Why? Because Superman is a 1,600-pound bull, and if you think he’s not the best of the best, just ask the cowboys who straddle the behemoth during the ominously named Battle of the Beast, which takes place through September in Union Bridge, Maryland.
But cowboys will tell you something else about Superman, too. Once he gets you off, he won’t try to stomp or gore you. It’s as if he’s saying, “Nothing personal, son, but I have a reputation to uphold.”
Superman’s home, the J Bar W Ranch, is owned by John Williams II, his daughter Lisa, and John (“Sonny”) Williams III. At one time, the Williams were dairy farmers. But in 1989, Sonny decided he’d like to ride bulls, so the family built two bucking chutes. Sonny’s idea wasn’t a pipe dream. He was good at bull riding, hitting the rodeo circuit and competing all over the country.
Bull Riding is dangerous; more injuries occur from this sport than any other. For that reason, Sonny was on and off the circuit from 1995-97. Meanwhile, back in Frederick County, the rest of the family had started a new business—the Born To Buck Program—breeding their cows with bulls from a family line of good buckers, mostly Plummer bulls. And therein lies a story.
Bucking bulls are born, not made; in other words, it’s nature, not nurture. Many years ago, an American sailor took a liking to some cattle he saw in Italy. He brought 20 cows and one bull to Oklahoma and turned them loose on a mountain. He put a longhorn bull and a Brahma bull in with the Italian ones. But the sailor, whose name was Hallum, did nothing with them, and they soon became wild. Years of inbreeding produced an interrelated herd.
As time went on, the wild herd multiplied and became a problem. A group was formed to get the herd off the mountain. One member of the group, a man named Charley Plummer, took the herd to his ranch. Whether it was inbreeding alone or the fact that these cattle had had no contact with humans, Plummer quickly found out that they were far superior to other buckers. The Plummer bull was soon famous nationwide.
Superman is a Plummer bull, and John Williams says 90 percent of his herd (both cows and bulls) are of Plummer ancestry.
Come 1996, the Williams family decided to bring the rodeo to the J Bar W. They already had the bulls, so they bought some bleachers for spectators. Sonny Williams had been on the board of the UBR (United Bull Riders Association), but had left due to policy differences. He has since established the IBR (International Bull Riders). They now had bulls, bleachers, and a sanctioning body. It took awhile to get the needed zoning, but, on June 7, 1997, the first J BAR W rodeo was held before 3,000 satisfied fans.
The Born To Buck program was also a big success; today, the Williams family ships bulls all over the country.
But who are these cowboys who risk serious injury by climbing onto the backs of 1,600 pounds of absolute danger?
They’re a varied lot. About 20 bull riders are from Brazil. Others come from as far south as Florida and as far north as Maine. Occasionally, riders from out west come to the J Bar W. They pay $100 to join the IBR and a $100 entry fee, no matter the venue. There are 64 venues in the IBR, so a rider can ride more than once a week if he wants.
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