News Story - Idaho State Journal

LAVA HOT SPRINGS -- The benefits of a new sculpture at the entrance into the tiny resort town of Lava Hot Springs are twofold, said Les Bocek, a member of the Lava Lions Club, which funded the work of art.

In addition to welcoming visitors to town, Bocek said the sculpture, created by renowned wildlife artist Stephen LeBlanc, of Denver, will encourage other artists to display their work in Lava Hot Springs.

The statue was placed Friday at the walking bridge that crosses the Portneuf River to Lava Hot Springs.

LeBlanc also sculpted bronze deer and elk for 65 Sportsman's Warehouses nationwide, and his work was just named best In show at Nature Works in Tulsa, Okla.

The life-sized sculpture displayed in Lava Hot Springs is LeBlanc's first attempt at recreating a Brahma bull.

With the hindquarters raised high in the air, the sculpture captures the animal's strength and power.

Milan Zabaka, of Lava Hot Springs, used a forklift to raise the 1,100-pound sculpture from the back of a trailer and onto a 77- by 50-inch concrete pad.

The bull was perfectly balanced as it was lifted and suspend in midair by a nylon strap.

Bocek said the group opted for the Brahma bull in recognition of the Lions' Bulls Only event, which was held last weekend.

"The bull is a symbol of the rodeo," Bocek said. "Everyone stays for the bull riding."

The bronze sculpture cost $28,000 and was funded through weekly bingo games hosted by the Lava Lions at the Blue Moon Bar and Grill.

The club ranked third in the state last year for money given back to the community.

Bocek said the bingo games, which started 15 years ago, represent 2,000 volunteer hours.

Last year, the Lava Lions raised more than $82,000 through bingo, the club's annual trap shoots, sanctioned boxing, Bunnyland and the Bulls Only events.

The Bulls Only rough stock event, currently in its fifth year, drew 31 riders bull riders, said Lava Lions President Ken Fagnant. Fagnant said the event has grown each year since its inception, and the bronze sculpture is a way to recognize the rodeo, which features bull riding at its best.

"And it's just a nice way to welcome people to town," Fagnant said.

LeBlanc, who's received more than 30 national and international awards, said the sculpture would have normally sold for about $65,000. But because of the club's contributions to the community, he reduced the price for the piece of art.

"You have to give back to the community, and it will be nice to have this here," he said. "Besides that, (Bocek) is a really nice guy."

The bronze bull took nine months to create. LeBlanc used recycled clay and a process called the lost-wax method for the sculpture. Then a 65-piece mold was used to form the bull.

To ensure that the animal's size and girth were depicted accurately, LeBlanc said he attended a bull riding event in Denver, Colo.

In addition to his sculpting, LeBlanc is also filming a wildlife series, which will air on ESPN in January.

He's also working on a sculpture of a 17-foot-tall mother black bear and two cubs, which he'll deliver to South Carolina later this year.

LeBlanc's works of art grace the homes of celebrities such as the late President Gerald Ford and Akihito, the present emperor of Japan.

By Debbie Bryce

This document was originally published online on Saturday, August 30, 2008

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