This issue's superstar is a no-brainer — Tom Teague's Bones. The 5-year-old bull was one of Cody Lambert's All-Star picks for the PBR World Finals as well as one of the cowboys' top 5 picks for World Champion Bucking Bull.

Bones faced stiff competition. In order to prove Cody and the cowboys' opinions correct, he needed to out-perform four other superstars in Las Vegas: Troubadour, Copperhead Slinger, All In and Spit Fire.

Of the five bulls in contention to be crowned the king of all buckers, Bones was the only one who entered the Finals unridden. But a 100% buckoff rate wasn't enough. The bull scored the highest by the judges would be the animal that would take the title.

Julio and Cindy Moreno's Troubadour initially looked to be the front-runner headed into Las Vegas. Troubadour tied for 2007 Mikel Moreno Bull of the PBR Finals honors and was the 2007 ABBI Classic Champion. He won a record-setting $318,000 in 2007. In 2008 Troubadour had some of the highest marked scores of the season and was only ridden twice, once by Mike White in Tulsa in what Cody Lambert described as “one of the best rides ever.”

However Troubadour wasn't the only bull to have an outstanding season leading up to the showdown in Sin City. Bones was the bull of the event in Nashville and Jacksonville, and during the regular season he bucked off such notables as Ednei Caminhas twice, and tossed Brian Canter, Justin McBride and Guilherme Marchi.

Bones, whom Lambert described earlier in the season as an “up and coming champion” was also all business in Las Vegas. First he bucked off McBride in 4.7 seconds in round two and then Zach Brown in round four in two seconds.

Bones, son of Bone Collector and a Whitewater Skoal daughter, is from Tom Teague's breeding program. Back in 2006 when Teague shared Stock Contractor of the Year honors with D&H Cattle Co. he said that the only thing that could beat the thrill of that honor would to be to have a bull from his breeding program someday win PBR World Champion Bucking Bull. That day probably came sooner than Teague expected, and he was thrilled.

“This is the first bull that I've had make the PBR Finals that we've reared,” shared Teague at a press conference following the champiosnhip round. “At home I can walk up and rub his head. I love him to death!”

Teague has been fond of his star since he was just skin and bones. “He was so skinny a few years ago! I was always saying we need to feed that bull and he'd just be standing out there by himself,” shared Teague. That skinny bull filled out to 1,525 pounds and more than came into his own. The Torres Bros. offered Teague $15,000 for Bones a few years ago. He told them he wanted $30,000 and they declined. “Boy am I glad!” Teague declared of the decision.

Marchi faced Bones once again in the championship round of the World Finals. Marchi had accrued enough points to seal the World Champion title the night before, but was looking to ride eight for eight and to set a record and win the event title as well.

Ultimately it was Robson Palermo who rode Boyd-Floyd's retiring Camo (the bull who helped secure the world title for McBride in 2005 and 2007) to the whistle and took the event win. Marchi held no ill-will toward Bones though. “He is a great, great bull,” stressed Marchi. “He beat me before and he beat me again! Maybe someday I will beat him, but I don't know. He is so good.” Bones was the only bull Marchi didn't get to pick — all other rounds of the Finals were drafts. “I would like to ride him again, but I don't know if I'd pick him right now!”

Bones was scored 47.25 for his trip with Marchi. That brought his total to 140.75, a quarter-point ahead of Troubadour. Troubadour also earned a 47.25 during the championship round, so the two highest-marked bulls shared the Mikel Moreno Bull of the PBR Finals Award for highest score. Alex Naccarato's All In came in third for 2008 World Champion Bucking Bull with 140, followed by C&G's Spit Fire with 137.5 and Berger/Struve's Copperhead Slinger with 136.75.

Bones victory came with $20,000, a Big Tex trailer and a buckle Teague will probably wear for years to come. Teague's program will undoubtedly produce more champions, herd sires he now owns include Mossy Oak Mudslinger, Little Yellow Jacket and Big Bucks.

“We have Bull of the Years from five or six years, but Bones is the first from my program,” said Teague proudly. So where does Teague go from here?

“When my son graduates from Texas A&M he'll take it over from there.”