ALL HAIL KING LOPEZ!

King Lopez waits in the chute. Hartford, CT 2011

Last fall, 1650 pounds of handsome hide and hooves dropped on to my radar screen in the form of K-C Bucking Bull’s King Lopez.  I stood, dumbfounded, on the top chutes in Hartford, CT looking at King Lopez wondering, “Why do I NOT know this bull? And WHERE has he been all my life?”  I immediately declared him my new “Bull Crush” and have followed him ever since.

On Saturday, I had the priviledge of spending some time talking with K-C Bucking Bull’s Stock Contractor and Owner, Kenny McElroy.   Kenny begins by telling me that he purchased King Lopez at an IFR Bucking Bull sale back in January 2010, and King Lopez had just turned 5 years old.  “I saw him buck and he was a freak.  I didn’t care what his bloodlines were, and I got him at a good price.”  When he brought King Lopez home, the bull went at “90 miles an hour and got in to everything.”  Three weeks later Who Dat and Uppercut joined the herd and King Lopez settled down then. Now, Kenny tells me, King Lopez is easy to handle and is “ready to go when the trailer is opened.”

King Lopez hanging out at home.  Photo by K-C Bucking Bulls.

At home, King Lopez, Hot Rod, Where’s the Whiskey, Who Dat and Uppercut are barnyard pals.  “King Lopez calms down at home.  He rests, plays, spars and does his thing, along with getting his exercise in the Bull Walker”.  Kenny told me a funny story.  He said that yesterday it was snowing, so he put the hay and feed under an overhang by his big barn.  King Lopez will only eat from his pan - that’s it!  So Lopez comes in and just rears up, kicked and ran around.  Seems he can amuse himself easily!  Kenny also told me that you can’t pet King Lopez.  “He’s not a love me tender bull”.

King Lopez playing in the Vegas dirt.  Photo by K-C Bucking Bulls.

Who Dat and King Lopez have traveled together since they were 2-3 years old. 
“They get along well, until they enter the arena, then the demeanor completely changes.  They are both serious in the pens.  They are professional athletes and they know why they are there.  They must be penned separately or they will fight.”

King Lopez in the back pens in NYC, January 2012

King Lopez after dumping the rider in NYC, January 2012

I asked Kenny if it bothers him when King Lopez is ridden.  He said, “I feel a little disappointed when he’s rode but if you don’t want your bull to be rode, don’t bring him to the PBR!”  Kenny went on to say that it doesn’t matter how many times Lopez is bucked in a weekend, he just gets stronger.  He needs the opportunity to show his WOW factor!    King Lopez has been in the Short/Championship Round since his 4th PBR event back in 2010.  He’s had 4 scored rides out of 24 outs.  He’s been scored 45 points or higher (out of a possible 50) 6 times, and had the high bull score, last October, in Hartford, CT scoring a 45 and 46 in the same weekend.  In fact, King Lopez has not been scored lower than 43 points in his career!  But King Lopez is not talked about much.  I was starting to think I’d found the PBR’s best kept secret!  Last year King Lopez was chosen to be in the Championship Round at the PBR World Finals, where he dumped the rider and scored a 45!  (King Lopez’s other out at the Finals was also a buck off and a score of 45.5 pts!)  

King Lopez in Las Vegas, October 2011

Eye on the target!  Las Vegas October 2011

I asked Kenny if there are any plans to breed King Lopez.  He explained that King Lopez will be bred this summer, hopefully to Zorro’s Momma and Cool Spot’s Momma.  That’s exciting and I look forward to some Lopez Princes in the future!

Kenny concluded by telling me a bit about his other bulls, and especially the amazing story of his miracle bull, Cool Spot.  Spot has been in the “hospital” for several weeks after having breathing problems and a trach put in.  I asked Kenny if the other bulls noticed Spot was missing.  He said, “yes. You could see a change in their demeanor, especially Stinger, who is penned next to Cool Spot.  When Cool Spot returned, there was a change in the demeanor of the entire row of bulls penned around Cool Spot.”  Spot is still at Texas A&M, recovering but should be home in another 3 weeks.  I suspect there will be a real bull bash when Spot returns!

Kenny thanked his partners, Dale Folds and Keith Strickland.  He said he “couldn’t have two better partners” at K-C Bucking Bulls.

With a pen like King Lopez, Who Dat, Uppercut, Stinger, Hells Bells (a 1/2 brother to Lopez), Rock Star and South Point (to name a few), K-C Bucking Bulls is quietly growing in to a force to be reckoned with at PBR events.  And maybe that’s ok!  I suspect Kenny is just going to let his bulls do the talking!

A HUGE Thank you to Kenny McElroy for taking time out of his busy schedule and talking with me.  It was a real treat to learn more about the handsome King Lopez and life on the K-C Ranch.





Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Susan Hanrahan