Unexpected, but not unearned

By Keith Ryan Cartwright
Posted Sunday, October 25, 2009

LAS VEGAS (October 24, 2009) - With a quick look at the Top 10 riders in the world standings, one name stands out.

Even on second glance, Ryan McConnel, who enters the PBR World Finals ranked sixth in the world, seems a bit surprising.

For the 22-year-old from New Mexico, who now makes his home in Oklahoma, 2009 has been a season for the ages, especially considering he hadn’t finished in the Top 50 in any one of his three previous seasons since turning pro.

“I’ve heard that a lot,” he said. “Just looking back over the past couple of years – finishing as far down as I have – I’ve come so far to where it’s a surprise and it’s an eye opener, but, to me, it’s just finally settling down and doing what I do best the way I do it.”

McConnel made it to Las Vegas last year as an alternate, but finished the year ranked 53rd, with 12 qualified rides for a lowly 35.29 percent riding average.

Even that was an improvement over the two previous years, when he qualified for just four Built Ford Tough Series events combined in 2007 and 2006, compared to 12 in ’08. He was ranked 78 and 90, respectively.

He actually purchased his PBR card in ’05, but failed to qualify for a BFTS event, and subsequently didn’t even earn a ranking that season. However, he did manage to earn his first $6,447.29 that year at a few lower-level events.

“In ’06 and ’07, I think, I was lost in the hype of, ‘Wow, I’m here at the PBR, all the lights and the cameras, getting tired on the flights,’” he explained. “I’m definitely, I guess, you would say immune to it.

“I have no doubts. I’m not looking up thinking, ‘Oh, wow, look who’s here’ and letting that get to me.”

For the first time, he’s competed at all 31 BFTS events in a single season, which is 16 more than he’s ridden in during his career prior to 2009.

His 53.6 percent riding average is up over 5 percent from his career average of 48 percent, and substantially better than last year’s average. In fact, his 45 qualified rides this year is fourth best among all the riders to have competed at a BFTS event this season, with only the Top 3 – Kody Lostroh, 54, Guilherme Marchi, 56, and J.B. Mauney, 55 – having ridden more.

As a result of his consistency – which he contends can be improved upon in the future – he’s recorded 14 Top 10 finishes and won his first BFTS event in Birmingham, AL.

“I couldn’t ask for a better season,” McConnel said. “I’ve been hit-and-miss a few times, but not too horribly bad. … I’ve been flirting around with sixth, seven and eighth and there’s still a shot for a world title.

“This year I’m going into (the Finals) with a lot more confidence and I (have) a lot better head on my shoulders.”

“If he draws right – big, stout, up-and-down type bulls – I don’t think eight go rounds out there would be nothing for this kid to become the first guy to ride all eight,” said J.W. Hart, “but there are a lot of factors in that. But, if luck would have it just right, he could be the first guy to ride all eight.”

If anyone knows McConnel it would Hart, who as captain of the U.S. team selected the youngster as one of five riders to represent his country in Brazil at the World Cup.

The underestimated team successfully defended its Cup title against the heavily favored Brazilians, and McConnel along with Mauney were the only two riders to cover five of six bulls. And it was McConnel who sealed the improbable come-from-behind win for the Americans.

With just two riders remaining for each team, Hart pulled McConnel aside.

“We had two chances to seal it,” Hart recalled, “and I grabbed him back of the vest and I said, ‘I hate to put the whole weight of the United States of America on your shoulders, but if you stay on this bull they cannot beat us. We win.’”

“Every time we bucked off one it was loud, and every time we rode one it was just totally silent,” McConnel said. “When he come up behind me and said, ‘If you ride, we win,’ well, it was huge.”

“He was like, ‘Oh hell, don’t tell me that,’” Hart said.

Despite the environment of 70,000 people screaming for him to buck off, McConnel clinched the victory with an 88-point effort.

“I knew right then and there that I was one of the top competitors going down the road,” McConnel emphatically stated with the confidence of a veteran.

And, for the first time in his career, experience is on his side.

So far in 2009, McConnel has earned $123,773.13, which is more than double his previous career earnings of $113,960.81, and he’s considered by many to be one of the top challengers to win the Finals event average, which pays out a $250,000 bonus.

“From here on out I want to even step it up more,” he said, “and kind of make Lostroh sweat when it comes down to the last round.

“I’m looking forward to the Finals.”

NEWS and NOTES

CBS Sunday: Be sure to catch the Built Ford Tough Race to Vegas this Sunday on CBS. You'll be treated to the best rides, the worst wrecks, and a buck-by-buck review of the closest season in PBR history. Check local listings.