The American Heritage Futurity is always one of the most anticipated events of the season, with a huge prize purse that draws some of the most talented Futurity bulls of the season. “This was the most successful Heritage we have ever had,” shared ABBI President Russ Gant. “This really is becoming a signature event for the ABBI and one that breeders from coast-to-coast come out for.”

The 2009 event had 151 bulls entered and $387,450 paid out. 77 Jug Head pocketed the big dollars, winning over $100,000 for an 83.75-point score that landed him in first.

“He bucked like hell, I thought!” said a happy H.D. Page following the victory. “He does everything one can do, and he does it right in the gate.”

Jug Head had placed at some events, but D&H/Flinn (Eldon, Lyndon, Randal and Jason Flinn) weren't expecting him to go all the way at one of the most prestigious ABBI event of the year. “He never fails to kick, he leaps and turns and does it all—just like you want one to,” enthused H.D. Page, “but I felt like he was missed the first few times I took him to events.”

“It was the first bull that we partnered on with the Flinns,” shared H.D. “Randal and I bought him off the internet. His sire (Wrangler Renegade) is out of Wrangler Sports Jacket.” Jug Head was purchased from 3 Bar A.

“We sold three bulls at that sale,” shared Scott Ashley about the sale of Jug Head. “The other two were half-brothers to Jug Head and they were bought by Guilherme Marchi. Chris Shivers bought our heifers.” Ashley said that Jug Head’s dam came from the late Vicky Long’s program. Long bought Plummers from Charlie Plummer before his death. “Renegade’s dam is a halfsister to Mossy Oak Mudslinger,” explained Ashley of how things came full circle back to the Pages.

Ashley was thrilled when he had heard Jug Head had won—and shocked when he learned how much money the bull had won. “I had no idea the event paid out that much,” said Ashley, who is now looking into competing at Futurities.

One of the big differences from last year was the amount of time the bulls bucked with a dummy. At the start of the season, the rule went into effect that changed it from from six to four seconds. “I don’t think changes we made for this year–like bucking the calves with a dummy for only 4 seconds– affected anything negatively,” assessed Gant. “I think it is going to save our calves a bit more, so I believe that we made the right move by going to 4 seconds with the futurity calves.” Last year's American Heritage winner, Davis/Canter's Super Freak, was back to compete in the 3-year-old Derby. “I thought the quality of the bulls was really high again this year,” shared Jerome Davis.

U-7042 Pure Smoke finished a mere quarter-point behind the champion. The Cody Ohl/Ken & Tex Brashear bull’s 83.5 was worth over $58,000. A quarter-point behind Pure Smoke was 46 Lil Moody. The AM Bucking Bulls’ athlete earned nearly $35,000 for his 83.25. D&H’s 33T Double Dip was fourth with an 83 and splitting fifth was 715 Quick Turnaround (Monty Samford/Warren Dozier) and 83T Lil' Squirt (D&H) with 82.75.

D&H dominated the next five places: 45T High Times (82.5); T03 Itchy Kitty (81.75, owned with Jirl Buck); 01T All The Above (81.25); Page 94T (81.25); and 40T Wild Yeller (81.25).

Cody Ohl / Ken & Tex Brashear found themselves in the money again with 702 White Velvet in twelfth with an 81 for $9,686.Boyd- Floyd/Jackson's 649 Get N Busy was an 80.75. Splitting fourteenth was 716 (Andrews Rodeo) and 30T Crazy Bag (D&H Cattle Co / Bagley) with 80s.

In the last six paying positions were 710 Little White Out from Cody Ohl / Shonda Tillman with 79.75; S 731 from Diamond S Bucking Bulls with a 79.5; 705 Octane from Cross E Bucking Bulls also with a 79.5; 701 from Trevor Walker with a 79; 205 Mammer Jammer from Boyd- Floyd/ Nacarrato with a 77.75 and, with another 77.75, Page 13T from D&H Cattle Co/ Weber.

Breeders enter their animals in the American Heritage system and then make payments to keep them eligible for competition when they reach 2 years of age. D&H Cattle Co. and their partners are big believers and supporters of the American Heritage and are diligent about registering their calves. Their belief in their animals and the American Heritage system paid off. The D&H name was on 10 of the top 20 finishers, earning the Page family over $200,000.

But some of the names in the winner's circle were unfamiliar to many-which is a good sign that our industry continues to expand and attract new breeders. “With the big payouts at the Heritage I think it is getting more people interested in the ABBI and more people are keeping up with those payments,” explained Gant. “It is great to see new names and new faces!”

Photos by Allen Glanville.