Barrel racing horse and runner excels at Buffalo Bill Rodeo

A special barrel racing horse is a winner in North Platte.

Truck is a barrel racing horse owned and cared for by Stevi Hillman of Weatherford, Texas, and in five of the six years the bay gelding has come to the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte, he has won money.

In fact, the duo set the arena record in 2017, with a time of 17.17 seconds, the first of their two top finishes. Their second first place came in 2022, with a time of 17.44 seconds.

Truck and Hillman finished second in 2021 (17.46 seconds); earned 11th place in 2020 (17.66 seconds) and in 2016 finished in sixth place (17.71 seconds.)

The horse, who turns 17 this year, loves running in barrels, and especially running in large outdoor enclosures, Hillman said.

He is always ready to rodeo, especially in the spring.

The Buffalo Bill Rodeo is the unofficial kickoff to the busy summer rodeo race, and Truck knows it well.

“I think part of it is the first time we’ve gotten in a trailer and gone for the summer, and he’s excited and fresh and happy and ready to go,” Hillman said. “I definitely think that’s part of it.”

He’s got quite a personality, Hillman said.

“He’s hilarious and he’s very needy. He loves to be pampered. Hillman’s stepmother, Ceri Artzer, treats him with a machine that applies electrotherapy, electrical pulses that stimulate muscles and tissues.

“He absolutely eats it,” she said. “He knows when she comes for him what’s going to happen.”

He also doesn’t like to share attention.

“He doesn’t like to see anyone else getting petted or getting cookies,” Hillman laughed. “He gets depressed when I’m at home and riding other horses. He is funny.

Hillman qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo eight times, but only raced a truck there one year.

He doesn’t like smaller arenas with long aisles, like those at Thomas and Mack Arena, home of the national finals.

When Truck is in an alley, he’s ready to run, and she had to hold him back at Thomas and Mack’s house.

“It’s hard for him and he’s stressed in that alley, so I didn’t take him back after that.

“It’s a horse that has good strides and runs fast, and prefers space to run. Once we learned that about him, we stopped taking him to small arenas.

Hillman will have three other horses in her trailer when she comes to the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.

Her second horse, Bridget, was her reserve horse in the 2023 National Finals Rodeo. She will also have two young five-year-old mares that need seasoning.

She and her husband, Ty, raise and train barrel horses. Their stud, TSH Pendleton, is the foundation of their program.

Hillman enjoys participating in the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.

“I like the setup and the committee is really nice. You can also put pens. It’s good to start the summer season this way, when the committees are nice and have good ground. It refreshes us and makes us feel good to leave.

The truck’s registered name is Cuatro Fame; his father is Dash Ta Fame, a famous barrel racing stud; his dam dates back to Streakin Six, another famous barrel racing horse.

Truck is Hillman’s “golden child,” she said. “He’s my good old faithful, my reliable. I know what he’s going to do every race.

Hillman and Truck will face off June 13, during the second night of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte.

The Buffalo Bill Rodeo will take place June 12-15 at the Wild West Rodeo Arena. Show time is 8 p.m. every night.

Ticket prices range from $11 to $24 and can be purchased online at NebraskalandDays.com, at the NebraskalandDays office and at the door.

For more information and a complete schedule of NebraskalandDays events, visit the website or call the office at 308.532.7939.

© 2024 The North Platte Bulletin. All rights reserved.