Benny Binion’s World Famous Bucking Horse and Bull Sale
BuckingStockSale.com
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Thanks to the Benny Binion
Bucking Horse and Bull Sale,
the total amount paid
for these stock awards
was $30,000.00.
Bareback Riding
1st Full Baggage
Frontier Rodeo
2nd Good Time Charlie Classic Pro Rodeo LTD
3rd MagicWars
Mosbrucker Rodeos Inc
4th Make Up Face
C5 Rodeo Co.
5th Belle Star
Pro Rodeo, Inc.
Saddle Bronc
1st Chuckulator
Sutton Rodeo
2nd Kool Toddy
Big Bend Rodeo Co.
3rd Tip Off
Frontier Rodeo
4th Spring Planting Flying 5 Rodeo Co.
5th Resistol’s Top Hat Stace Smith Pro
Rodeos
Bull Riding
1st Shepherd
Hills Tested Powder River Rodeo
2nd Vertical Exit
Rafter H Rodeo Livestock
3rd Cash Money Growney Bros Rodeo Co
4th Grey Squirrel
New Frontier Rodeo
5th Business Man Burns Rodeo
2012 WNFR STOCK AWARDS
Saying Curt Robinson is a numbers guy is like saying Billy Etbauer
is a saddle bronc rider. His job every year at the Benny Binion Bucking
Horse and Bull Sale is so undefined that no one seems able to describe
it exactly, yet there is general agreement that he’s essential to its smooth
operation.
“He’s our numbers guy,” says John Barnes, who chairs the sales
committee. “He was always the guy we relied on to keep the stats going,
back in the day of the Big Chief tablet and pens. Now that we have
computers, he has turned into our ‘911’ guy. If there’s a question about a
buyer’s number, he’ll work out their registration. If there’s an issue, he’ll
go put the fire out.”
“I guess I am the numbers guy,” Robinson concurs. “I keep a list of
all previous sales, and keep a summary of each day so we can compare
it to previous years. It’s amazing how often the sellers want to look at
previous years: the high seller each year, the average price for horses or
bulls, who’s bought the most, who’s sold the most.
“The lists help us keep track of who brings the good ones, and
remind people that you can’t bring an animal of lesser quality here,
because it won’t sell. You try to be fair to everyone who wants to bring
stock, but you can only have so many sellers,” he notes. “There’s a lot of
good judges of horses and bulls in the stands, and they’re not going to
put their hands in the air for something that’s mediocre. That’s what we
want – to encourage the quality of the animals that are being sold.
“Eventually, I want to get it all down to where we can see over the
years who’s had the highest-selling bareback horse how many times. In
every other pro sport, the announcers can say things like ‘That’s the first
time that’s happened since 1980,’ and I want to have that information.
“Donna Burkhardt (the Sale’s CPA) has the list of who has come
to the Sale before. I try to have as many people as possible on her list
already printed up, ready to verify their addresses and banks and all that
information,” he says. “It speeds them through registration, and some like
to keep the same number, like Bob Barnes – his number is 3.”
Robinson fondly remembers working with Bob Barnes and his
late wife Donita, for whom the PRCA’s Contract Personnel Lifetime
Achievement Award is now named.
“They worked so good together,” Robinson remembers. “Donita
was all business; he was too, but there were always so many people who
wanted to visit with him: up-and-coming bullfighters, contestants,
committee people. Sometimes Bob would have to ask people to move
over a little because he was trying to register buyers and watch the bulls
buck at the same time.”
Robinson’s worked at the sale for decades because he cares about
every aspect of rodeo, and that extends to the purpose behind the sale:
supporting the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“I’ve been to the Hall a few times, looking at the memorabilia of
guys from years past,” Robinson says. “I think about what they parted
with to allow it to be exhibited there – that they thought so much of the
sport that they’d be willing to give up something important so it could
be part of the display. That says a lot about our sport. I know other pro
sports have their charities, but I don’t think they give from the heart like
our contestants do.”
Curt Robinson:
‘Numbers guy’ now the pinch-hitter
by Anne Christensen
