Kenny Young Bullriding Classic packs a wild ride

This boutique rodeo is famous throughout the west for its 'old school' style.

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The K.E.Y Ranch hosted the 18th Annual Kenny Young’s Bull Riding Classic this weekend at the Kenny and Emily Young (K.E.Y.) family ranch. The event holds a special significance when it was rescheduled to honor the memory of Kenny Young Jr. on what would have been his 42nd birthday, November 10.


Since his passing June 10, 2018

his father and mother, Kenny and Emily Young, who knew him best, knew he would have wanted the show to go on and so it did, and in a fine showmanship of bull riding.
The Bull Riding Classic is small but it’s famously known for its ‘old school’ style of one-chance ride-off. The event attracts bull riders from all over the country. On average up to 20 riders get a triple chance to score in the top ten to qualify for the main event, the Shoot-out. The top ten vie for over ten thousand dollars in payouts to the top six riders of the Shoot-out and, of course, bragging rights for a year.


The vibe of the event was electric and charged with adrenaline as the crowd was treated to front row seats and a two-camera Jumbo-tron screen that highlighted the rides in real time.  Spectators, family and friends were all on the edge of their seats praying they see their favorite rider reach the eight second buzzer without injury.


In a whir of horns and hooves, partnered with the colorful chaps of the riders, one never knew what they would see, a great ride or a cowboy tossed high in the air. The Classic promised both and delivered in the qualifier rounds. The rodeo clowns nearly stole the show trying to predict where the riled-up bull would attack once the cowboy was off. The clowns put on their own displays of  bravery and skill and did a great job protecting the tossed bullriders.


In the middle of the event the Young family took a moment to remember Kenny Jr. with a pictorial montage of his life from birth to his final days. Emily became emotional but as the Young’s are famously known for being very family oriented, the Young family stood together to watch the memorial video. When Kenny Jr.’s animals were brought to the arena to honor his love of the cowboy life, the ranch and the animals, a moment of silence was observed.  


“[When I was watching the video] I was thinking of all the good times we had together with him and enjoying him throughout his rodeo life,” said his mother, Emily about her son who was also known for his dedication to the community and always having a kind word for people when they needed it. “He was a good man he was definitely here in spirit and I know he really enjoyed what he saw here because I did.”


As the event went forward the Shoot-out came next and the riders had to draw to ride the best and toughest bulls in the K/L Bucking Bulls stables. Six of the ten bulls in the Shoot-out had been chosen for the Indian National Finals Rodeo event in Las Vegas this year, which meant the bulls have big reputations to uphold. As the bulls were being prepped their energy made them buck and shake the chutes.


The first rider in the number 10 chute was Charles Benson who drew the biggest and toughest bull in stock, Hilton Hotel, an INFR heavy hitter. No score and no time for Benson; Hilton Hotel bucked Benson off. Benson’s overall qualifier score was 73.


Number nine, Skylar Ott drew Major Cha Ching, another INFR superstar. Ott had an over all qualifier score of 73. He rode Major Cha Ching for a couple seconds but not enough to place.


The eighth place rider, Aaron Clark drew Toby and was able to stay on a few seconds but with no score. Clark had an overall score of 75.5.


The seventh rider Tyson Tsinigini drew Dancing Water, also an INFR bull. Tsinigini was bucked off with no score. Tsinigini had an overall score of 77 points.


The next rider in the sixth chute, Wyatt Nez, drew a heavy hitter INFR bull from the stock bred at the K/L ranch, Ice Pick who has a reputation for success, which was unbroken when he threw Nez immediately. The rodeo clowns were in top form when Ice Pick went for Nez. Nez had no score but went home with the sixth place payout with an overall score of 79 points.


Fifth place rider, Andy Sells drew Little Big Man and was able to ride him for the full eight seconds with a score of 82.5, which qualified him for the second place spot payout. He also scored 80.5 in the qualifier round.


Fourth rider John Mast, a ranch hand at the K.E.Y. ranch, drew White River. Mast rode White River for eight seconds that earned him a third place score of 81.5. Mast had an additional overall score in the qualifier round of 82 points.


Wyatt Betoney in the third chute drew Antelope Canyon and was unable to score when Antelope Canyon threw Betoney. Betoney walked away with the fifth place payout with an overall qualifier score of 153.5.


The second chute rider, Tustin Daye drew the famous Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and INFR bull, Kenny’s Homeboy. Kenney’s Homeboy had a beautiful show of everything the K/L Bucking Bulls ranch promises. Kenny’s Homeboy was set apart from the rest of the stable due to having no horns for the rider to contend with so spinning and bucking wildly was the style of this bull. Daye had a slim chance to ride Kenny’s Homeboy with success but after a few seconds Daye was unable to stay on the wild bucking and was thrown. Daye had an overall score qualifier score of 155 points and went home with the fourth place payout and bragging rights for riding a great bull.


The first chute rider, Troy Tuni took first place with the winner take all ride. Tuni drew INFR bull, Rebel Yell. Rebel Yell has a long reputation for bucking riders almost immediately and was already bucking in the chute. Once Tuni gave the signal he rode Rebel Yell with almost text book perfection for the full eight plus seconds. Tuni was able to successfully jump off and then Rebel Yell turned his horns to him. But the rodeo clowns were able to guide the bull back into the corral. Tuni gained an impressive 87 points for the win with an overall 161.5 qualifier score. Tuni, 19 years old from Round Rock wins his fourth year at the Kenny Young’s Bull Riding Classic will return next season to defend his title.
Kenny Sr. told the Chronicle the bulls at the K/L ranch are born with the talent. “They already know how to buck and they do their job and we just feed them good and take care of them. Kenny’s Homeboy did show out. He is a PBR bull.”


Emily added “We take care of them like they are our own kids.”


The 18th Annual Kenny Young’s Bull Riding Classic was high energy in an intimate setting of a small arena that brought back old school rodeo traditions and the strong feeling of family. With Ray Champ as the Master of Ceremony and former bull rider now world championship hoop dancer, Tomas Hunt, and great food made the event one of the best in the Grand Circle Area. The Classic is an annual event and will return next year in the fall as stated in the memorial montage, “The show must go on.”