Remembering PBR Bucking Bull Mick E Mouse

PBR stock contractor Marlene Henry informed the PBR this afternoon that Mick E Mouse was put down today because of unforeseen medical complications.

Mick E Mouse suffered a slight fracture in his lower back during the event in Billings, Montana, earlier this year when he slipped as Nathan Schaper attempted to ride him during the 15/15 Bucking Battle. He was treated at Texas A&M for the injury and returned to his home – stock contractor Kevin Loudamy’s ranch in Brownsboro, Texas – to recover during the summer.

Henry expected Mick E Mouse to return to the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) last weekend in Biloxi, Mississippi, but irregularities in his behavior in July led Henry and Loudamy to seek an additional opinion about his condition from renowned veterinarian Dr. Gary Warner. During the examination, Dr. Warner discovered that the athlete had developed a lesion on his back.

“We suspect that Mick E had a lymphoma lesion within his lumbar spine that caused an inability to properly be able to use his rear limbs.” Dr. Warner explained. “We tried to treat him, but he wasn’t responding so it was time to make that decision. It was a great loss for the sport. I really loved that old bull.”

It was not an easy decision for Henry, but she wanted to ensure that her prized bovine athlete would not be suffering anymore.

“Mick E is no longer in pain,” Henry said. “I will say it has not been all bad. It has been the greatest ride ever. I don’t care if he was No. 1 in the PBR books, but he was to me. He can go to the rainbow bridges and be fat and sassy.”

2015 was the 7-year-old bovine athlete’s fourth season on the BFTS where he remained unridden in 34 outs. He gathered 40 outs over his entire career without a single bull rider conquering him, leading him to the possibility of reaching or even surpassing a PBR record set by Bushwacker back in 2013 of 42 consecutive BFTS buckoffs.

The 2015 PBR World Champion Bull contender managed to buck off riders such as 2013 PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney, 2014 PBR Rookie of the Year J.W. Harris, 2008 PBR World Champion Guilherme Marchi and current No. 3 rider in the PBR world standings Matt Triplett. He also posted the top bull score of the 2015 BFTS season with 47 points out of 50 in Anaheim, California, against Harris.

According to probullstats.com, Mick E Mouse has acquired an average bull score of 44.76 points. The rider who was closest to hitting the 8-second mark atop this unridden bovine was Harris during the 2014 BFTS event in Thackerville, Oklahoma, but Mick E Mouse successfully tossed him in 7.47 seconds.

“Mick E Mouse was an extraordinary animal athlete with an incredible story behind his rise to fame.” said PBR CEO Sean Gleason. “He was one of those special bulls with the raw talent and a never quit attitude that made him virtually impossible to ride. It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to a remarkable bucking bull and the entire PBR organization is grieving with Ms. Henry and Mr. Loudamy as they have to deal with the loss.”

About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR);
The world’s premier bull riding organization began as a dream of 20 bull riders 23 years ago and is now a global sports phenomenon. PBR broadcasts reach more than half a billion households in 40 nations and territories around the world, and more than 3 million fans attend live events each year. On its elite Built Ford Tough Series, the PBR features the Top 35 bull riders in the world and the top bulls in the business. The televised Built Ford Tough Series, the BlueDEF Velocity Tour, the Touring Pro Division and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico have paid more than $140 million in earnings to its athletes. Twenty-seven men have earned more than $1 million, including three-time World Champion Silvano Alves who, in just 54 months, won more than $5.2 million to become the richest bull rider in history. In May 2015, PBR was acquired by WME | IMG, the global leader in sports, entertainment, media and fashion. For more information on the PBR, go to PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.