ABBI Bucking Bulls

Thunder Run Ranch, Lyman, SC  is owned by Mike Porter and Kathy Klein-Porter. 

Mike Porter is an entrepreneur, businessman and a partner in several businesses in South Carolina. During his business career Mike worked several years for a National CPA firm, was an executive with a Fortune 500 company and consulted for Fortune 500 companies. Mike was the founder and creator of RodeoStockyard.com the first online auction for buying and selling bucking bulls; which he later sold. He was also the founder and president of the Professional Bucking Bull Association and the National Bull Riders Series. Mike served on the Advisory Board of the Southern Extreme Bull Riders. He was the CFO, Industry Liaison for ProBull Properties. He is one of the original 300 members of the Rodeo Stock Registry the predecessor of the American Bucking Bull, Inc. and is also a member of the National Bucking Bull Association.

Kathy a life long lover of horses. She was the PBBA Secretary - Treasurer since the PBBA was created. She takes entries, secretaries most of the PBBA events & manages the Calcutta. Its her organizational skills that keeps the PBBA events running smoothly, that and her ability to keep Mike & the stock contractors in line. Kathy also owns her own bull and a few cows. She is retired from over 25 years as an administrator in the medical industry. 

Winnie Recap -Allen Glanville

 ABBI Futurity & Classic February 24, 2006 Classic Winner: Mike Porter’s 07R Johnny Red 

Mike Porter came to Stephenville, Texas back in 2004 and bought a young bull at Jerry Nelson’s sale. Porter, who hails from Lyman, S.C., brought his young bull home and turned him over to Ernie Treadway, a veteran rodeo producer to see how his new bull would turn out. Two years later, Porter brought that bull back to Texas and won his first event. 07 Johnny Red outscored the second place bull by just one point in a class filled with 48 top Classic bulls. Of the victory, Porter said, “He bucks hard and he does it every time. Ernie Treadway trained him and I couldn’t have done it without his knowledge. I need to thank my wife Kathy for all the hard work and support.” Johnny Red is a son of Muddy Waters and a grandson of White Water Skoal, and out of a Jerry Nelson cow. “We bucked him in some futurities,” explained Porter, “but he didn’t work well with a dummy. Treadway saw something in him, and worked with him, and today he really performed great.” Johnny Red displayed power, came out of the chute and immediately threw the rider over his head. His power must have impressed the judges because they scored him 88.5 points along with $2,375. Treadway knew he had something, because when asked what he was doing out West he remarked, “I have the bull that will win this event.” It’s one thing to say something, it’s another to back it up.