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Little Yellow Jacket
Little Yellow Jacket
Little Yellow Jacket
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Little Yellow Jacket
Little Yellow Jacket in 2003
BreedBrangus
SexBull
BornAugust 20, 1996
Mandan, North Dakota, U.S.
DiedSeptember 19, 2011(2011-09-19) (aged 15)
Graham, North Carolina, U.S.
NationalityUnited States
Years active1999–2005
OwnersJoe & Nevada Berger, Tom Teague, Bernie Taupin
ParentsYellow Jacket (sire)
Berger Cow (dam)
Weight1750 lb (790 kg)
AppearanceDark Red
AwardsPBR Bull of the World Finals 2001
PBR World Champion Bull 2002, 2003, 2004

Little Yellow Jacket #P761 (August 20, 1996 – September 19, 2011) was an American bucking bull. He was a three-time Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull, winning the title in consecutive years from 2002 through 2004. At the time, his three titles made him unmatched by any bull in the history of the PBR. In 2006, he was inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame for his accomplishments. He was the son of #77 Yellow Jacket and the grandson of #LH600 Wrangler Rivets. Little Yellow Jacket's three-time World Champion Bull record has since been matched by Bushwacker, who received his third title in 2014, his year of retirement and Bruiser from 2016 through 2018.[1] When Bruiser won his third title in 2018, he tied Little Yellow Jacket's record of three consecutive titles. Little Yellow Jacket was sometimes referred to as the "Michael Jordan of professional bull riding" and had his own line of merchandise. It was said he was the greatest bull in the PBR when he was selected to receive the inaugural Brand of Honor. In 2022, he was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. In Little Yellow Jacket's day he had the largest following of any PBR bull.[2] Later, Bushwacker was deemed to surpass Little Yellow Jacket as the best PBR bucking bull of all time.[2]

In 2023, Little Yellow Jacket was ranked No. 6 on the list of the top 30 bulls in PBR history.[3]

PBR career

[edit]

Little Yellow Jacket was bred on the Berger family ranch, named Rafter Arrow Ranch,[4] in Mandan, North Dakota, by Joe Berger and his son Nevada.[5] "'You can't train him to be a bucking bull,' said Berger on LJ's natural talent. 'It's about breeding and blood lines. He got it bred into him. The only thing you can train him is to not buck in the chute.'"[6][7]

After Tom Teague of Tom Teague Bucking Bulls got involved with the PBR, he became interested in Little Yellow Jacket.[8] In 2002, Teague tried to persuade owner Joe Berger to sell him a half interest in Little Yellow Jacket while in Denver, Colorado, but Berger would not do so until Little Yellow Jacket had won a World Champion Bull title.[8] Later that year the bull won his first title and Teague approached Berger again.[8] Berger named his price and Teague didn't even haggle, just paid it outright.[8] Later, Englishman Bernie Taupin, a songwriter for Elton John, who has been fascinated with Western culture since childhood,[9] managed to purchase an interest in the bull.[9]

Little Yellow Jacket made his debut in the PBR in the year 1999[10] and went to his first PBR World Finals that year.[11] Little Yellow Jacket competed in the major leagues of the PBR - the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) (known as the Bud Light Cup Series until 2003) starting in his first year.[12][13] From the beginning to the end of his career, Little Yellow Jacket was said to either "help a rider earn a score in the elite 90s or he'd serve up a dirt sandwich".[7][14] The bull seemed to know when he won.[14][7] After he bucked someone off, he would seek his owner Joe Berger out for his approval.[14] He might also show himself off to the crowd.[14][7] "They'd put him in the chute and he'd go out, throw the guy off and would prance around, and it was like he was saying, 'I knew I could bust your rear,'" Tom Teague said. "But if a rider happened to ride him, he'd better look out, because Little Yellow Jacket just might try to hook him."[14][7] But in the end, Little Yellow Jacket never hurt anyone.[15] He mostly had a reputation for being a gentle bull.[8] As a rule, he "would not only not try to come after his fallen rider, but would try to avoid and move around the grounded rider".[10][15]

