In the summer of 2014, the figure of Rob Bell, who used to sit on top of the bull located on Copeland Avenue and Hwy. 16, was found vandalized on the train tracks.
“Vandals were never caught, we figure it was definitely kids that didn’t know Rob and his story,” commented Jocelyn Bell,Rob’s mother.
Rob was a bull rider in 1999, 2000, and 2004. In the year 2000 he won the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) in Edmonton, Alberta.He also participated in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association- National Finals Rodeo which was held in Las Vegas,Nevada in 1999, 2000, 2001 and the Salt Lake City Olympic team Canada in 2002.
Rob’s figure and the bull was funded by donations from the community shortly after he won CFR in 2000.
“Red Menhinick felt very strongly that Rob was from Houston and he spearheaded the fundraising. Once complete the town was to take over the maintenance. Red passed away this spring and was very upset about the vandalism in 2014 and the district for not doing anything about it,” commented Jocelyn.
“We didn’t foresee this event in our budget plan for 2016, but it is something that we are going to bring up soon,”commented Gerald Pinchbeck, Corporate Services Officer for the District of Houston.
Rob Bell retired from bull riding in 2009. He now lives in Stonewall, Louisiana. He worked for a gas line company there for years and has now started his own business in home inspection.