This year, the cowboys had the big bull含羞草研究社檚 number.

Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate is an approximate 1,600-pound Brahma cross who likes to twist, turn, buck, kick and do everything bullishly possible to get the cowboy off its back in rodeo含羞草研究社檚 classic event, bull riding.

And six-year-old Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate 含羞草研究社� born and raised in the North Okanagan 含羞草研究社� has done it well.

At the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas, cowboys were 0-2 against the bull, meaning the riders did not make the mandatory eight-second horn. But at the 2023 NFR in Vegas Dec.7-16, riders went 2-2.

Jeff Askey, from Athens, Texas, rode Devils含羞草研究社� Advocate to an 85.5, good for second place in the go-round. Australian cowboy Ky Hamilton became a remarkable NFR story when he had the only qualified ride of Round 7, aboard Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate, scoring 88 from the judges to collect all the prize money 含羞草研究社� more than $99,000 U.S.

The day before, Hamilton had been taken to hospital for precaution after being thrown by a bull and was released the next morning, suffering only minor injuries. He then climbed aboard Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate, the 2022 Canadian Bucking Bull of the Year, that night.

Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate含羞草研究社檚 story begins on Westside Road in Vernon.

The bull was born to the Coyote Creek Rodeo Company, owned and operated by the Marchand family. Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate is a third-generation NFR bull, as explained by company spokesperson Chad Marchand.

含羞草研究社淲e purchased his grandpa from (Duane) Kesler Rodeo (in Alberta) way back when,含羞草研究社� said Marchand. 含羞草研究社淒evil Advocate含羞草研究社檚 father is out of that bull. He made the NFR, too. He was called White Devil.含羞草研究社�

The goal for Marchand and his family is to get bucking bulls ready for professional rodeo events.

含羞草研究社淭he last three-four years, we含羞草研究社檝e had a bull go every year (to the NFR),含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 what we含羞草研究社檙e always shooting for. Try to raise the best bulls we can. This bull (Devil含羞草研究社檚) has done lots already. Whatever he does from here is a bonus.含羞草研究社�

Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate was sold by Coyote Creek to Kesler Rodeo, who the Marchands have been dealing with for almost a quarter-century, and the bull turned professional at age four.

Since then, he has been Professional Bull Riders Canada Finals含羞草研究社� Bull of the Event. He含羞草研究社檚 won the Canadian Bucking Bull title, been to the Canadian Finals Rodeo, and has twice made the NFR. Cowboys have won go-rounds aboard Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate at both the CFR and NFR.

Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate has been ridden just five times as a pro, including twice in the past week at the NFR. Those will be Devil含羞草研究社檚 Advocate含羞草研究社檚 only two rides of the 2023 finals.

含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 going to get a bit of a break now,含羞草研究社� said Marchand.