Early on in his career, Little Yellow Jacket earned respect from Ty Murray, a bull riding champion and a PBR co-founder,[14][7] who had been described as the "King of the Cowboys" and has been referred to as the greatest cowboy of all time.[16] At the PBR World Finals in 1999, Ty scored a 90.5 on Little Yellow Jacket. And it was Little Yellow Jacket's first time in the BFTS.[14][7] "He was then was a young bull that I had no idea about," Murray said. "And when I got off of him, I told Cody Lambert, 'Wow! That bull is the real deal!" To clarify, 90+ point rides are scored only by elite riders on top bulls, so the PBR keeps special statistics for them called the "90 point club."[17] All of Little Yellow Jacket's 14 qualified rides were scored at 90 points or higher except one.[11]

Another of Little Yellow Jacket's common meetups was with Michael Gaffney, who described Little Yellow Jacket as "the total package."[8] "He bucked, kicked, changed directions and had as much intensity as any bull he had seen. Gaffney said all the components made for a 'full load' when you nodded your head. There was nothing easy about his pattern in which Gaffney vividly remembers there being a hop, skip and even a hesitation (when needed) that would rock riders back on their pockets before bringing them down over his front end. And, of course, his power only compounded the difficulty."[8] Gaffney is only one of two riders who scored two qualified rides on Little Yellow Jacket.[11] The other is Cory McFadden.[11]

He was successfully ridden by only 12 bull riders for 14 rides in 90 recorded tour outs on the BFTS.[12][11] He has been ridden 15 times in 93 rides at all levels.[18] He went on to become the World Champion bull three times (2002 through 2004).[19] Cody Lambert, who was himself a bull rider when younger, said of Little Yellow Jacket at the time, "He's the greatest bull that the PBR has ever seen," He became the first bull to win three world titles and also finished runner-up to 2-time World Champion bull #81 Dillinger in 2001. Bruiser has since tied Little Yellow Jacket's record of three consecutive titles when he won his third title in 2018.[20]

At the end of his career, Little Yellow Jacket had a buck off rate of 83.53%, with an average buck off time of 2.66 seconds.[18][21] Before his death, the bull was scheduled to be the inaugural inductee in the PBR's Brand of Honor, and would have been honored in person at a ceremony at the 2011 PBR World Finals.[22] However, Little Yellow Jacket died earlier in that year before the ceremony, which took place without him just prior to the 2011 World Finals opening.[22]

Historic rides

[edit]

Michael Gaffney, Chris Shivers, and Bubba Dunn shared the record for highest marked ride in PBR history until Saturday, July 31, 2021, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when José Vitor Leme rode Woopaa for 97.75 points, creating a new record.[23]

High Marked Ride

[edit]

Until July 31, 2021, it was the highest ride score that three men recorded a score of 96.5, doing so on four different bulls between 1999 and 2004: Bubba Dunn rode Promise Land in 1999. Chris Shivers rode Jim Jam in 2000, and Dillinger in 2001. Michael Gaffney rode Little Yellow Jacket at Nampa in 2004.[24] After Leme's ride creating a new record, Dunn and Gaffney acknowledged his record. Shivers was not available for comment.[25]

Going to meet him in Nampa, Idaho, both rider and bull had earned fierce reputations and world titles.[26] Michael Gaffney had attempted Little Yellow Jacket twice before and been bucked off each time without a qualified ride.[26] One of those times was just one week prior in Colorado Springs.[27]

Gaffney is one of many bull riders who describe Little Yellow Jacket as one of the great bucking bulls in history.[24] "'He had the heart of a champion', Gaffney said. 'I think, he was born that way.'...He had intensity and power and, according to Gaffney, 'he was a full load.'" He weighed between 1,700 and 1,800 pounds throughout his career.[24]

