When is comes to merchandise sales, the bulls have bullied their way to the top of the Professional Bull Riders tour.

Yes, that's correct. The bulls are more popular than their riders with sales of T-shirts, hats and stuffed animals to prove it.

The disparity in the sales among the PBR's 75 official licensees has narrowed from a 3-1 advantage the bulls owned at the beginning of the year.

But coming into the Dickies Invitational at American Airlines Center on Saturday and Sunday, the bulls still rule.

"They have always been very popular with our fans. They [the fans] request as many stuffed animals of the bulls as they do of pictures of the riders," said Kristin Van Scoyk, the PR and marketing manager for the PBR. "But, with the popularity of Adriano Moraes and Justin McBride this year, the cowboys are pulling closer. The bull items are really popular with our women fans. "

The phenomenon doesn't really surprise Cody Lambert, the organization's livestock director.

"We've given the bulls a lot of exposure," he said. "We feature them in little takeouts on the telecasts. Half of every ride is the bull, so they do deserve the credit."

Even the riders are asked to autograph the bull items, especially if they have been on them.

"They are the stars," says Lambert. "They [the fans] come to watch the bulls as much as the riders."

The top selling bull merchandise is of Little Yellow Jacket and Blueberry Wine, two bulls that were retired two years ago. Both were household names after seven years on the tour. And the fans haven't forgotten.

Little Yellow Jacket, owned by Berger/Teague/Taupin, was the PBR's Bull of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Although Blueberry Wine, owned by Herrington Cattle Company, never was a Bull of the Year, he was as big a hit with the fans as Little Yellow Jacket. They were visible on a weekly basis, and bucked off many big names over the years.

"There was never a weak effort from those two bulls," Lambert said. "They always did whatever it took to win and very few guys rode them."

Last year's Bull of the Year, Mossy Oak Mudslinger, also is moving up in the merchandising business. Lambert said new bulls as they come along will become popular with the fans, thus more merchandise sales. Mudslinger's likeness has been duplicated for a coin operated children's ride featured at numerous Wal-Mart stores across the country.

Among the first bulls to gain popularity with the fans was Bodacious, who was the PBR's first Bull of the Year in 1995. He also was the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's top bull in 1994 and '95.

In his late years, he became such a dangerous bull to ride that owner Sammy Andrews decided to retire him after the 1995 season before someone was going to be seriously injured.

In his last performance at the 1995 National Finals Rodeo, Scott Breding suffered a severe concussion while Bodacious split in half his hockey-style helmet he was wearing for protection. Earlier that year he shattered dozens of four-time world champion Tuff Hedeman's facial bones when Hedeman's face collided with the back of Bodacous' head.

Although Bodacious died in 2000, the bull is still revered by many of the older fans. He was still a popular part of the PBR merchandise until recently.

"We've sold out of all of his products now," Van Scoyk said. "And we haven't reordered any yet."

However, through the breeding programs, many of Bodacious' family still remain in the business. One of them is Walk this Way, an upcoming PBR star owned by Mack Altizer. He is Bodacious' grandson.

Not only do the fans build bonds with the bulls, but many of their owners consider them a part of the family.

For instance, when Bodacious died, Andrews had a hard time talking about the death. It brought the long-time stock contractor to tears when discussing the bull's health deterioration during his late years. He buried Bodacious in a special plot on his ranch near Addielou, Texas.

Roy Carter, a former bull rider who raises bucking bulls for the PBR, probably tells the best story about the relationship with the bulls and the family.

"Some years ago, I was at a Tampa, Fla., PBR event when my son, who was attending the University of Florida, came over to introduce me to his new girlfriend," Carter related. "After the bull riding, we were walking back to see Kid Rock (one of Carter's top bulls at the time) and my son asked his girlfriend, 'would you like to meet my brother?' I guess that about sums up how much we all thought of him."

Ed Knocke is a freelance writer in Bedford.

knocke1@aol.com

When: Saturday, at 6:50 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Where: American Airlines Center.

What: The Profesional Bull Riders' Built Ford Tough Series, featuring the world's top 45 bull riders and bulls.

Tickets: Available at all Ticketmaster outlets by calling 214-373-8000 and online at ticketmaster.com. Also, available at American Airlines Center box office.