C5 Rodeo Announces Virgil's Retirement After the 2025 NFR

You cannot talk about great bucking horses without mentioning Virgil F13 from the C5 Rodeo Company. This beautiful bucker was born in 2008 in North Dakota but has spend a majority of his life in Alberta, Canada. In 2013, Virgil first made his presence known to the pro rodeo world with strong buck off rate of 25% in the bareback, an average stock score of 44.65, and average score of 82.33 from 3 qualified PRCA rides.

By 2016, Virgil was coming into his stride as a good bucking horse. That year Caleb Smith scored an 86.5 point ride at the Wrangler Champions Challenge in Rapid City, South Dakota and Blake Smith scored an impressive 90 point ride on him at the Maah Daah Hey Stampede in Grassy Butte, North Dakota. These were two of the five qualified bareback rides that year with an average score of 84.3. 2016 was also the year Virgil made his first debut at The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo where Tanner Aus scored an 88 point ride and Winn Ratliff rode him for 86.5 points.

The following year Virgil returned again to The Wrangler NFR and this time Tim O'Connell rode him for 91.5 point ride that brought the rodeo fans to their feet in the Thomas and Mack. That high of a score that had only been seen four times previously in NRF history, the last being in 2008 by Bobby Mote.

But Virgil was only just getting warmed up cementing his legacy as a supreme bucker at The Wrangler NFR. In 2018 in Round Five, Clay Biglow scored a 93 point ride- a new arena record that received a standing ovation from the packed house at the Thomas and Mack. That year Virgil had an incredible average score of 89.08 from six qualified rides. Also in 2018, Kaycee Fields earned a heft payout of over $400,000 thanks to a winning 90.75 point ride on Virgil at The American.

In 2019, Richmond Champion's dominated in the bareback with his 92 point ride on this powerful bronc at the The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. This was not the first two these two had matched up. Richmond Champion had previously had a 90 point winning ride on him at the 2017 Calgary Stampede. At The Wrangler NRF that year, Trenten Montero had an 89.5 point ride on him followed by Tilden Hooper scoring a 92 points.

In 2021, Lefty Holman had a 90.50 point ride on him in the saddle bronc at the Fiesta Days Rodeo in Spanish Fork, Utah. In the saddle bronc, Virgil had an average stock score of 46.60 and an average score of 90.5. In the bareback, both of his qualified rides were 90 point rides as well. Cole Reiner scored a 90.5 point ride on him at The American and Tilden Hooper scored a 90.5 point ride on him at the Clovis Rodeo.

In 2022, an upcoming rodeo superstar by the name of Rocker Steiner had two memorable 90 point rides on Virgil. First he scored a jaw dropped 95 point ride on him at the Riggin Rally Xtreme Broncs in Darby, Montana in June followed by a 92 point ride at the Last Chance Stampede in Helena, Montana in July. Tilden Hooper also had a 90 point ride on him at the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo in Baker, Montana in that August. That year Virgil had 5 qualified rides with an average score of 86.8.

2023 was also a year of high marked rides with Donny Proffit's 90 point ride at The Red Bluff Roundup, Cole Franks' 91.5 point ride at The Last Chance Stampede, and Trevar McAllister's 88 point ride at The Fallon County Fair & Rodeo. At the Wrangler NFR that year, Mason Clements had an 84 point ride on him along with Jayco Roper's phenomenal 89.5 point ride.

By 2024, Virgil hit the zenith of his career with 8 qualified rides and an average score of 88.56. That year Bobby Reynolds had an 84 point ride at 85th Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo, R.C. Landingham had a 92.5 point ride at Red Bluff Round-Up, Leighton Berry had an 88.5 point ride at the Clovis Rodeo, Kade Sonnier had an 89 point ride at the Cody Stampede, Jacob Lees had a 90.5 point ride at Last Chance Stampede, and Last Chance Stampede had an 89.5 point ride at the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo. That same year at The Wranglers NFR, Jacob Lees had a 91 point ride and Jess Pope 87 point ride.

This year as the 18 year old gelding heads into his final Wrangler NFR, he has still had a strong season with an average stock score of 45.75 and average score of 85.25. Donny Proffit had an 82.5 point ride on him at the Red Bluff Round-up and Tilden Hooper had an 88 point ride at the Clovis Rodeo. The odds look good that we might see a high 80 or 90 point ride at The Wrangler NFR this year as Virgil says his final goodbye to the bright lights of Vegas and his time in the arena spotlight as one of the true legends in the bucking horse world.

I think we speak for many rodeo fans when we say enjoy your well-earned retirement but you will be greatly missed next rodeo season Virgil.