At the end of last year’s ABBI competition during the Wild Card competition, a new group of breeders made their presence known. That partnership, known as “The Firm,” consists of three breeders — Curtis Mendell, Mike Lane & Billy Downard, aka Mendell, Lane & Downard.

This group was formed in March of 2007 while attending an event in Ft. Worth, TX. Mendell was bucking his bull, 420 Chester, and Lane and Downard were there looking for a bull to purchase. Lane and Downard were breeders, but wanted a bull they felt would be competitive enough to win some events. The two approached Mendell wanting to buy the bull outright, but Mendell wanted to keep part of him, thus The Firm was established. Each of these breeders have had success in the past with some top bulls, but like any program there are years when nothing seems to be the way you want.

Once the group was established, their success has been phenomenal. Their bull 420 has achieved as much as anyone could imagine. The first sign of greatness was during the ABBI Wild Card competition held in Enid, Okla. last year. 420 finished tied for third with 314 points against 140 bulls, then jumped into the Classic qualifier rounds competing against the top 40 classic bulls for the 2007 ABBI season. 420 once again excelled in this two-day competition and tied for 11th with 264.5 points, advancing to the Classic Finals held during the Built Ford Tough Championship in Las Vegas. If 420’s success had stopped there, their quest would have been fulfilled. When 420 arrived in Vegas, he picked up right where he left off, finishing sixth with 135.75 points. In the championship round, 420 once again proved to everyone his abilities, winning the round with 137.75 points, outscoring the world champion bull T11 Troubadour by half of a point. Not bad for a 3-year-old bull who had come from obscurity. T11 not only won the ABBI classic championship, but was later awarded co-bucking bull of the BFTS championship. 420 left Las Vegas with $19,731 and finished sixth in the Classic Finals.

Chester is once again proving his value with his win during the first competition of the 2008 season held in Amarillo.

Let’s meet the members of The Firm, starting with the breeders of Chester, Curtis and Vicky Mendell of CVM Rodeo Ranch, located in Talala, Okla. Mendell grew up in the rodeo business; his father was in the business for 50 years. Mendell remembered, “I was literally raised in and around the rodeo arena and the bull riding events were always my favorite. I tried my hand at riding but it didn’t take long for me to know that was not going to be my profession. I have always loved this sport and have never tired of it even after all these years.

Mendell explained how he got into the bucking bull business. “My dad always bought his bucking bulls, but after Vicky and I were married in 1996 we decided we wanted to raise our bucking bulls. We realized the bucking bulls would be worth more than just raising commercial cattle. When Bob Tallman started the RSR (Rodeo Stock Registry), I got in on the ground floor. I think this was the best thing ever to happen in the bucking bull industry and I have never regretted a moment of it. We started out small with the bull CP-52 Buffalo Head and some 30 head of cross-bred cows."