NAMPA, Idaho - D&H Cattle Co. has announced the passing of790 Mossy Oak Mudslinger.
He was 15.
"He's irreplaceable," said H.D. Page of theformer World Champion Bull, "there's no doubt about it.
"I missed him a bunch when I had to retire him from the arena, andnow I'm going to miss him even more as a sire. He was part of ourfamily. He's done more for our family than any person."
Mossy Oak Mudslinger was among the greatest bucking bulls ever tohave competed in the 20-year history of the PBR.
He had 94 outs in the PBR - 93 of which came in the Built FordTough Championship Round - with a career average bull score of over45.8 points per out. He was ridden 27 times, 15 times byround-winners, with a career average score of 91.87 points.
'He's one of the all-time greats. He's rightup there with the all-time greats that never won it or won it onetime. He's right up there with Red Wolf or Blueberry Wine, and evenpushed Dillinger and Little Yellow Jacket to be as great as theywere.'
"And most of (the qualified rides) were in the short go, not justcompeting against the best bull riders of that time, but the bestbull riders of that weekend," said PBR Livestock DirectorCody Lambert, "so those are really impressivestats."
In addition to winning the 2006 title, he was the high-money bullof the regular season in 2005, earning the most money for theriders who managed to the make the whistle on him.
In 2004, Mike Lee tied for the highest markedride of the year with 93.75 points on him. The highest score onMossy Oak Mudslinger ever came three years earlier, whenCory McFadden covered him for 95.5 points at theWorld Finals in Las Vegas.
"He's one of the all-time greats," Lambert said. "He's right upthere with the all-time greats that never won it or won it onetime. He's right up there with Red Wolf orBlueberry Wine, and even pushedDillinger and Little YellowJacket to be as great as they were."
Lambert compared him Lou Gehrig - one of thegreatest baseball players ever to play for the New York Yankees. Asgreat as his career was, he's always listed behind the legendaryBabe Ruth.
In the years before finally winning the World Champion Bull title,Mossy Oak Mudslinger finished second to Dillinger and then finishedsecond to Little Yellow Jacket.
"There were four years in a row he was nearly the World Champion,"Lambert said, "and he was finally (the World Champion Bull) thelast time.
'The Pages handled him his whole career thevery best anyone could handle him, and they retired him when hestill had it. That's such a cool thing. They didn't bring himaround when everybody could ride him. No one made the whistle onhim who wasn't a great rider.'
"It was like he knocked a home run in his final at-bat."
In his last out, Mossy Oak Mudslinger bucked off GuilhermeMarchi in 5.1 seconds and was marked 46.5 points in Round6 of the 2006 World Finals.
He was a six-time World Finals qualifier and big reason D&HCattle Co. was named Stock Contractor of the Year for five yearsrunning from 2001 through 2005. Page & Teague Bucking Bulls wonin 2006.
"The Pages handled him his whole career the very best anyone couldhandle him, and they retired him when he still had it," Lambertsaid. "That's such a cool thing. They didn't bring him around wheneverybody could ride him. No one made the whistle on him who wasn'ta great rider."
Lambert said he has great memories of Mossy Oak Mudslinger.
One particular out he remembers happens to be the first time hesaw him ridden. Lambert recalled the 3-year-old looking spectacularin Columbus, Ga., when Adam Carrillo rode him for94.5 points in his third outing on the Built Ford Tough Series in2001.
Lambert proclaimed, "He was just an amazing bull."
In an email, H.D.'s sister Johna said that inspite of the sadness of his passing, "Mudslinger was out breedingcows the day he died. His genetics will impact the industry foryears to come. … Mudslinger left some great offspring to carry onhis legacy."
Among his calves are Velvet Slinger, Copperhead Slinger,Double Oak, Little Snake and HotStuff.
"I haven't really even taken time to stop and reflect on howspecial he was," said H.D.
The father-son team of Dillon and H.D. hauledMossy Oak Mudslinger together during his entire career.
While watching Saturday night's ABBI Classic competition, H.D.said, "I was thinking about how good he was as a calf and how goodthese calves are today, and it reminded me of just how special hewas.
"I think he would dominate a futurity or a classic today."