Bronco BusterDenver Civic Center: how to see it
Alexander Phimister Proctor's bronze of a cowboy on a bucking horse. The Civic Center Conservancy says John Kernan Mullen presented it to the city in 1920. The pedestal spelling recorded by a statue directory is Broncho Buster.
What you'll see
A cowboy on a bucking horse, cast in bronze. Denver Public Art says the original plaster was made for the Chicago exhibition of 1893, titled The Buckaroo, later given to Denver, where it deteriorated. Proctor was then commissioned to make a bronze. That plaster was slightly changed for the Denver monument, which was titled The Broncho Buster.
The van der Krogt directory, from a 17 October 2010 visit, records the inscription as "BRONCHO BUSTER" presented to Denver by J.K. Mullen, A.D. 1920, and the signature as "a. phimister proctor." Denver Public Art adds the identifying marks "signed A.P. Proctor" and a trademark coin.
The same directory says that in the mid-1910s, at the request of Major Robert Speer (Denver mayor 1904–1912 and 1916–1918), two large bronzes in Civic Center were given by two residents. The second Proctor bronze is On the War Trail, which the conservancy dates to 1922 and says was presented by Stephan Knight.
The rider
Bill "Slim" Ridings. Denver Public Art says cattle rustling; the conservancy says horse rustling. Both say Proctor put up bail so the modeling could finish.
The horse
Denver Public Art says Proctor used several horses from a Pendleton, Oregon round-up as models.
Other bronzes
Denver Public Art says casts from Proctor's lifetime can be seen at the Denver Public Library, the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, and the R.W. Norton Gallery in Shreveport.
Visiting tips
- Find the pair. The conservancy treats Bronco Buster and On the War Trail (1922) as the two Proctor statues in this park.
- Read the spelling. Look for BRONCHO on the bronze. That is the form in the 2010 inscription transcription.
- Use the park address as a start, not a pedestal survey. The conservancy prints 101 14th Ave for Civic Center Park. Its art catalog line for this sculpture is the McNichols Civic Center Building.
- No separate ticket is listed. The conservancy publishes it as art in the park. That page does not give opening hours or an admission price for the statue.
Bronco Buster FAQ
Where is the Bronco Buster statue in Denver?
In Civic Center Park. The Civic Center Conservancy lists the park at 101 14th Ave, Denver, CO 80204. Denver Public Art files the sculpture under the McNichols Civic Center Building in the Civic Center neighborhood. A statue directory and Wikipedia place the pin near 39.738912, -104.989069.
Who made the Bronco Buster, and when?
Alexander Phimister Proctor. The Civic Center Conservancy, Denver Public Art, and the inscription recorded by the van der Krogt statue directory date the bronze to 1920. The directory records the inscription as presented to Denver by J.K. Mullen, and the conservancy gives his name as John Kernan Mullen.
Why do some signs say Broncho instead of Bronco?
Denver Public Art titles the work Broncho Buster. It says the 1893 Chicago plaster was called The Buckaroo and was slightly modified for the Denver bronze, which was called The Broncho Buster. The van der Krogt directory records the pedestal word as BRONCHO BUSTER.
Who was the model for the rider?
Denver Public Art names Bill "Slim" Ridings and says he was arrested for cattle rustling while modeling, then wrote to Proctor, who provided bail. The Civic Center Conservancy also names Slim Ridings and says the charge was horse rustling. The horse models, per Denver Public Art, were several horses from a Pendleton, Oregon round-up.
What other Proctor bronze is in Civic Center?
On the War Trail, dedicated in 1922. The Civic Center Conservancy calls it the second of two Proctor statues for the park and says it was presented by Stephan Knight. It shows an American Indian riding bareback with a spear.
Sources: Civic Center Conservancy, Art in the Park; Denver Public Art, Broncho Buster; René and Peter van der Krogt, statue usco42 (photo 17 October 2010); Wikipedia, Bronco Buster (Proctor), citing Michael Paglia, Westword, 25 July 2017. Last checked October 21, 2026.