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Rodeo World Mourns Loss Of 5-Time NFR Bucking Horse And Legendary Sire

Originally posted on Rodeo on SI | Last updated May 29, 2025 1:32 PM ET

Chad Burch, co-owner of Burch Rodeo, has shared with ProRodeo News that Lunatic Fringe has passed away at 23. The announced was made on Monday, May 26th.

Burch commented on Lunatic Fringe's passing, saying "He was a good horse, you don't come across them like him very often. He had a lot of colts that wanted to buck, and he was a bucker himself. There were two or three of his colts that were at the NFR with him."

Aside from being a five-time National Finals Rodeo bucking horse himself, Lunatic Fringe sired one of the most legendary bucking horses of all time, Lunatic from Hell. Lunatic from Hell, who was a 10-time NFR buck and the 2018 PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year, passed away unexpectedly due to colic at 16 years old.

Jesse Wright placed 1st in Round 5 with an 89.5-point ride on Burch Rodeo’s Lunatic Fringe. He earns this week's PRCA Archived Rides, presented by @PendletonWhisky Director’s Reserve; Top-end, aged, curated and carefully preserved. pic.twitter.com/LxgFLvkDm1
— PRCA ProRodeo (@PRCA_ProRodeo) December 28, 2023

In addition to Lunatic from Hell, Lunatic Fringe also sired Burch Rodeo's War Bridle and Lyin' Lunatic, Outlawbuckers Rodeo's Lunatic Party, and Womanizer of Cervi Championship Rodeo.

And according to Burch, even more might be on the way. "We have a lot of good horses with him," Burch told ProRodeo News. "We have a 5-year-old with no name yet and he's really shown signs of bucking and he's big. Hopefully he'll carry on the tradition (of Lunatic Fringe) of some sort."

Lunatic Fringe was inducted into the Back When They Bucked Hall of Fame in 2022. Burch said at the time, "He was a horse that everybody wanted on, a horse they could win on. And then after we retired him, he went on to being a producer… He’s a once in a lifetime horse. He really is.”

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This article first appeared on Rodeo on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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