Chad Berger, a name synonymous with the exhilarating sport of bull riding, has accumulated an impressive net worth estimated at a colossal $12.5 million. He is the legendary owner of Chad Berger Bucking Bulls and is set to be inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame. The 12-time PBR Stock Contractor of the Year has deep roots in rodeo and has dedicated his life to raising the best bulls that the PRCA and PBR can find.
He has helped develop multiple world champion bulls and has helped organize some of the largest rodeo events in the country. Berger is already a member of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. He will be inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame in Oklahoma on November 8.
The Early Years
The real history of the operation began in 1960 when his father, Joe Berger, began purchasing bulls for Chad and his brother to ride. The legacy began there and the Bergers have kept it alive for nearly 70 years. Joe Berger was a respected bull breeder and stock contractor.
Chad Berger Bucking Bulls: The Official Start
Officially established in 2003, the company now operates out of two ranches in Mandan, North Dakota and Henryetta, Oklahoma. With the support of his family, Chad launched Chad Berger Bucking Bulls in 2003. Just three years later, the company earned third place in the PBR Stock Contractor of the Year standings.
PBR Stock Contractor of the Year Titles
In 2007, Chad secured the prestigious title of PBR Stock Contractor of the Year-a feat he would repeat in 2008 and 2009. Since then, he has added nine more titles from 2014 to 2022, solidifying his reputation as a leader in the industry.
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When Chad Berger Bucking Bulls was officially founded, it was only three years later in 2006 that the company earned its first standing in the PBR Stock Contractor of the Year; they took home third. By 2007, the family won the prestigious award of PBR Stock Contractor of the Year. They would go on to repeat this in 2008 and 2009.The family added nine more titles to their belt from 2014-2022, which led to Berger solidifying himself as a leader in the bull-breeding industry.
Here is a list of Chad Berger's PBR Stock Contractor of the Year titles:
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2007 | PBR Stock Contractor of the Year |
| 2008 | PBR Stock Contractor of the Year |
| 2009 | PBR Stock Contractor of the Year |
| 2014-2022 | PBR Stock Contractor of the Year |
A Family Affair
At its core, Chad Berger Bucking Bulls is a family business, built on hard work, dedication, and a shared passion for the sport. Here on the ranch, Chad Berger works with his wife, Sarah, and the rest of his family to manage over 200 bulls. His family is a huge part of the operation; his wife, Sarah, plays a critical role in managing the company’s annual PBR Touring Pro event.
His children work alongside them, handling sales, marketing, and working to haul the bulls around the country. They spend almost every weekend at a PRCA or PBR rodeo. Chad’s wife, Sarah, plays a crucial role in organizing the company’s annual PBR Touring Pro event while managing operations at home. Their children-Lacey, John, and Sadie-each contribute to the business, from caring for and hauling bulls to handling sales and marketing.
The Bulls
Berger grew up competing in every rodeo event he could in high school, but eventually found a love for bull-riding and bucking bulls. He went on to have a career in bull riding. When he eventually retired, he found a home in the sport of team roping. His heart called him home and Chad Berger Bucking Bulls was born.
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His company, Chad Berger Bucking Bulls, has produced some of the most formidable bucking bulls in the sport’s history. Among his legacy is Smooth Operator, who was the oldest bucking bull of all time to win a world championship- and he did so back to back in 2019 and 2020. Bushwacker, Bruiser, and the legendary Little Yellow Jacket, who was inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2006, are just a few of the exceptional animals that have come from his ranch. It was this relationship that would foster world champion bucking bulls like three-time world champion Little Yellow Jacket.
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. Little Yellow Jacket was bred on the Berger family ranch, named Rafter Arrow Ranch, in Mandan, North Dakota, by Joe Berger and his son Nevada.
He was successfully ridden by only 12 bull riders for 14 rides in 90 recorded tour outs on the BFTS. He has been ridden 15 times in 93 rides at all levels. He went on to become the World Champion bull three times (2002 through 2004). 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.
Little Yellow Jacket spent his last five years at Teague's ranch. Teague held great regard for Little Yellow Jacket and took special care of him, providing the bull superb feeds, climate control, companionship, and at the time of his death, there remained several pregnant cows. Little Yellow Jacket died in Graham, North Carolina, on September 19, 2011, at the age of 15.
In addition to the bull’s early career accolades, his late years were truly the most impressive. He didn’t know it at the time, but Smooth Operator made his entrance to their lives at just the right time. “I am a crazy believer, but when we lost Pearl Harbor, I think he sent a little bit of his talent down to Smooth Operator,” Berger said this week.
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Chad's Cat® Story- How We Help His Cattle Business Succeed
There’s something truly special about a stock contractor who can continually breed and pick up some of the best bulls in the industry time and time again.
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