Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

Year Around Efforts Of Diverse Western Enthusiasts Bring Together Eighth Annual Flint Hills Bull Blowout

“Four hours of the most exciting Western action involves immense advance time of work and coordination.

After the best cowboy accepted his championship buckle and check, arena lights were shut off, that was the beginning of this year’s Flint Hills Bull Blowout. 

Bull riding adrenalin flows strong for the Flint Hills Genetics bucking bull breeders Kyle, Jenna, Tate and Karlie Jo Gibb, Kim, Lana, and Wyatt Reyer, and Adam, Kelsey and Lakin Spain. They’re producing the Flint Hills Bull Blowout Saturday night, Sept. 9. Several bulls produced by the family business will be in the bull riding draw. Since this photo at the conclusion of last year’s event, little baby Maelie Gibb has been added to the crew.

“As soon as we got done with our bull riding competition last September, I was thinking and planning how to make this year’s bigger and better,” claimed Kim Reyer of Flint Hills Genetics at Strong City.

“Each year, we try to make changes to improve the quality of production and entertainment for the spectators and the competitors,” added Reyer, enthusiast bucking bull breeder-bull riding promoter.

The eight annual Flint Hills Bull Blowout is set for Strong City’s famed Flint Hills Rodeo Arena Saturday evening, Sept. 9, with a full slate of attractions.

“This is truly a family affair with the strongest community support, and very cooperative assistance of many others throughout the Midwest,” credited Reyer.

“First and foremost to have such an event requires bucking bulls and cowboys,” he emphasized.

Several bulls from the Reyer family’s Flint Hills Genetics breeding program are to be in the draw.

“We’re pleased about that, but especially happy our good friend Jimmy Crowther of New Frontier Rodeo Company at Roxbury will be in a return engagement with his National Finals Rodeo caliber bucking stock,” Reyer said. “Several of the very best bull riders in the country are coming to test their abilities riding the bulls.”

Again the producer-promoter acknowledged his family for their assistance. “I just can’t say enough about what my wife Lana, our daughters Jenna and Kelsey and their families along with our son Wyatt do to make this all come together,” Reyer emphasized.

Making it a full evening of living the true cowboy feeling of the Flint Hills, activities kick off with a community-organized barbecue beef supper at 6 o’clock.

Especially for the younger generation cowboys and cowgirls, there’ll be a mutton busting, actually riding wooly-ewe sheep, at 6:30. “Kids six and under can call to enter at 620-273-6229, with prizes for the top riders,” Reyer said.

First chute gate opens at 7 o’clock, when the official bull riding competition with 30 contestants gets underway.

“It truly is humbling the quality of the bulls, and cowboys who will be competing, right here in the rodeo arena made famous by world champion cowboys Gerald and Ken Roberts, their sister Marge and dad E.C.,” Reyer emphasized.

Competition will feature several of the bulls Reyer has produced with his family partners, including sons-in-law, Adam Spain and Kyle Gibb. Still, most of the bulls will be from Crowther’s world-renowned New Frontier Rodeo Company

“Jimmy has the top bulls in the world backed by more than 40 years of strict selection for bucking ability,” credited Reyer. “Jimmy was a champion bull rider, who started breeding bucking bulls in 1978.”

Several professional cowboys and circuit champions are anticipating the event for the quality of livestock they’ll be mounting.

As special incentive, a $1,000 bonus is provided by Flint Hills Genetics and Reyer’s Country Store. “This added money goes to the champion along with entry fee payback that’ll also be distributed to the top four scoring contestants,” Reyer explained.

Prairie Rattler from the Flint Hills Genetics bull breeding program at Strong City will be a featured attraction in the draw for the eighth annual Flint Hills Bull Blowout at Strong City Saturday evening, Sept. 9.

Halfway through the first go-round of bull riding, the chicken coop will open, roosters and hens scattering with children, 10 and under chasing, after them.

“The chicken scramble is always one of the most exciting attractions right after the bull riding itself,” Reyer conceded. “It takes a while sometimes, but the children are always the winners. There’s never been a rooster escape, completely.”

“We’re really excited that renowned country singer Rusty Rierson will be featured at intermission between the long go-ground and final short-go of bull riders,” Reyer said.

“At my shows, I always sing and plays tribute to George Strait, Don Williams, and my other heroes, as well performing my own music,” Rierson related.

Top ten bull riders from the long go-round will come back in the short go-round with the top scores taking home the loot.

What’s a rodeo without a clown, what’s a bull riding without protection? “Well, we have a the best as Mark and Luke Peters, ranchers near Randall, are returning to take care of our bullfighting duties. They’re a funny entertaining pair in their own right, too,” Reyer assured.

Mark Peters and his brother Luke, Randall ranchers, will protect bull riders from mean bucking bulls as the bullfighters at the Flint Hills Bull Blowout in Strong City Saturday evening, Sept. 9.

Essential to success of a bull riding are the cowboy and bull introductions and color commentary of the arena action. “Again, it’ll be a return engagement of Troy Goodridge of Fort Scott as the announcer,” Reyer said. “Troy works the biggest and best rodeos and bull ridings in the country, because he knows the sport best.”

“See you September 9, at Strong City, it’ll be a night in the arena with the most exciting Western action anywhere,” the promoter welcomed.

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