Going his own way

BISMARCK, N.D. - From 2007 through 2009 the world's best professional bull riders voted Chad Berger as the top stock contractor.

Although that honor has gone to Jeff Robinson the past two years, Berger remains a fan-favorite. The North Dakota native can always be found signing autographs at the Cooper Tires booth prior to Built Ford Tough Series events.

He's recognized in airports and sought out in hotel lobbies.

And along with Robinson, Circle T Ranch, D&H Cattle and Boyd & Floyd, he's among the five most active contractors hauling bulls to BFTS and Touring Pro Division events from coast to coast.

'I'll get back to the top. It's just a matter of my partners sticking with me.'

"You have Jeff Robinson and Circle T out there buying up a lot of the good bulls," said Berger in May, following the BFTS event in Pueblo, Colo. "I'm trying to raise more and find more of these younger bulls that I can bring up through the Classics. I'm trying to build my herd back up that way, and try to make another run at it.

"These guys are going out and spending way more money than I want to spend."

He said he agrees that Robinson and Circle T Ranch currently have two of the best pens, judging by the total number of championship-round bulls they haul, but that he's replenishing his own pen by raising more bulls than he has in the past.

"I'll get back to the top," he said. "It's just a matter of my partners sticking with me.

"It runs in stride, you know. These guys will get tired of buying those high-priced bulls, too."

In the meantime, he's hosting a TPD event in Bismarck this weekend, for the 12th year in a row. The event, which was previously recognized as the PBR Sanctioned Event of the Year, is taking place Friday and Saturday at the Bismarck Civic Center.

The always impressive Smackdown will wow the crowd this weekend in Bismarck, N.D.

According to Berger, Yellow Jacket Jr., Grey Ghost and How We Roll will highlight the short round, along with Smackdown, who has emerged as one of the Top 3 contenders for World Champion Bull along with Asteroid and Bushwacker.

"I have some young bulls I've kind of been hiding away," Berger added, "and they'll be in Bismarck and I'll buck them at (the Touring Pro Division events) this summer and bring them to the Built Ford Tough Series this fall, and try to get them to the Finals.

"I think I've got several of them at home."

Berger said he has as many as 10 who could make a name for themselves after the summer break.

Ironically, they are currently without names.

'We treat them well and put on a good show for them.'

Berger has been very careful about choosing names for his bucking bulls.

"I am particular," he confirmed. "I'm still trying to fit a name with the bull. You ever hear of the horse with no name? These are the bulls with no names. They'll have names in Bismarck."

This weekend's Bismarck event will have a distinctly BFTS feel to it.

Along with top-ranked riders like Robson Palermo and Ryan Dirteater, Flint Rasmussen will serve as entertainer and work alongside announcer Clint Adkins. Frank Newsom and Jesse Byrne will fight bulls.

Berger said fans fly in from California, Texas and the East Coast, because "we treat them well and put on a good show for them."