Legislation redefines 'buffalo'

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Buffalo producer, cutting horse trainer Tim Frasier (aboard horse) points out potential for problems with HB 641's reclassification of buffalo. -- Staff photo by Montgomery

June 24, 2004 -- Buffaloes have roamed the country for thousands of years, and at one time were on the endangered species list. Now, after a successful comeback in the United States, a North Texas couple is trying to incorporate using the buffalo as a training tool for training horses.

Tim and Rhonda Frasier of Gainesville are "cutters," meaning they ride, and train, cutting horses for competition. For 10 years, Tim, who is known as the buffalo man, has been using buffalo in his training program.

The duo own Texas Buffalo Exchange. The company serves as the middleman between the buffalo breeder and the horse industry, and will buy back, on weights, the buffalo from the horseman. These buffalo are then sent to slaughter.

"For the last three years, if the calf grew well, they (horsemen) made a profit. We are trying to turn the cutting horse guy into a bison producer," Frasier stated.

How the "exchange" system works is Frasier contracts with the breeders in buffalo country ... Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, etc. The calves are then sent to his place in Gainesville, where they are then sold to horse trainers.

Frasier also sends a demonstration VHS tape which allows horsemen to view everything he does to train the buffalo and his horses.

"Everybody has their own way, we just provide the basics; things (like feeding and mineral) we know are important to the buffalo," Frasier said.

Explaining his buffalo program is a knowledge-base program, Frasier added, "We care for the animals we sell. An important thing in training is for the buffalo to have its bearings in the arena. If trained properly, (buffaloes) will repeat their pattern consecutively for a year or better. A buffalo will give you 700 to 1,000 works compared to a cow's one work. One buffalo in a horse program equals the presence of 10 cattle per day," Frasier said.

Criteria for herd selection includes brucellosis vaccination, disposition, very friendly, good minded, good looking, and genetically good horns.

He added horsemen should be concerned with what vaccinations the calves have had, how long they have been weaned, and how they have been handled at the ranch of origin.

Buffalo are dear to this breeder and his wife, who are members of the National Bison Association. Currently, the duo are on a crusade since the Texas legislation passed House Bill 641 (HB 641) last year. This bill changed the classification of the buffalo from exotic to wild animals indigenous (native) to Texas.

"I am passionate about this law. The definition leaves the door open to changing the classification again because these buffalo are not wild or indigenous. When you use the word wild, people think of wildlife and one thing leads to another," Frasier said.

Instead, Frasier believes the word "originally" indigenous should have been in the definition.

Hugh Fitzsimmons, who was the Texas Bison Association (TBA) president at the time the law passed, said his reasoning for endorsing HB 641 was when the bison numbers rebounded, and they were no longer considered endangered, they were put into the exotic classification. "They are not exotic, but are indigenous to the United States and Texas."

Fitzsimmons added his intention was "for the buffalo to be classified correctly and moved off of the exotic classification."

The ex-president stated he believe what the cutters where doing with the buffalo, was "cruel because the buffalo won't quit. They last longer than a Corriente steer."

This better endurance is the reason why cutters like using the buffalo, but Frasier said cutters should not use buffalo just to train horses, but also for cattle production.

"I don't think they will replace cattle," the cutter said.

"Currently, there is not a problem but there is a potential. The majority of the private buffalo owners in the state were not notified of the (classification) change. Most of the animals in the state are owned by the NCHA (National Cutting Horse Association members)," Frasier added.

Frasier's concerns center "around the potential being there of loosing control of our private herds and the market for people in the buffalo country."

So who has control of the buffalo, now that they are classified as indigenous?

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife's Robert MacDonald, "the legislation designates the species of animals that the Texas Parks and Wildlife have jurisdiction over. Bison is not listed as any of them, which basically makes them livestock. Bison are livestock as far as the agricultural policy is concerned. We have no regulatory authority. The only authority we have over bison is those at Caprock (a state park southeast of Amarillo)."

Frasier cited, "Through education we are changing the idea that horsemen ruin buffalo. The biggest obstacle is lack of information in the right places. There is a program (Texas Buffalo Exchange) where we are trying to make it work, trying to pull the two industries together."

The cutter/buffalo breeder stressed if anyone, whether they bought buffalo from him or someone else, has questions about bison or HB 641 to give him a call, 940-612-0192.

"Every single buffalo is a gift," Frasier concluded.