A Chip Off the Ol’ Block

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Robert Aubrey making a short ride into history on Ultimately Wolf. Photo by Mike Copeman.

As subscribers know, Canadian Cowboy Country was the first to report on and publish photos of Franklin Rodeo Company’s cloned stud colt, created from the DNA of their gelding, Airwolf (CCCM Oct/Nov 2008; In The Corral).

Out there on the wild Franklin Rodeo Company’s ranch, Shane went about quietly raising the cloned stud colt, and eventually exposed some of his top bucking mares to the young stallion. Then he waited — for years.

Finally, the day we’ve been waiting for happened at Sundre Pro Rodeo.

During the Sunday perf, (June 26) Shane Franklin loaded a grey four-year-old stud named F2 Ultimately Wolf in the bareback chutes. Unfortunately, cowboy Robert Aubrey missed him out so we don’t know what the score would have been, but, said judge Jim Pippolo, “Another year and 250 lbs and the rosin will be squeaking.”

Why this is such a big deal is because Ultimately Wolf is the son of Franklin’s cloned stallion, nicknamed Wolfie, who is the clone of World Champion bucking horse, Airwolf. He is literally a chip off the old block.

Rodeo professionals agree that it is very difficult to get a “matched” pen of broncs — horses that give each rider the same opportunity to win. Shane Franklin and partners took a big financial risk in cloning a bucking horse with the hope that Airwolf’s talent in the arena really was in the blood. If all the sons and daughters buck like this young stud, then Franklin’s huge gamble may well revolutionize the bucking horse industry and, from the looks of this stud colt’s trip, the bet has paid off.