"Nothing was in short supply for him," said Gaffney, who described Little Yellow Jacket's first move out of the chute as being a "slump jump" that included a hop, skip and a hesitation. "I had been on him several times previous to that final day, in Nampa, where I eventually got him rode," Gaffney said. "I had him the week before in Colorado Springs and he had that, like I said before, that signature move ― that step out, hop and skip and kind of rock you back on your (butt) and then just bring you down over the front end." He then explained, "I really made an effort of over extenuating my posture when I left that day, in Nampa, and that was key because once he did get in the spin he still did wind up, have the kick and the speed and the power ― that old saying is 'you get tapped off' and I was there. I pulled a foot and helped myself out. I was feeling great and gave that aggressiveness that I want to have when I was in the position I was."[24]

"He was the ultimate bull," Gaffney said. "He had the attitude and the heart and everything else."[14][7] Gaffney faced Little Yellow Jacket again later that year "in the final outing of his own career" in the eighth round of the PBR World Finals and scored 93.75 points.[24]

Million Dollar Ride

[edit]

At the World Arena in Colorado Springs in 2003, 2000 PBR World Champion Chris Shivers had a chance to ride him for $1,000,000. "A police escort accompanied the bull to the Colorado Springs Broadmoor Hotel, where he was penned in the parking lot on a bed of green, symbolizing money, and the lighting fixture above his head was a chandelier."[15][9] Both rider and bull had to attend a weigh-in before the event.[9] Shivers weighed in at 145 pounds, and Little Yellow Jacket weighed 1,600 pounds.[9]

Shivers was bucked off in less than two seconds,[5][22] and the bull's owners received $50,000.[5][22] "Though Shivers took being dumped hard at the time, the legendary cowboy views the bout as a great promotion for pro bull riding".[14][7] "That's probably one of the biggest moments in PBR history, and I'm just glad that I was involved in it," Shivers said.[14][7] This event at the Colorado Springs Invitational was the fifth time that Little Yellow Jacket had bucked Chris Shivers off.[28]

"He's one of the greatest bulls in the world," Shivers said after the ride. "My hat's off to him."[28] This event reflected the ability of Little Yellow Jacket, as PBR wrote an article about the high skill level of Chris Shivers in 2013.[29] This article spoke about Shivers being the rider who set the 90-point standard.[29] He recorded 94 qualified rides in excess of 90 points or better.[29] And yet, he did not score one qualified ride on Little Yellow Jacket.[29][17][11] As of 2025, Chris Shivers still holds the record for most 90+ point rides.[30]

Pedigree

[edit]

Little Yellow Jacket was a dark red Brangus bull.[21] He weighed about 1,800 pounds (820 kg) and had one horn pointing upward and one downward.[15] Little Yellow Jacket and his foremost ancestors are registered with American Bucking Bull, Inc. (ABBI).[10] His sire was #77 Yellow Jacket and his dam was a Berger cow.[31][10][32] His grandsire was #LH600 Wrangler Rivets and his grandam another Berger cow.[10][32] His mother was killed in a torrid winter storm in 1997.[12]

His sire, Yellow Jacket, was the 1999 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year.[33][6] Yellow Jacket was owned by Big Bend/Flying 5 Rodeo at the time of his death.[31] Both Little Yellow Jacket and his sire are listed in the top fifteen bulls in the Top 500 Bull Historical Ranking.[34] Wrangler Rivets was a champion bucking bull who won 13 competitions as a bucking bull.[6] Wrangler Rivets was also a two-time North American Rodeo Commission (NARC) Bull of the Year.[12] His cousin Moody Blues was 1998 PBR World Champion Bull (the title used to be Bull of the Year).[6][19][35]

Retirement and death

[edit]

Little Yellow Jacket's owners, a partnership of Joe and Nevada Berger, Bernie Taupin, and Tom Teague, retired him at the end of 2005.[36] Little Yellow Jacket was kept in a pen when the truck/trailer would pull up to take the other bulls away for the bull riding events.[15] He would throw a fit because he wanted to go with them.[15] Other times he spent in the pasture so he had exercise, company, and breeding with the cows. Berger also sold his sperm for artificial insemination at $700 per straw.[15] Little Yellow Jacket would wake up mornings in his pen and command the other bulls to come "join him for a drink of water".[15] He was definitely the dominant bull at the ranch.[15] Occasionally, adult visitors were guided to the ranch to view Little Yellow Jacket.[15]

