Virgil

Rodeo Livestock

Inducted 2026

Virgil was born and raised by Dale Kling near Grassy Butte, North Dakota, on the Kling Ranch. His mother is a mare called Apples, an Appaloosa mare with Rock Island bloodlines from Shane Franklin. His sire is Big John, a grey draft horse with unknown breeding leased from John McNeely in 2007.

Virgil was branded with the rest of the set of “F” colts, getting the number F13, being the 13th colt run in to be branded. Also, the two studs used that year were Spotty Crop and Big John. The rest of the set of F colts were sold to Vern McDonald privately. The set of F colts were hot; along with Virgil there was F9 Big John (Jake Vold won the long round at Ponoka), F11 Black Moon (Rank horse of the round in Calgary, CFR/NFR), F21 Black Strap (NFR, CFR).

As a part of the stud lease agreement, John McNeely was able to pick one colt from the mares bred by Big John. When going to pick he actually picked a big blue roan colt, but Dale said, “You don’t want that one. You want that one (pointing to a grey colt which was a 2-year-old Virgil).”

That fall at the 2010 Breeder’s Classic in Cody, Wyoming, John McNeely brought F13 and entered him in the 2-year-old futurity. F13 was bought by Maury Tate, owner of Mo Betta
Rodeo Company, for $1,800.00, and was named after Maury’s late father, Virgil. He was brought up at the Cody Night Rodeo. With the help of skilled bucking horseman, Mark Cotter, wild fence-jumping Virgil got his talent dialed in to the in-arena performance only.

He bucked as a Mo Betta bronc up until he made a spectacular trip in Houston in the Final 4 round as a 5-year old in 2013, going 93 points with Tom McFarland.

When Virgil became part of the Mo Betta string after the Breeder’s Classic sale, C5 Rodeo followed his career closely. They knew what the big grey was capable of and wanted him to be a part of the C5 string. C5 owner, Vern McDonald, wired the money after Houston and Virgil was his. Virgil has four brands, if you look closely, representing every owner: Dale’s W /, John’s Rocking JC, Maury’s ?/, and a Bar C5.

He’s a three-time Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Bareback Horse of the Year, a two-time Professional Rodeo cowboys Association Bareback Horse of the Year, and a Canadian Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year. He holds the record for the highest scored ride in 2017, and his resume includes six go-round wins: five in bareback and one in saddle bronc.