WILFONG
BUCKING BULLS
WILFONG
BUCKING BULLS
Excerpt From Bull Pen Magazine
May/June 2007 Issue
By: Allen Glanville

Bob Wilfong, Breeder, Stock Contractor, Cowboy

Bob Wilfong of Aquilla, TX may be a lot of things, but one thing is for sure, he’s
a cowboy. You don’t even need to know him, just see him or be around him
and it becomes clear what this man is. From one of those who know him,
Monty Samford described Bob the best, “I can just see Bob walking down
some dusty street in Dodge City back in the late eighteen hundreds, O’le Bob
was just born a hundred years too late.” Wilfong’s herdsman Thomas Chane
had this to say about Bob being a cowboy, “if there is a person living with
cowboy stamped on his chest it’s Wilfong, he’s a hand anywhere you put him. I
should know, we have been around each other for 40 years, we used to rodeo
together in our younger days, man I could tell you some stories.” Even if he
gave me the stories we couldn’t print them.
Wilfong was born in Palo Pinto County Texas and right from the start he was
exposed to the cattle industry. His father met his mother while in the Army
stationed in Mineral Wells, TX during the Second World War, later they married
and started their family. From this marriage came 5 siblings. Bobs father was a
cow trader and operated ranches all over the country. Bob reflected on his dad,
“He could buy 5,000 head and make it work; sometimes we would rope 300
head of cattle per week. He had a tremendous operation back then and I was
right in the middle of all of it. When I was in college, I would drop out for a
quarter to work the ranches for and with my dad. I would leave home and be
gone for weeks just working my way back home. Things were different back
then. Once, dad had bought some 5,000 head of cattle near Kingsville, TX and I
being young asked the owner, what is this sale going to do to your program?
He smiled at me and remarked, “Well I guess this only leaves me with some
25,000 head now.” The Wilfong ranch was purchased in 1950 and consists of
2,000 acres. Wilfong remarked about the purchase, “dad bought it for $100.00
per acre and 20 head of Holstein heifers. Wilfong went on, I have spent most of
my life working this ranch, my brother and I have spent many a day here.
He has many who respect him for his herd development. Darrell Hargis had this
to say about Wilfong, “he has been there and done that and there is not a
smarter breeder out there and I think as much of his judgment as anyone
going.” Monty Samford adds, “Wilfong has probably the best herd of females
there is in the country.” After visiting Wilfong's ranch and looking at his cattle, it
becomes clear just what these top breeders are talking about. When you are at
some bucking cattle sale, sometimes the bidding becomes slow but if the
auctioneer mentions that the next animal was raised by Wilfong, immediately
the sale comes alive. That doesn’t just happen unless you are one of the top
breeders in the business. Wilfong explains some of his success, “I am in a
unique position in the bucking bull business because of all the people I have
known. I know all the large contractors because I rodeoed 30 years and hung
out with them. When I call one of them we talk like friends and it makes working
with them easy.” When Samford owned the great bull Houdini, I was the only
person he ever let use him.  Wilfong owns 240 cows and to say they are
beautiful would be an understatement, one look and you can tell how much he
loves them. 90 percent of what Wilfong culls, is better than most of what
anyone else in the business owns.
When asked about the breeding business, Wilfong explains, “I have been in the
bull business since 1969 and got in the breeding end around 1990 when I
bought some cows from Larry Kephart. I have used some great bulls over the
years, one I really liked was M17, Hargis bred him and Danny Mason raised him.
I never owned M17, but used him twice. I also had Broke Back V, Terry walls
loaned him to me; I also used him two different times. My main heard bull today
is Darkness, a son of Gunslinger. I went up to Darrell Hargis ranch to look at
some A6 bulls. When I saw those Gunslinger bulls bucked and standing on
their head I wanted one. Hargis wouldn’t sell me Darkness. I later found out
Brad Fudge had bought him and soon I had him. I have high hopes for this bull.
Right now my best cows are Darkness bred. I also have a bull Red Eye and
crossing with these cows should produce something outstanding.”
What has been your best decision? “Don’t know if I have ever made one,
maybe it is just around the corner,” replies Wilfong. How about your worse
one, “selling Micro Chip and Pudd, I needed the money but I sure wish I could
have kept them.” Do you have any advice for the new people coming into the
business? “Don’t over stock your ranch, you will spend way too much in feed,
and hay is the highest feed there is. We fed some 150 round bales this season,
the most we have ever used because of the drought we are in. Also, haul your
cattle to the feed, (lease some acreage) because it’s cheaper than bringing it to
them.”
The thing you learn from being around Wilfong is this, he knows what he has
and knows how to make it better, and his cattle herd is second to none.
Another thing you learn is that Wilfong says what in on his mind so if you are
thin skinned, don’t ever ask him anything. He is all about the truth, in anything
he does, if you ever cross the line with him, he will never trust you again. He is
old school all the way, no exceptions.
When asked how he would like to be remembered, “I always wanted to be a
cowboy replied Wilfong.” If nothing else, Wilfong has achieved his goal and
then some.
My Ol' Cowboy
Biography
Bob Wilfong of Aquilla, TX is a 5th generation cattleman. Bob's father, Birch
Wilfong was well known and respected in the cattle industry, operating ranches all
over the country. At one time, Birch was one of the country's top cattle producers.
In addition to ranching, Bob competed on the rodeo trail, riding bareback, saddle
bronc, bulls and bull dogging. Bob competed over 35 years, making his last bronc
ride at age 49. He still holds the champion buckle records at Stamford and
Henrietta.
In 1969, while a freshman in college, Bob bought his first bucking bull, and the
rest is history. The 6W brand, one of the most well known of bucking stock, has
been on quite a few super stars including VooDoo Child, a consecutive two-time
PRCA world champion and PBR reserve world champion. The first ever RSR
3-year old event was won by Wilfong's Tigger Too. Wilfong's bull Pudd, won the
RSR 3-year old event the following year. In addition to his breeding program
accomplishments, Bob was one of the original founders of both the ABBI and
NBBA.
Bob and his wife Melanie, who exercises the bulls daily, manage an operation
which includes bucking and commercial cattle on over 4,000 acres. Wilfong bulls
have been hauled by some of the best stock contractors in the world including
Jeff Robinson, Butler & sons and Hebert Bucking Bulls.
82 Pudd