Rodeo Royalty doesn’t always appear in Las Vegas wearing queenly tiaras or 500x cowboy hats. Many show up in shaggy winter coats with a few extra layers of fat fresh off of rest, relaxation and all of the quality alfalfa hay they can eat. Lunatic Party is in that camp.
Lunatic Party is the three-time and reigning Canadian Saddle Bronc of the Year for owners Outlaw Buckers Rodeo Corporation of Wainwright, Alberta … themselves twice named Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Stock Contractor of the Year.
Lunatic Party was foaled in 2005 in Big Hole Valley near Wisdom, Montana. Jess Martin bred and raised the daughter of Burch Rodeo Company’s prolific stallion Lunatic Fringe and out of the solid bucking mare War Party he purchased from Sankey Pro Rodeo in 2000.
“I bucked her for the first time as a long 3-year-old,” Martin said. “She wasn’t impressive. In 2010, I stocked a bronc riding school in Bozeman, Montana, and needed to gather the hoppers who’d give the students a chance to learn their craft. I told the kid getting on her that she was just real nice and easy. That kid nodded for her and we saw a whole different horse. She was rank!”
Martin entered the mare in a few futurities during her 5-year-old year and every trip, the paint mare got stronger. He made the decision to enter her in the select ARIAT World Bucking Futurity, which was held during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) with a guaranteed $10,000 to the winner.
“She was the talk of the town among horsemen going into that event. Everybody thought she’d be the horse to beat and likely top the select futurity horse session of the Benny Binion’s World Famous Bucking Horse Bull Sale,” said Martin. “She didn’t do either … just had an off day.”
Outlaw Buckers bought the 5-year-old for $15,000 and she hasn’t missed the December trip to Las Vegas for the WNFR since.
At 10, Lunatic Party is on top of her game. Coming off of a win under Wade Sundell at the Canadian Finals Rodeo with an 87 point score, the great mare joined her half-brother, Lunatic From Hell and her sire, Lunatic Fringe.
While she bucks, recipient mares in Canada will carry her foals by the Calgary Stampede champion sire Grated Coconut for their mid-year 2016 grand entries.
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