Extreme Bullriding Tour 2009 Makes First Stop in Lincoln, NE

What a great kick off for the 2009 Extreme Bullriding Tour!  Friday, January 2nd found a phenomenal group of fans having a wonderful time watching outstanding bull riding and then dancing up a storm with Mark Keaton and Aces High.  What could be better?  Saturday night!  The crowd was even bigger, the arena was full of positive energy and the dance following was the final performance of Mark Keaton and Aces High as the band is disbanding.

Both nights the arena was pulsing with the spirit of a new year and a new tour and everyone including the bulls were anxious to “strut their stuff”.  328 Sea Bass continues to make a name for himself with his “moves” that make riding him extremely hard.  He is used to winning his match ups but on Friday night Chance Roberts proved victorious making the 8-second whistle.  Skeeter Kingsolver wasn’t so lucky on Saturday night when Sea Bass added another victim to his buck off list.  For the second event in a row Sea Bass was named Bull of the Event.  I’m no Dr. Doolittle but sometimes the way these bulls buck you would think they are out to win the Bull of the Event award!

Chance Roberts not only rode Sea Bass on Friday night adding his name to a very short list of men to accomplish this feat but his skill won him the event with 176 points and $1.930.50.  Second place went to 2008 Extreme Tour Rookie of the Year, Ty Redman with 173 points.  Ty took home $ 1,452.50 for his efforts.  The Bullriders of America and the National Federation of Professional Bullriders were the sanctioning associations.

In the Junior Bull Riding there were two qualified rides. Garrett Wren took first place with a 77-points ride for $ 195.00 and James Barta was second with 75 points for $130.00.  Double S Bull Company will once again sponsor the Extreme Junior Bull Riding Series.  The high dollar winner for the season will be the Series Champion and receive a Frontier Trophy Buckle.

Announcer Brandon McLagan had lots to talk about.  Funnyman, Allan Dessel, brings a full plate of jokes and specialty acts to each performance giving Brandon lots of opportunities to play straight man to his antics. 

The tribute to our U. S. Armed Forces which was lead by Mark Keaton was very special as Dakota Crase and Michael Oakes from Oklahoma National Guards participated in uniform.  Dakota is the son of Todd and Tammy Crase of White Buffalo Productions.

No bull riding would be complete without the bullfighters - the men who provide protection for the riders in the arena.  Putting their lives on the line for the riders were Andy Thompson and Jeremy Muntz – the Extreme Teams version of the “Dynamic Duo”!

Two special ladies added to the pageantry of the night as well as interacting with the fans.  Hannah Hilsabeck, Winterset, IA, is Miss Extreme 2009 and also serves as our flag bearer.  Abby McDonald, Aurora, NE is our Extreme Princess.  Last year Abby raised $5091 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the fight against breast cancer by selling 50/50 tickets during the bull riding.  At the end of the bull riding a winner is drawn and they receive 50% of the money with the other 50% going to the foundation.  In 2009 both ladies will be joining forces to once again raise funds for this very worthy cause.

It was a great start to a new year from the opening ceremonies to the last dance.  A wonderful memory to start the year!