After the Bergers had kept Little Yellow Jacket at their ranch in North Dakota and had bred him for a while, Tom Teague, who owned Teague Bucking Bulls and who held a half interest, asked to buy the full interest in the bull.[5][37] The Bergers honored his request, so that Little Yellow Jacket could live at Teague Bucking Bulls in North Carolina instead of North Dakota and enjoy milder winters.[37][8] Joe Berger's son Chad was managing the bulls by this time.[38] Little Yellow Jacket spent his last five years at Teague's ranch.[8] Teague held great regard for Little Yellow Jacket and took special care of him,[37] providing the bull superb feeds, climate control, companionship, and at the time of his death, there remained several pregnant cows.[37] Little Yellow Jacket died in Graham, North Carolina, on September 19, 2011, at the age of 15.[10][22][39] "Little Yellow Jacket was a tremendous athlete, and the mere mention of his name brings great memories to fans of our sport," said PBR CEO Jim Haworth. "He will certainly be remembered as one of the all-time greats."[39] After Little Yellow Jacket's death, the home page of Teague's website became a memorial to the bull.[37]

Honors

[edit]
  • 2001 PBR Bull of the World Finals
  • Seven trips to the PBR World Finals (1999–2005)
  • Three-time PBR World Champion Bull, winning the title in consecutive years from 2002 through 2004.[19] A vote of the top 45 bull riders.[12]
  • First bull to win "World Champion Bull" three times. First bull to do so consecutively.[14][19]
  • 2006 inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.[5][40] First living animal to be inducted.[40][15]
  • 2011 received the inaugural PBR Brand of Honor.[41]
  • ProBullStats Hall of Fame[42]
  • 2022 inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame in the "Bulls" category.[43]
  • 2023 was ranked No. 6 on the list of the top 30 bulls in PBR history.[3]
  • He is immortalized in a bronze statue with former bull rider and fellow three-time PBR World Champion Adriano Morães at the PBR's world headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas.[14]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Little Yellow Jacket

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Little Yellow Jacket (1996–2011) was an American renowned for his exceptional performance in the (PBR) circuit, where he became the only three-time consecutive World Champion Bull, winning the title in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Bred and raised by the Joe Berger family on a in , Little Yellow Jacket weighed approximately 1,600 pounds and was later co-owned by Joe and Nevada Berger, Tom Teague, and musician . He debuted in PBR competition in 1999 in , and quickly established himself as a formidable opponent, known for his explosive bucking style that combined powerful spins, high kicks, and rapid directional changes. Over his six-year career from 1999 to 2005, he participated in 90 outs, achieving an 84.4% buck-off rate with an average buck-off time of 2.66 seconds, and was ridden successfully only 14 times. His career highlights included several historic moments that elevated his status in the sport. In 2003, he bucked off world champion Chris Shivers in under two seconds at the Colorado Springs Invitational (Million Dollar Challenge), earning a $50,000 bonus for his owners. The following year, in 2004, he was ridden for a then-record-tying score of 96.5 points by Michael Gaffney in Nampa, Idaho, showcasing his ability to contribute to elite 90-point rides for cowboys while often thwarting them otherwise. Little Yellow Jacket averaged 93 points per out, a mark that underscored his consistency and intensity, earning him descriptions as a "once-in-a-lifetime bull" among riders and stock contractors. He appeared in the PBR World Finals annually from 1999 to 2005, retiring after his final event in Las Vegas. Following retirement, Little Yellow Jacket was honored as the inaugural recipient of the PBR's Brand of Honor award in 2005 for his exemplary contributions to the sport, inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2006, and inducted into the PBR Hall of Fame in 2011. He spent his post-competition years as a breeding sire on a ranch, producing notable offspring before his death on September 19, 2011, at age 15 in . His legacy endures through a bronze statue at PBR headquarters in , depicting him with Brazilian rider Adriano Moraes, one of the few cowboys to conquer him multiple times, symbolizing the bull's profound impact on professional .

