Published: February 17, 2008 12:11 am            

One for the record books

Quinlan man to appear in ‘Guiness’ book with pet

Keeping a family pet indoors can be a challenge, but when that pet is nearly 50 times the size of the average house cat, it can be downright dangerous.

R.C. Bridges, 59, and his family share their home with their 2-year-old, 1,400-pound buffalo Wildthing.

Wildthing, and the “wild things” it can do, is landing Bridges and the buffalo in the upcoming Guinness Book of World Records, according to a letter he received from the book’s publisher.

“He’s just like a dog, except he is a lot bigger,” Bridges’ wife Sherron said, “He’s even bigger than most buffalo. We just have to watch him carefully.”

Bridges was born and raised in Corsicana, where most of his family lived before moving to Waco. He met his wife Sherron, 35, in late 1999, and they married two years later. The two currently live in Quinlan with son Will, 15, and daughter Taylor, 13.

“We’ve been together for nine years and we’ve never had an argument,” Bridges said. “Not many couples can say that, but I’m proud that we’re one that can.”

Bridges made a career out of managing ranches and training horses, as well as briefly working for Parks and Wildlife and opening the Bison Saddle Company. He has been fascinated with buffalo all his life, and he won two world championships in the American Buckskin Association in cutting. He even started the World’s First Buffalo Cutting Contest in 1996 won by Doug Jordan.

He started his own buffalo herd back in the late 1990s, but had to sell out in 2004 when he lost his left eye to parasites obtained while swimming in the local lake. He was able to regain his sight with a cornea replacement, but due to a lack of insurance at the time, the operations cost too much for him to afford the ranch and vision.

In May of 2005, a baby buffalo came into the lives of the Bridges family.

“Our daughter Taylor named it Wildthing,” Bridges said. “I spent a lot of time with him while he was growing up. He gets brushed two to three times and fed six to eight times a day.”

Bridges and his son Lloyd halter broke the buffalo bull — a process meant to tame the wild animal. After a few months, Wildthing became a little less wild, but still just as dangerous.

“We have to always watch him,” Bridges said. “He would never do anything to hurt me, but he sometimes does not like other people.”

However, Sherron, Will, and Taylor often enjoy many activities that most family pets cannot afford their owners like buffalo skiing, chariot and sleigh riding, and the feat that landed Bridges in the Guinness Book of World Records and Ripley’s Believe It or Not: Buffalo dancing.

“We’ve had fourteen contracts with Animal Planet, two with America’s Funniest Home Videos, and Bill Engvall on CMT’s Country Fried Home Videos officially named me the Buffalo Tamer,” Bridges said. “I never intended to make a name for myself with Wildthing. All I was doing was having fun it.”

Bridges has been nominated for the Cowboy Hall of Fame and featured on WFAA-TV’s “Why Guy” segment, as well as several Animal Planet and CMT specials. His ability to train Wildthing to dance around the pin was what attracted the most attention, due to the dangers of working in close proximity to buffalo.

“My parents have always been concerned for my safety in raising buffalo,” Bridges said. “90 percent of buffalo trainers are seriously injured or killed, but with Wildthing, I hope to keep in that 10 percentile that goes unharmed.”

Despite the danger, Bridges promises to continue his training of Wildthing, and the family cannot wait to share another birthday cake with their 1,400-pound friend in May.

“Wildthing can get a bit violent sometimes,” Bridges said, “but as soon as I get him up to eye level, he melts with love. That is why I think I will always be safe around him.”

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Chase Springer may be reached by e-mail at chase@corsicanadailysun.com.

        

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