Pet buffalo celebrates 10th birthday with another United Kingdom crew
By Larry Briscoe
Correspondent
Photo courtesy of Deana Hunt
R.C. and Sherron Bridges’ pet buffalo Wildthing celebrates his 10th birthday with the family and friends last week as
a United Kingdom fi lm crew captured the occasion for a future television show to be aired globally. Wildthing is quite
at home as he enters the living room where Sherron watches from the sofa.
Wildthing the buffalo takes his hometown Quinlan message around the world.
The 2,400-pound pet of R.C. and Sherron Bridges is often seen on television screens globally, even in the most remote regions.
Wildthing and his television personalities Bridges family filmed their 20th television show last week. The occasion of the buffalo’s 10th birthday was celebrated as part of the show filmed by a United Kingdom company. R.C. shared that Wildthing’s actual birth date is May 7.
Wildthing has already put Quinlan into homes around the world with his television appearances, hundreds of books, magazines and newspaper stories as well as feature spreads in five Ripley’s Believe It or Not books. Wildthing is a favorite of Ripley’s, and the buffalo helped open an exhibit hall for the company. He was even featured in a movie, “Summer of ’76.”
While the Bridges hold five world records, they may not be published because R.C. said the Guinness company charges for inclusion. He wonders why pay the publication.
R.C. is the real deal when it comes to cowboys, not only managing ranches, but he is a world champion cutting horse trainer. He won two world championships in the American Buckskin Association.
So much information is available about Wildthing and his family, a London newspaper recently published a story about them, and they were unaware of it. “A lady that had shot a TV show with us told us about it,” R.C. said.
Enough film footage is out there now, the Bridges are often televised without knowing when.
“We didn’t know we were on TV last night,” Sherron said last week. “And we will be on two more shows this weekend.”
R.C. is internationally recognized and awarded as a cutting horse expert. He has 30 years of experience and teaching seminars here and abroad to add to his credentials.
Sherron is a fashion and jewelry designer with Indian themes. She even uses Wildthing’s hair to make unique western and Indian boots and hats. She was dubbed “Dances with Wolves” by National Geographic. She has a pet wolves including Jewell Spirit.
Sherron will be at Buffalo Girls Hotel in Canton on the Mountain across from Dog Ally for a big event in April that includes a chili cookoff, auction and live music. The event benefits pet adoption for CLAW.
R.C. has turned down offers for his own show. He has retired from his cutting horse career that won the two championship belts and took him to Germany, Belgium and Holland from 1993 to 2007.
The couple and their buffalo first caught the notice of the press in 2008. They have been busy on the international air and press since. Film crews are commonly seen at their home from United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and South Korea as well as the United States.
Local friends Bonnie Hart, Deana Hunt and Candy Maricel celebrated with Wildthing and the Bridges.