Early Life and Pedigree

Birth and Breeding

Little Yellow Jacket was born in 1996 on the Berger family ranch in , where he was specifically bred for bucking stock by Joe and Darlene Berger. As a bull, he inherited a genetic foundation optimized for athleticism and durability in rodeo events. His pedigree featured strong lineage, with #77 Yellow Jacket—the 1999 PRCA Bull of the Year—as his sire and Mudslinger, a cow from the family's breeding program, as his . On the paternal side, his grandsire was #LH600 Wrangler Rivets, a renowned for winning 13 competitions. The Bergers quickly identified Little Yellow Jacket's exceptional innate bucking traits during his early development, describing him as possessing natural athletic talent that required no training to perform. This promise was echoed in his family, as his cousin emerged as a notable , capturing the 1998 PBR World Championship title. Originally owned solely by Joe and Darlene Berger, ownership later expanded to include Berger, songwriter , and stock contractor Tom Teague.

Physical Attributes

Little Yellow Jacket was a bull, a crossbreed known for its muscular build, which combined the hardiness of cattle with the meaty conformation of Angus, enabling explosive athleticism in the arena. His coat was a distinctive brownish-red, complemented by a robust frame that emphasized powerful hindquarters ideal for generating rapid acceleration and force during performance. He weighed approximately 1,600–1,800 pounds, reflecting his solid, well-muscled physique without excess fat. PBR Livestock Superintendent described him as "a once-in-a-lifetime " due to his heart, desire, and exceptional ability.

Professional Career

Debut and Statistics

Little Yellow Jacket made his debut in the (PBR) Built Ford Tough Series at age three in 1999, bucking off rider during a regular-season event in . This marked his entry into the elite circuit, where his explosive athleticism quickly established him as a formidable opponent. Over his PBR career from 1999 to 2005, Little Yellow Jacket competed in 90 outs, during which he was successfully ridden only 14 times, resulting in a buck-off rate of 84.4 percent and riders succeeding just 15.6 percent of the time. When ridden, he delivered an average score of 93 points, demonstrating consistent high performance that rewarded skilled with top marks while maintaining his reputation for difficulty. His average buck-off time stood at 2.66 seconds, underscoring his rapid and powerful style. Little Yellow Jacket progressed steadily within the PBR, appearing in major events including seven consecutive trips to the PBR World Finals from 1999 to 2005. This trajectory from his initial top-tour outing to repeated elite competition highlighted his reliability and growing prominence in .

Championship Achievements

Little Yellow Jacket became the first bull to win the (PBR) World Champion Bull title in 2002, earning the honor through superior performances across the season, culminating in the World Finals where he consistently delivered high-scoring bucking patterns that challenged top riders. His achievement marked a milestone in PBR history, as he set a benchmark for athleticism and consistency in the sport's premier competition. In 2003, Little Yellow Jacket secured back-to-back World Champion Bull titles, again dominating the World Finals with powerful spins and explosive jumps. This success coincided with claiming the PBR World Champion rider title that year, and Little Yellow Jacket's performance gained further notoriety when he bucked off Shivers in under two seconds during a high-profile $1 million ride challenge at the World Arena in , broadcast live on . The feat underscored his reputation as an elite competitor during the title run. Little Yellow Jacket completed his unprecedented by winning the 2004 PBR World Champion Bull title, the only bull to achieve consecutive championships in the organization's history up to that point. His World outings featured sustained high-level that contributed to high-scoring rides for cowboys. These championships elevated standards for excellence in the PBR, establishing Little Yellow Jacket as a symbol of dominance with his consistent delivery of challenging, high-scoring rides that influenced breeding and practices in the industry. His overall career buck-off rate of 84.4 percent further reinforced his status across 90 outs. Co-owned by Joe Berger, Tom Teague, and , Little Yellow Jacket's schedule was meticulously managed by the team to ensure peak condition during critical events like the World Finals, allowing him to perform at his best for these title-winning seasons. This strategic oversight, including rest periods and targeted conditioning, was instrumental in sustaining his three-year reign.

