“0” (“Ought”)

The brahma bull “0” (pronouced “Ought”) threw many a roughstock cowboy in Ellensburg Rodeo arena from the 1950s through the 1960s. His fierce bucking style combined with a gentle nature to make him on of the most unique and beloved bulls in rodeo history.

“O” was raised an orphan by the Kelsey Rodeo Company. Sonny and Joe Kelsey’s children remember “0” grew up gentle and was easily broke to lead. Although he was tough on other bulls and had to be penned away from them, he remained gentle towards people all of his life. Cletis Lacey has a picture showing his two daughters sitting on “0” who was lying down in his pen at a rodeo. Joe Kelsey had taken the girls over to the pen and placed them on the back of the great bucking bull. “0” didn’t move. “0” continued to be compliant and willing to be handled throughout his life.

“0” was tough to ride, yet when cowboys hit the ground (which they did more often than not), he would stop bucking and shuffle back to leave the arena through the out- gate. Or, as often happened, Wick Peth or another bull fighter would grab him by the horns, stop him, and lead him out of the arena by the tie-up chain around his horns. Because “0” was always so full of dust from pawing, the crowd could not always see when he bucked a cowboy off. His entire performance was enshrouded in dust.

“0” appeared in Ellensburg many times during the 50s and 60s, and was a favorite with the rodeo crowds. Many in the sport consider “0” the greatest bucking bull of all time.