The Bucking Legends of 2025: Stock of the Year Winners Revealed

The wait is over. The rough stock of the year awards have been announced.

Rocker Steiner | Nathan Meyer Photography

Throughout the 2025 rodeo season, countless broncs and bulls have delivered unforgettable trips across the country, leaving their mark in arenas big and small. But for true stock fans, this is the week that stands above the rest, the moment when the very best are honored with the prestigious Pendleton Whisky’s Let’Er Buck Bucking Stock of the Year Awards. 

Bareback Horse of the Year

For Brookman Rodeo, Lunatic Heaven has been a true game-changer on their string of horses. At just seven years old and only her second year on the road,  she’s already making history and proving herself as a standout mare. 

With 12 outs and nine qualified rides, including two that cracked the 90-point mark, she brings a mix of power and style that makes her a fierce test and a thrilling draw for any cowboy who sees his name next to hers. 

“She goes out there firing as much as she can, and she has so much heart,” Tate Weiferich of Brookman Rodeo stated. “Breaking the arena record in Cheyenne, helping Jacek(Frost) win Puyallup, and they won Nashville, and she’s got buck-offs too, so she’s not easy to ride. She’s been a good horse all year long, and she adds a level of uniqueness. She adds so much to a rodeo and makes it so fun to watch.”

 The award wasn’t one that the Weiferich family took lightly; it carried deep emotion and signified that, after years of hard work and dedication, they had achieved something they’d only once dreamed of.

“When my mom found out, she started crying,” Weiferich shared. “It’s just such a special award and with so many horses to be voted the best of the year, it truly means something.”

Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year

Virgil from C5 Rodeo will be remembered as one of the greatest bucking horses in history. Until that chapter is written, his phenomenal trips and reputation as the bronc every cowboy wants to draw have earned him another honor: Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year. He claimed the title not only in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association(PRCA) but also in the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association(CPRA), solidifying his place as a standout on both sides of the border. 

“He’s pretty special to us, I don’t know if it’s owner blindness, but I think I have the best horse in the world,” Tyson Cardinal, Ranch Manager and Flankman at C5 Rodeo, shared. “For him to do it every time, bareback or saddle bronc, he’s always there to play. He’s never let me down, and I’m super proud of him. Yesterday, when they told me I was lost for words, it meant a lot to me and everyone at home who takes care of him.”

Bucking Bull of the Year

Magic Touch from Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics has proven he’s unlike any bull going down the road. His consistency and demeanor set him apart, and with three high 80-point rides and three more breaking 90 points, Magic Touch consistently demonstrates that he knows exactly what he’s doing.

“This bull has been such a blessing,” Matt Sharping of Phenom Genetics shared. “ He’s so mild-tempered, the only thing he really does is get hangry. The biggest thing about him is his consistency and the fact that he can deliver the same trip every time.”

Behind every great animal is a village of people, and this win means the world to Sharping and those who stand behind him. 

“To watch an animal is like watching your kids do something great,” Sharping explained. “I’m happy for him, I’m proud of him, and I’m happy for all the people who make it work. Everybody works hard, we all put in the effort, and without everyone doing their role, we couldn’t do it.”

In the end, these honors are a testament to the stock, the families, and the years of dedication that continue to shape rodeo. 

---