Bobbie Pogue was watching the Western Days Parade from the front steps of the Historical Society’s Olde Community Church when she noticed that the iconic Fred the Bull statue was missing. She did not see him at his usual place on top of the Pinnacle Peak building overlooking Maine Avenue and watching the parade. She wondered where could he be during such an important event
Bobbie Pogue was watching the Western Days Parade from the front steps of the Historical Society’s Olde Community Church when she noticed that the iconic Fred the Bull statue was missing. She did not see him at his usual place on top of the Pinnacle Peak building overlooking Maine Avenue and watching the parade. She wondered where could he be during such an important event
Sharp-eyed Pogue called Billy Ortiz, who is the photographer around town and keeps Lakeside in the minds of everybody on the pages of Facebook. He is a community activist and knows pretty much everything that is happening in his hometown. He quickly called Steve Clapp, the owner of the former Pinnacle Peak (Branded Oak) Restaurant building. Yes it was true Clapp confirmed. Fred the Bull was missing from the rooftop of the building. Gone, stolen, kidnapped—but by who?
Their first thought was that some rodeo cowboys were probably out having fun during their stay in Lakeside and decided as a prank to kidnap Fred. Ortiz was commiserating to David Ybarra, the artist who painted the mural on the wall of Pinnacle Peak Restaurant, a historic mural of the cowboys herding the cattle in Lakeside. Ybarra suggested that Ortiz put the kidnapping on Facebook too, just to see if anyone knew anything about the strange disappearance of Fred.
Ortiz sprang into action and posted a photo of himself in the holding tank of the Sheriff Station, just a joke to get attention. Folks thought Ortiz was in jail for kidnapping Fred. Little did he know what would happen next. Lakesiders got all riled up and wanted to help “poor old Billy” and to become his friend on Facebook. One lady, who he did not even know, got a loan to bail him out of jail. There were more than 60,000 hits on his Facebook page and the San Diego TV news stations got on board also as they swarmed Lakeside to get the story of the missing bull. It created quite a stir especially since the rodeo had been the main topic during the week. All that attention might have flushed out the real kidnappers because Fred appeared on the rooftop of the principal’s office at El Capitan High School the next day safe and sound. A student from the school admitted on TV that the seniors had been the abductors. After Fred was lowered off the roof TV News channel 10 showed the bull riding in the back of a truck heading toward home.
Here is another tidbit of the history on Fred. It was formerly on the rooftop of the Pinnacle Peaks Restaurant in Santee. Someone who stole it back then could not get it down without cutting the legs off. It was found and later, when it was supposed to be brought to the new restaurant in Lakeside. The new owner, Clapp, had it restored by artist David Ybarra.
Here’s a joke: What do you call a bull without legs? Answer: Ground beef!
