Eli Vastbinder on #55 Money Maker, owned by Danny Mason and Sharon Smiths
#55 Money Maker
The title Money Maker means many things to many people. It’s a hit rap song released by Ludacris, a board game where you create your own money, and the Urban dictionary definition was a female's gluteus maximus. But Danny Mason of Mineral Wells, Texas, will tell you it’s the old school definition that he had in mind when he renamed this five-year-old super star fire-branded #55.
“Of all the bulls I bring, I don’t care where we are I know he’s going to buck no matter how many times they ride him it’s the same tracks,” said Danny Mason who co-owns 55 with his sister and partner in Mason-Smith Bull Team, Sharon Mason Smith.
The nickname 55 stuck until Mason realized this calf was going to make some money. Fast forward a few years, and in addition to padding the bank accounts of the Mason and Smith bull team, 55 has made several bull riders a little wealthier as well.
Tyler Bingham cashed a $7,587.50 check when he rode him for 91.5 points in the shoot-out round to tie for the win at the Hobbs Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding.
In February, Reid Barker advanced and won the semi-final round in El Paso with a 91 on what is fast becoming the bull rider’s favorite bull to draw.
"The first time I saw him in Hobbs, I pulled his rope, and I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this could be mine tonight. He had a lot of timing to the right with rhythm after two or three rounds he gave me a big blinker, kicked twice and came back around away from my hand,” said Barker.
But his career on the Tuff Hedeman Tour began in Bossier City in 2018 when Roscoe Jarboe scored 88.5 points to advance and eventually win the event, thanks to first-round bull Money Maker.
"55 was into my hand, and he was a good bull that's only a four year old, he was in the gate to the right and pulled me down, and it was a dog fight after that to get him rode, but it worked out,” said Jarboe.
Reid Barker, El Paso THBRT, advances to the Shoot out on Money Maker
At four years old and 1,500 pounds, #55 Money Maker cuts the figure of a big-time professional bucking bull. He may even fool you into thinking he's already been to the majors with his consistent stats, stand in the chute business-like attitude, but what his owners say is his best quality is his intent to buck.
No. 55, sired by NFR bull Scout, an Oscar Velvet pedigreed bucker, is out of a Hammertime daughter. But the athletic red bull began his journey to the spotlight when Danny bought him from Reed Corder of Sonora, Texas, as a "coming two-year-old".
Sharon and I feel like when we are looking to buy bulls that they have to be real "intentional," and what I mean is they buck with intent, have a wow factor, and not just bucking but an intent to buck and doing it with intensity.
"In our minds, the bull must look good bucking…and look good when he bucks them off," said Mason.
"I can't ask for a more honest bull that is full of heart, and he bucks his heart out every time.”
Danny Mason pilots Mason-Smith Bull Team to its first team win in 2020 in El Paso, Texas
The Journey
As a two-year-old, Mason continued to develop 55 and began his competition career entering him in the Texas Bucking Bull Association where he consistently earned checks as a two-year-old including being the 2017 Reserve Champion as a futurity calf and came back in 2018 to claim the Year-end and Finals Champion buckle as a three-year-old or Derby bull.
He and Mason have developed a unique relationship along the way, and according to his traveling partner and escort to Las Vegas, he has never hooked Danny or a cowboy.
“We don’t really do anything out of the ordinary with him, but I move him around and keep him loose while we are traveling to these events, he eats well and is a pretty easy keeper, but he rules the roost for sure,” added Mason.
Described as the type of bull that a guy that rides well is supposed to ride according to Mason, he does have a few extra tricks sometimes.
“If you are in the middle riding him, he feels it and blows and goes the other way, if you are struggling, he stays to the right," said Mason.
“I know he's the kind of bull that the bull riders love to get on him and want to get on him – if they ride him, they will be in high 80's to 90's.”
When asked about a signature move Mason replied with a smile, “he loves to leap off the trailer like a long jumper.”
Mason and Smith’s Bull team operation is a brother-sister duo that got their start when Roy Carter called to sell some calves.
“Sharon’s husband just happened to be out there when we're bucking them, and it kind of went and developed from that day.
“We continued to buy bulls and spent the first few years competing with them in the ABBI and UBBI competitions and graduated more recently and really enjoy the bull team world.”
Sharon is an active working partner, and we talk about everything before making decisions with our bulls and bull team competition schedule. Keeping around ten bulls to draw from, Mason said they keep about 5 top end and the rest in the middle category.