Virgil Says Goodbye to Rodeo Inside the Iconic Thomas and Mack Arena

A look back into Virgil's legendary career as he prepares for his last two trips.

Virgil on the ranch | Alicia Erickson

When C5 Rodeo Co.’s Ranch Manager and Flankman, Tyson Cardinal, stepped up at the 2025 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Awards Banquet to accept Virgil’s Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year title, he kept the focus exactly where it belonged.

He honored a horse that has shaped a generation of bronc riding and continues to set the standard every time the chute opens. And then, at the end of that gratitude, Cardinal dropped an announcement no one saw coming in that moment. 

The retirement of the one and only Virgil.

A Look at a Legend

Virgil | Alicia Erickson

During Virgil’s career, he cemented himself into rodeo history. He’s one of the few bucking horses to ever earn World Champion Bucking Horse honors in both bareback and saddle bronc. He won back-to-back PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year titles in 2017 and 2018, and now, he’s added the 2025 Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year title to that legacy – and that’s exactly how he’ll retire.

Along with his success stateside, he’s just as decorated north of the border with his Canadian Pro Rodeo Association(CPRA) accolades. He’s been honored three times as the CPRA Bareback Horse of the Year in 2015, 2018, and 2024. This year, he entered the Canadian Finals as the reigning Saddle Bronc horse of the Year. 

As if his résumé couldn’t be any more impressive, he holds both the CPRA and the PRCA highest scores. The CPRA record came in 2018, when Richmond Champion made rodeo history after spurring Virgil for 91.25 points at the Ponoka Stampede.

Rocker Steiner and Virgil came together in 2022 at the Riggin’ Rally in Darby, Mont., where they scored an incredible 95 points. It was a moment that reminded everyone why Virgil is in a league of his own. 

“Truth be told, I don't know if we’ll ever see one walk the earth as good as him,” Cardinal shared. “He’s been doing it since he was four, and he’s never had a bad trip in his life.”

Virgil | Fernando Sam-Sin

As 2025 winds down and a new year gets closer, the NFR feels different this time. With the ‘Big Grey’ making his last two trips, it’s more than just another Finals. It’s a goodbye to a horse that has shaped so many moments in rodeo. 

The retirement of F13 Virgil doesn’t just close a chapter; it closes an era built on heart and the kind of greatness you don’t see often. He set the bar higher than most will ever reach, and his legacy will remain forever. 

As the world watches Virgil make his way into the Thomas & Mack for the last time, one question remains: is he peering over the chute into the arena, ready to leave his mark?

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