Liberty County longhorn wins world championship

By Vanesa Brashier

Weighing in at 2,000 pounds with a tip-to-tip horn spread of more than 10 feet, a Liberty County Texas Longhorn lives up to half his registered name – Mighty, but the second half appears to be a misnomer – Mouse. Dunn Mighty Mouse, referred to by his owners as “Bruce,” is the new World Champion Steer after winning the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America (TLBAA) World Show last week in Belton, Texas.

Raised by Cookie McKee, owner of Snuff Ridge Ranch in Cleveland, and trained and owned by her granddaughter, Kyrah Schanbachler, 19, Dunn Mighty Mouse is a 6-year-old Texas Longhorn that originates from the Alabama ranch of Nancy Carter Dunn. He was one of two calves that Dunn donated to two Texas kids in 2016, one of which went to Schanbachler.

Bruce previously was a reserve champion of the TLBAA World Show two times before finally edging his way past other former champions to be the world champion. For McKee and Schanbachler, the road to the championship took many different paths with them competing with him as many as 10 times a year for the first five years of his life.

“This past year he only did two shows,” said McKee. “It was so funny for us pulling up to the world show in my little old 1997 Dodge pickup truck and a 6-foot wide trailer. We parked next to semis that have vehicle wraps and fancy trailers, and we end up being the ones to win the world championship.”

As to how they load Bruce onto the trailer, McKee said it is done very carefully, though Bruce is very accommodating.

“He gets in like a trooper and backs out of the trailer just as easily. It’s probably not super comfortable for him but he doesn’t seem to mind. He turns his head to the side while he is in the trailer,” McKee said. His horns are wrapped with foam pipe wrap that is used for plumbing and secured with veterinary tape.

McKee said it is not only his size, coloring and bone structure that sets Bruce apart. He has a disposition that is unmatched by other Longhorns.

“He was in the show ring and all of them were being wild and crazy except for Bruce. He was looking for someone to love on him. He saw the photographer, who was about the same size and stature of my granddaughter, and he went up to her for a good scratching. She scratched him a bit and then was like, ‘I have to go take photos now’, but Bruce wasn’t having it. He followed her around,” McKee said with a laugh.

According to McKee, Bruce comes from the same bloodline as other champion Longhorns, including Bucklehead Bob, who once held the record for Longest Longhorn Horns with the Guinness Book of World Records.

McKee said there have been several offers to purchase Bruce, but they have all been rejected.

“I told one guy, ‘You see that kid on the other end of the rope. She goes with him, and I don’t think her parents will sell her,” she said, laughing. “I don’t see her ever selling him. We love him too much and he’s so good for my grandkids, particularly her. She wasn’t the kind of kid to be involved in sports. She was more interested in showing animals. He has been a real confidence booster for her.”

A love of animals has prompted Schanbachler, a graduate of Magnolia High School in Magnolia, Texas, to pursue a degree in animal science from Tarleton State University. She hopes to one day be a veterinary specialist.

As he could live up to 30 years, Schanbachler is hopeful that Bruce could one day be a Guinness World Record holder.

“He has a little ways to go but he’s young. He has the potential. They never stop growing their horns,” she said.

When asked if she is ever concerned about her safety with working around his horns, Schanbachler said it requires a lot of situational awareness.

“Wherever his head goes, that’s where his horns are going to go, too. I have never been injured, not on purpose, but his horns are big and are like baseball bats, so it can hurt if he bumps you,” she said. “To deal with these animals, you have to be self-aware and know where their horns are at all times while you are working with them.”

Bruce’s disposition is a big plus as he is not one to be easily startled.

“He is pretty good about not being jumpy, especially if I am calm. He usually matches my energy,” she said.

So what is the secret to a Longhorn having such a massive horn spread? Schanbachler said it is a combination of genetics, good nutrition and being castrated as a calf.

“He was kind of a little guy when we got him. We didn’t see his full potential at the time. We have had him on Nutri-Beef feed that we purchase from Tractor Supply. It’s pretty high in protein and has all the nutrients he needs to maintain a good weight and healthy balance,” she said.

Bruce is a Hurricane Harvey survivor, too. When the storm hit in 2017, Bruce, who was just a year old at the time, was moved to higher ground as most of Snuff Ridge Ranch was underwater.

“He and the other cattle stayed up on top of the hill and survived it,” Schanbachler said.

As a steer, Bruce will not be able to father any future generations; however, McKee and Schanbachler have added nearly 30 Texas Longhorns with his genetics to their herd, and hope to see them produce future champions.