Chisholm Obituary-Death; Longtime Advertising Star, Chisholm ‘The Earnhardt Steer’ Has Passed Away.
Andrew Walker
Updated on March 23, 2026
At the age of 27, Chisholm, a steer with a lengthy history in Arizona advertising, went away. Alongside television personality and Earnhardt Auto Centers founder Tex Earnhardt, the longhorn gained notoriety.
Working with Chisholm for more than ten years, Tex Earnhardt—famous for riding a steer in ads and saying “no bull”—ended his life in April 2020.
Ad campaigns, website images, and branded stuff, such as clothing and promotional things like plush animals featuring Chisholm’s likeness, all included the image of Tex riding Chisholm. In fact, Earnhardt Auto Centers’ “The Spirit of Tex” branding and marketing campaign is mostly centered around the silhouette of this kind of artwork.
“Dad always said he chose Chisholm for his gentle temperament and noble bearing,” Hal Earnhardt said. “Chisholm, for his part, always seemed happy wherever Dad was.”
“It was always fun to shoot a commercial with Chisholm,” commented Chris Kerr of Earnhardt’s marketing team, with an endearing chuckle. “We just had to keep an eye on his head. Those near-record length horns could knock you into the mud if you weren’t careful. But he sure was a big, sweet gentle giant.”
Many people in Arizona are familiar with the commercial phrase, “Earnhardt — it’s a name you can trust, and that ain’t no bull!” — A catchphrase inspired by Tex’s 1953 response to a parade spectator who questioned how he “kept that bull so calm.” Tex retorted, “…this? This is not a hoax!” A catchphrase and corporate theme originated from that point on.
It’s accurate! Adults had much more reason to laugh than children who were in awe of a guy riding a large, horned cow.
The inner joke of the ad campaign is that the animal star is a steer, not a bull.
“While Chisholm was known due to Grandpa’s commercials, he was actually a beloved family pet,” said Nature Earnhardt, Earnhardt’s Media Director. “It wasn’t just the treats in our pockets that made Chisholm happy to see us. He was part of the family.”
