

"You may feast at Jesus' table all the time,"

"He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,"

"To the hungry calleth now, 'Come and dine'"

Not everybody is interested, yet Ogden desires for PBR contestants, personnel, and fans to be aware of the opportunity.

"We named him 'Find Jesus' with the hopes of when they call his name in the arena there might be just one person in the stands that needs to do exactly that -- find Jesus -- and just try to use our whole involvement in the PBR as a ministry," Ogden said. "That's really what we focus on and he was the foundation of that."

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NAMING ROUGH STOCK

The rarity of a PBR bucking bull named “Find Jesus,” which Pick-It Construction recently retired becomes apparent upon examination of the Top 586 PBR bulls as of June 30. Of that number only five bulls are named with some sort of religious or spiritual theme: Zacchaeus, Slice Of Heaven, Church Bells, Holy Water, and Preacher’s Kid. There were 575 total names with limited redundancy.

The most popular categories for PBR rough stock names as interpreted by the “Enterprise-Leader” are listed below in descending order.

  1. Other animals — 51

  2. Songs or singers — 50

  3. Movies, TV and film references — 41

  4. Rough ride — 30

  5. Slang or catch phrases — 28

  6. Outlaws or criminals — 25

  7. Places — 24

  8. Seduction — 23

  9. Behavioral tendencies — 22

  10. Brands — 19

  11. Evil or misfortune — 19

  12. Guy’s names — 18

  13. Alcoholic beverages or drugs — 17

  14. Forces of nature — 15

  15. Bucking moves — 14

  16. Mechanical transports — 14

  17. Native Americans — 13

  18. Firearms — 11

  19. Gal’s names — 11

  20. Power or speed — 11

  21. Technology — 11

  22. Military or special forces — 10

  23. Gambling — 10

  24. Crime — 9

  25. Danger or crisis — 7

  26. Disaster or calamity — 6

  27. Professional Wrestling — 6

  28. Miscellaneous — 6

  29. Cartoons — 5

  30. Famous cowboys and rodeos — 5

  31. Religious themes — 5

  32. Spices — 5

  33. Transactions — 5

  34. Cowboy lingo — 4

  35. Games — 3

  36. Parties — 3

  37. Sports — 3

  38. Beverages — 2

  39. Explosives — 2

  40. Martial arts — 2

  41. Superheroes — 2

  42. Vigilantes — 2

  43. Nature — 2

  44. Food — 1

  45. Life cycles — 1

  46. Politicians — 1

  47. Power tools — 1

  48. Routes — 1