Cord McCoy Invitational presented by Cooper Tires
ADA, Okla. – Cord McCoy was just excited to bring premier bull riding back to his home area.
On Saturday night, he painted a pretty good picture by winning the inaugural Cord McCoy Invitational presented by Cooper Tires in dramatic fashion, riding two bulls for 174 points and beating another hometown product, Jody Newberry, by two points.
“I’ve been off for about seven weeks just doing physical therapy,” said McCoy, 28, of nearby Tupelo, a regular on the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series before injuries took their toll and moved him off the association’s premier tour. “Just getting back on and having a win like that in Ada, Oklahoma, is definitely a blessing.”
McCoy had the top score in Saturday’s first go-round with an 86.5 marking on D&H Cattle Co.’s bull Basic Instinct and earned his post as the last man to ride in the short-go at the Pontotoc County Agri-Plex. He then rode D&H’s bull Looney Toon for 87.5 points to claim the championship.
“I think the first year I went to the PBR World Finals in 2006 started with a win in Ada, Oklahoma,” said McCoy, who is working through minor league events – like this weekend’s show, which is part of the PBR Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour – to hopefully play again among the top 40 in the world standings on the Built Ford Tough Series.
McCoy won $4,680 over the weekend, which counts toward qualifications to the PBR World Finals, set for this fall in Las Vegas. Newberry, for finishing second, earned $3,854.
“I’m thankful for Cord for bringing this event to Ada,” Newberry said Friday night. “I like being able to ride at a good event that’s in my hometown, and not everybody can put something like this on. It’s good that Cord has done this.”
McCoy, who served as the event’s producer with Jim McLain of Duncan, said it takes a small army and a lot of work to put on an event of this caliber, which featured some of the top bulls in the business and the best bull riders.
“The town, the community, jumped behind this event from the start,” McCoy said. “That meant a lot to me.”
McCoy wasn’t the only athlete who dominated competition at the event. The 2008 Professional Bullfighters Daisy Protection Bullfight world champions – Andy Burelle of Ardmore, Okla., and Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse, Wyo., representing Team Ada Gaming – won both go-rounds and the average.
“When you consider the talent of the bullfighters that are here, it means a lot to me that we were able to win this event,” said Burelle, 32. “We were able to stay consistent both nights, and I think that’s the key.”
Ever faithful, Tuckness pointed to his relationships as a standing point for him each time he enters the combatants ring.
“I give all the glory to God,” said Tuckness, 23, who was named the Daisy Take Aim at Safety MVP in a vote by his fellow bullfighters. “This is a special deal, because I get to work with Andy, a great bullfighter and a great friend who has really helped me along the way.”
Cord McCoy Invitational
Pontotoc County Agri-Plex
Overall results
PBR Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour: First round: 1. Jody Newberry, Ada, Okla., 88 points; 2. Cord McCoy, Tupelo, Okla., 86.5; 3. Chad Denton, Berry Creek, Calif., and Cody Atwood, Decatur, Texas, 85.5. Average: 1. McCoy, 174; 2. Newberry, 172; 3. Pim Rosa, Paulo de Faria, Brazil, 171; 4. Pistol Robinson, Fort Worth, Texas, 165.5; 5. Brad Harris, Udall, Kan., 89.5; 6. Denton and Cody Atwood, 85.5; 8. Brant Atwood, Decatur, Texas, 85.PBF Daisy Protection Bullfight Tour: Saturday’s results: 1. 1. Team Ada Gaming, Andy Burelle, Ardmore, Okla./Dusty Tuckness, Meeteetse, Wyo., 211 points; 2. Team Ada Travel Stop, Toby Inman, Davis Junction, Ill./Lance McIlvain, Arlington, Texas, 202; 3. Team Mann Creek Buck-n-Bulls, Jay Brewer, Graham, Texas/Steve Wangler, Plainview, Neb., 195; 4. Team Daisy, Brandt Clark, Lakeview, Mich./Joe Garretson, Springfield, Mo., 184; 5. Team Cooper Tires, Wacey Munsell, Ulysses, Kan./Kevin Pitts, Burleson, Texas, 169. Overall results: 1. Team Ada Gaming, Burelle/Tuckness, 437; 2. Team Ada Travel Stop, Inman/McIlvain, 378; 3. Team Mann Creek Buck-n-Bulls, Brewer/Wangler, 364; 4. Team Daisy, Garretson/Clark, 338; 5. Team Cooper Tires, Munsell/Pitts, 349/
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