Notable Performances

High-Marked Ride

In April 2004, during the Nampa Invitational—a stop on the (PBR) Built Ford Tough Series—1997 PBR World Champion Michael Gaffney rode Little Yellow Jacket for 96.5 points, tying the then-record for the highest-marked ride in PBR history. The event took place in , on April 25, and was not part of the PBR World Finals, highlighting Gaffney's performance in a regular-season competition where he earned $30,770 for the victory. Gaffney matched the bull's explosive power for a full eight seconds, employing a basic technique of keeping his feet positioned on each side of the while thrusting his chest forward to counter Little Yellow Jacket's forward shoves and unpredictable intensity. The ride earned a bull score of 48 points, with Little Yellow Jacket ranking second among the event's top bulls behind " Dippin'." This performance showcased the bull's capacity to deliver elite-level rides, as Gaffney later described it as a "full load" effort against an animal with immense , kicking, and directional changes. The ride underscored Little Yellow Jacket's reputation for producing high-stakes matchups, with Gaffney noting the bull's exceptional attitude and heart, calling him "the ultimate bull." By tying the PBR's highest score at the time, it affirmed the bull's potential to elevate riders to historic marks despite his challenging rapid-fire spinning style.

Million Dollar Challenge

In April 2003, the (PBR) organized the inaugural Million Dollar Ride challenge at the World Arena in , pitting two-time world champion against Little Yellow Jacket for a $1 million prize if Shivers could stay aboard for eight seconds. The event, held on April 19 and televised live on to a sold-out crowd of 7,500, marked the richest single-ride attempt in PBR history and highlighted the growing spectacle of . Shivers, who had already qualified through earlier victories, entered with a perfect 0-4 record against the 2002 PBR Bull of the Year, underscoring the high stakes and Little Yellow Jacket's dominance. The ride ended swiftly, with Shivers bucked off after just 1.8 seconds, extending his winless streak against to 0-5. Although Shivers earned no rider score, the bull's explosive performance secured a $50,000 consolation prize for owners Joe Berger and Tom Teague of Berger Bucking Bulls. Immediately after dismounting, Shivers praised the bull's unparalleled power, stating, "The bull is the best in the world... They don't come any better than him," and expressed frustration over the lost opportunity while calling for a rematch. This high-profile failure, occurring amid Little Yellow Jacket's peak championship years, amplified the bull's reputation as an unbeatable force in the sport, drawing widespread media attention and cementing his status as a PBR icon. The event's dramatic outcome not only boosted Little Yellow Jacket's fame but also showcased the intense rivalry between top riders and elite bucking bulls during the early 2000s PBR era.

Retirement and Legacy

Retirement

Little Yellow Jacket was retired at the end of the 2005 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) season at the age of nine, while still performing at the peak of his abilities, to safeguard his health and ensure a successful transition into breeding. The decision was made by his owners—a including the Berger family (Joe and Nevada Berger), Tom Teague, and —following approximately 90 competitive outs, during which he maintained an exceptional buck-off rate and had been named PBR World Champion Bull for three consecutive years (2002–2004). This strategic retirement allowed the bull to exit competition on a high note, preserving his physical soundness for future contributions to the sport. In the immediate aftermath, Little Yellow Jacket transitioned to a life focused on breeding through for programs, alongside occasional exhibition appearances across the country. He initially resided on a ranch in , his birthplace, before being relocated to a facility in , to benefit from milder winters. Co-owner noted the bull's early offspring were already proving successful in bucking events, highlighting the owners' emphasis on leveraging his . His departure from the PBR circuit created a noticeable gap among bulls, as he had set an unmatched standard for athleticism and consistency that influenced the sport's expectations for top performers. Owners reflected on his remarkable durability, with Joe Berger crediting the bull's inherent soundness for enabling this timely retirement without the typical wear of extended competition.

