Coyote is one of Bob Black’s most memorable Christmas gifts.
One of the best bucking broncs Bob ever raised, the retired rodeo star returned in December to his birth ranch near Consul, Sask., as a gift from Bob’s son, Dan.
Giving was easy, but getting the gelding home required help from a lot of people.
Dan’s first step was to ask Coyote’s owners in Sterling, Colorado, to give him the horse. Then, the Calgary Stampede agreed to ship Coyote for free to its ranch in Hanna, Alta. Neighbours in Consul, Sask., kept the horse until Dan brought him home to his parents, Bob and Dixie, on Christmas morning.
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Emotion is still raw in Dixie’s voice as she recalled Dan taking them to the barn to show them the special gift. The Clydesdale thoroughbred cross’s white feet and distinctive white blaze over the left eye were unmistakable.
“I knew who it was,” said Bob, who thought Coyote had died years earlier.
“It was almost like looking at a ghost.”
Dixie said Bob always hoped Coyote might come home one day. Described as a one-of-a-kind horse, Coyote created much excitement at rodeos.
“After a bucking, Coyote would run around the arena with his head in the air, proud as can be,” Dixie said. “He was a horse cowboys loved to draw.”
She remembered his early days on the ranch hiding from those trying to load him and spooking other horses.
“He was an outlaw,” Dixie said. “It was quite a little rodeo to get him penned.”
The Blacks operate a cattle ranch near Consul, but once staged rodeos and raised bucking broncs.
They sold Coyote at age three to the Bar T Rodeo Company of McCord, Sask. The horse received many accolades during his 22 years on the rodeo circuit. He was named the Canadian Champion Bareback Horse of 1985 and helped win a $50,000 prize for Steve Dunham, placing among the highest bareback scores in Canadian rodeo history.
The bucking and later saddle bronc horse participated in the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton and the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dan said a good rodeo horse starts with the right genetics. Even so, only 100 of 1,000 horses will turn out to be good rodeo stock, he said.
In his seven years of saddle bronc riding on the pro rodeo circuit, Dan never drew Coyote’s name. While tempted to ride him now, Dan said that’s not likely.
“He’s done his time; he’s retired now,” he said.
Dixie said Coyote eats a bucket of oats every day, and snorts and bucks about, but never lets anyone get too close.
“He’s 24 years old and he looks so good, he looks 12,” said Dixie. “He looks like he’s had a heck of a good life.”
