✝️ 🐴🪽 570 “KILLER BEE” 🐝 (2005-2024)

Owned by: 🇺🇸 Beutler & Son Rodeo Co.

🏆 🇺🇸 2026 ProRodeo Hall of Fame Bucking Horse

🏆 2019 PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year

⭐️🐴Top NFR Bareback Horse: 2018 & 2020 | ⭐️🐴 Top NFR Saddle Bronc Horse: 2013, 2024 & 2022

True to form, the big, strong famous bucking mare, Killer Bee, came out of the chute with massive vertical kicks that put saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden off balance. While most competitors tend to get bucked off soon after these moves by the mare, Braden weathered the first two jumps and then found his form and rhythm. Once they synced up, the duo went on to complete a Greeley Stampede record setting ride of 89.50 points and a 2022 Greeley Stampede title for Braden in front of a loud short go crowd (June 30). – READ MORE (thefencepost.com)

It was at the third jump aboard Killer Bee when saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden finally got in sync with the famous bucking mare and the duo began impressing the judges on their way to a Greeley Stampede arena record of 89.5 points. READ MORE (thefencepost.com)

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Legendary NFR bucking horse Killer Bee passes away at 19

BY ALEX DODD, PRCA MEDIA REPORTER | Jul 12, 2024

After spending the last two years in retirement, Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Killer Bee passed away on July 10.

“Killer Bee” strung together a remarkable career as a PRCA bareback and saddle bronc horse.

Upon retirement after the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Killer Bee entered the breeding program and died due to pregnancy complications at 19 years old.

“She was a once in a lifetime horse,” Rhett Beutler, partner at Beutler & Son, told the ProRodeo Sports News. “You’re going to go through a lot of horses to find one that gives what she gave every time, and has the longevity, awards and spectacular outs she had.”

Killer Bee earned top bareback horse of the 2018 and 2020 NFRs and top saddle bronc horse of the 2013, 2014 and 2022 NFRs.

She also won PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year honors in 2019, top bareback horse of Round 3 at the 2019 NFR and top saddle bronc horse of Round 4 and Round 9 of the 2022 NFR.

Killer Bee’s last ride proved a memorable one in Round 9 of the 2022 NFR. In her last out, Dawson Hay tied the Round 9 record with a 92-point ride in front of a packed house at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

After the ride, Killer Bee trotted around the arena for one last standing ovation.

“She had lots of spectacular moments, but the way that was billed, the way it happened and the retirement run around the arena were the icing on the cake,” Beutler said. “It was a good farewell.”

Beutler said he wanted Killer Bee to go out in her prime, rather than watching her diminish over the years.

“You don’t want them to keep going until they get to the point where everybody rides and gets 83s,”he said. “Then you lose that electricity that she brought into the arena. You couldn’t have scripted it, written it up or drawn it out any better than the way it happened.”

After her last ride, Killer Bee developed a reputation for trying to load up in the rig with the other bucking stock.

Beutler said he’ll remember Killer Bee for more than the gold buckles and impressive outs.

“We raised her on a bottle,” he said. “She was a bottle-colt because her mama died when she was a couple of weeks old. So, there’s that bond there and it’s kind of like losing a family member or somebody that’s really close to you.”

READ MORE (ProRodeo.com)

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