Many have referred to Bubba Buckaloo’s Brooks Feature as one of today’s greatest jackpot head horses, and he now has the title to prove it being named the Top Head Horse of the BFI.
The 13-year-old, black gelding by Brookstone Bay out of Feature Cool Chick helped 2018 NFR header Buckaloo win second in the Feist March 29, 2025, for $85,000, and they were also awarded $1,000 and the coveted bronze statue, by Lost Prairie Art & Bronze, for the Head Horse of the BFI title. After stepping back from the ProRodeo trail, this win will forever be a highlight of his career.
“I don’t rodeo or anything anymore, hardly, so to win this would be the equivalent to winning head horse of the year in the PRCA,” Buckaloo, 36, said. “It is an amazing accomplishment for me.”
Frank’s FAST
“Frank” joined Buckaloo’s barn in the summer of 2021 after buying him from close friend Rowdy Jones. Originally trying him for a friend, the old AQHA race horse piqued Buckaloo’s interest. When the sale didn’t go through for his friend, Kingston, Oklahoma’s Buckaloo knew he needed him in his arsenal.
“He was in South Texas, and we left there and I told my dad, ‘This horse, I need this horse, and he’s not going to buy him,'” Buckaloo explained. “So, the next day I picked him up, and we vet checked him. He’s probably the best horse I’ve ever owned. He’s dang sure changed my career. I’ve won a lot of money on this horse.”
Since 2021, Frank’s helped Buckaloo notch major jackpot wins, including the 2023 Ariat World Series of Team Roping Open Finale for $53,000 a man and the 2024 Patriot Open. While Frank’s speed catches everyones’ eyes, it was his scoring that originally wowed Buckaloo.
“He scores like there’s a light switch,” Buckaloo said. “When you back him in the box, it’s like his motor, he just locks in on the cow. And he’s so fast. I mean, he’s a AAA race horse (with a speed index of 88); he’s won races on the track when he was a colt. He’s got speed that I’ll just say, people that have fast horses don’t realize how fast that horse is. He’s the fastest one I’ve ever had.”
Frank didn’t always have this speed, though. It took Buckaloo nearly a year to put some weight on him and get him fast. Now, he’s the perfect fit for the BFI’s long start and hard-running cattle, while also becoming more versatile on quicker setups.
“For a long time, I always said he was just a long score horse, like stuff like this,” Buckaloo said. “But we’ve been riding him at some rodeos and stuff lately, and I rode him at the American qualifier at Tulsa the other day and went 4 on him three times. He is getting to where he steps up and does good everywhere. I think it’s just getting a little more age on him, and I think that’s what’s really helping him now.”