Death and Posthumous Recognition

Little Yellow Jacket died on September 19, 2011, at the age of 15 in Graham, North Carolina, due to natural causes associated with advanced age. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) community mourned his passing, with the organization issuing a statement that described him as a legendary figure whose contributions to the sport were unparalleled. He was buried on the ranch in Graham where he had lived out his retirement. In the wake of his death, Little Yellow Jacket received the inaugural PBR Brand of Honor in 2011, an award presented annually to recognize a bull's superlative performance and lasting impact on professional . This posthumous tribute underscored his status as the first bull to win three consecutive PBR World Champion Bull titles from 2002 to 2004. His legacy was further solidified by his earlier induction into the Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2006, where he was honored as the first living animal inductee in the rodeo livestock category. In 2022, he was enshrined in the in the "Bulls" category, celebrating his dominance and influence on the sport. Little Yellow Jacket's enduring recognition includes a bronze unveiled at the PBR headquarters in , depicting him in action with renowned rider Adriano Moraes, symbolizing one of the most iconic moments in history. His story has been chronicled in the 2006 book Little Yellow Jacket: King of the Bucking Bulls by Darlene Berger, which details his rise to fame and contributions to the Berger family's legacy. In 2023, he was ranked No. 6 on the PBR's list of the top 30 greatest s in the organization's history, voted on by riders, stock contractors, announcers, and bullfighters. The bull's genetic influence persists through his progeny, with numerous offspring registered in the American Bucking Bull Inc. (ABBI) registry and competing successfully in modern events, ensuring his bloodlines continue to shape the sport.

References

  1. https://pbr.com/news/2011/09/pbr-mourns-loss-of-legendary-little-yellow-jacket/
  2. https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/collections/awards/pbr/honorees/little-yellow-jacket/
  3. https://northdakotacowboy.org/little-yellow-jacket/
  4. https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/little-yellow-jacket-was-bred-to-succeed
  5. https://vault.si.com/vault/2005/07/11/sis-2-amazing-animals
  6. https://pbr.com/news/2020/12/joe-berger-passes-away/
  7. http://members.americanbuckingbull.com/bulls.aspx?id=10039288
  8. https://www.thebreedersconnection.com/lotbc_2811.html
  9. https://pbr.com/news/2011/09/heroes-legends-little-yellow-jacket/
  10. https://www.thecattlesite.com/breeds/beef/43/brangus
  11. https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/rural-life-other/bucking-bull-king-lives-spirit-genes
  12. https://www.pbr.com/heroes-and-legends/
  13. https://www.gearpatrol.com/outdoors/a148409/legendary-rodeo-bulls/
  14. https://pbr.com/news/2006/08/little-yellow-jacket-inducted-into-the-north-dakota-cowboy-hall-of-fame/
  15. https://pbr.com/news/2013/01/little-yellow-jacket-sets-the-standard/
  16. https://eastoregonian.com/2004/04/28/gaffney-grabs-pbr-record-in-nampa/
  17. https://www.pbr.com/athletes/riders/profile/488/MichaelGaffney
  18. https://azdev.pbr.com/athletes/bulls/profile/6754/littleyellowjacket
  19. https://www.chieftain.com/story/sports/2003/04/20/shivers-is-bucked-off-for/8792143007/
  20. https://eastoregonian.com/2003/04/17/shivers-vs-bull-of-the-year-for-1-million/
  21. https://writinforthebrand.com/little-yellow-jacket/
  22. https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Shivers-Bucked-by-Little-Yellow-Jacket-10575910.php
  23. https://pbr.com/news/2003/11/chris-shivers-wins-1-million/
  24. https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/10/31/songwriters-feared-bucking-bull-retiring/
  25. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115652467/little_yellow_jacket
  26. https://www.facebook.com/BullRidingHOF/posts/little-yellow-jacket-class-of-2022-inductee-in-the-bulls-category-the-bull-ridin/5335893843128178/
  27. https://books.google.com/books/about/Little_Yellow_Jacket.html?id=wochHAAACAAJ
  28. https://www.facebook.com/pbr/videos/pbr-top-30-little-yellow-jacket-asteroid-and-dillinger/834405547838359/
  29. http://members.americanbuckingbull.com/productionsiresbycompetition.aspx
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