TULSA, Okla. (July 15, 2010) - History will be made this weekend in Tulsa, Okla., at the Express Classic.
For the first time ever, the PBR will feature ABBI Classic bulls in two of the three long rounds at a Built Ford Tough Series event.
“Over the last two or three years, the ABBI Classic bulls have just gotten better and better,” said PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert, in a Podcast posted at www.pbr.tv, “so the 3- and 4-year-old bulls that are entered in Tulsa, I’m going to use them on Friday and again on Sunday.
“It’ll be the older, experienced bulls on Saturday and then in the short go on Sunday.”
Lambert went on to say that in the past few years, the younger bulls have proven themselves to be “just as good” as the experienced bulls.
In fact, he went so far as to say, “Actually, some of them are better. There are bulls like Bushwhacker, who are in there and in contention for World Champion Bull, if you ask me, and then another bull named High Stakes that I think bucked as well as any bull that I’ve seen all year.”
Lambert also talked about Ryan McConnel’s comments on Bushwhacker, which were published in the July issue of Pro Bull Rider magazine.
In the article, McConnel was quoted as saying “Bushwhacker, to me, is out of hand,” and is “liable to hurt somebody.”
Lambert described the World Champion contender as a “bucking son-of-a-gun” and said he doesn’t understand what McConnel wouldn’t like about a bull that does “everything you want him to do.”
Bushwhacker has been ridden once in eight outs at the BFTS level, including a perfect 0-for-4 this season. The one time he was covered was when Thiago Paguioto rode him for 89.75 points last year, in the third round of the World Finals.
“I can’t relate to that,” said Lambert, regarding McConnel’s comments. “Back when, way back when I used to ride, that’s the challenge guys wanted.”
He later added, “Ryan can really ride and I’m a little surprised by it, but I don’t know.”
Lambert records “In the Bull Pen” every Thursday prior to a BFTS event.
NEWS and NOTES
An online first: This weekend, for the first time in PBR history, each day of a regular-season BFTS event will be covered live online.
All three days of action from the Express Classic in Tulsa, Okla., will be available live at www.pbr.tv and www.versus.com. Fans who can’t catch the live event will be able to watch the event later on demand at pbr.tv.
Online coverage will feature the live in-arena feed from the event, including every ride as called by announcers Brandon Bates and Clint Adkins, along with comedy stylings of Flint Rasmussen and other live event activities as they happen.
TV coverage of Tulsa on Versus: Versus will be airing a special one-hour show on Friday, July 30 at 9 p.m. ET, and re-airing it on Saturday, July 31 at 8 p.m. ET. The show will feature the best action from Tulsa along with a review of the season and a look ahead to the rest of the year.
PBR Mailbag: Have a question? Beginning this weekend, www.pbr.com will debut a weekly “mailbag” giving you the answers. All questions must be sent from a current email address and be accompanied by your first name along with your city and state. Email questions to mailbag@pbrnow.com.
