Coalgate teen killed in bull riding accident remembered by friends, family

COALGATE, Okla. (KXII) - Friends of a Coalgate teen killed in a bull riding accident in McAlester over the weekend gathered to remember him Monday evening on what would have been his seventeenth birthday.

Derby Gearhart entered the Ward Rodeo Company rodeo as a bull rider. The bull he was riding stepped on him when he was bucked off.

An account has been set up at First Bank in Coalgate to help the family with funeral expenses.

On Monday night, a special bull presentation honored Derby following the devastating accident.

“[They] all decided to go with the blue glitter and let him buck out,” said Gearhart’s friends on how they decided to pull off the birthday celebration.

They said blue was Gearhart’s favorite color, and his favorite thing to do was ride bulls.

“He loved the bull ride. That’s all he talked about. He wanted to be like J.B Mauney and he loved every second of it. "

Kale Horton was Gearhart’s best friend, and the two grew up together. Horton often got to see Gearhart in action.

“He’d get ready and he’d nod his head and he’d go to spurn that bull, and no matter if it was one jump or six jumps, he’d just keep on at it. He never quit. He always got back on the next one. "

Copyright 2023 KXII. All rights reserved.