SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (September 17, 2010) - Scoring 88.5 points on Train Wreck (D&H Cattle Co./Enlow/The Gilberts) on Friday at the JQH Arena, 2004 Professional Bull Riders World Champion Mike Lee of Decatur, Texas, is in first place after the first round of the elite Built Ford Tough Series PFIwestern.com Invitational presented by Bass Pro Shops.
Lee earned an extra $5,000 when he won the John Deere/PFI Bounty Bull Challenge by riding PFI Boot Daddy, co-owned by Randy Little of Springfield and Gene Owens, following Round 1.
Riding in his first-ever BFTS event, Brent Atwood of Decatur, Texas, tied for second with World No. 4 Valdiron de Oliveira of Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil, at 87.75 points. Atwood rode Iron Horse (Circle T Ranch & Rodeo) and Oliveira rode Segs The Juice (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls).
Paulo Lima of Bezerros, Brazil, is fourth after scoring 87.5 points on Prince of Darkness (Boyd/Floyd/Turner), while J.B. Mauney of Mooresville, N.C., and Luke Snyder of Raymore, Mo., are tied for fifth at 86 points.
Round 2 will be at 6:50 p.m. on Saturday and tickets are still available at www.missouristatetix.com or by telephone at (888) 476-7849 or (417) 836-7678.
The PBR Fan Zone will be set up at Bass Pro Shop, 1935 S. Campbell, in Springfield, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. Family-friendly activities include stick-bull racing, bull roping, face painting and mechanical bulls. The second-round bull draft will be held on the Cooper Tire stage from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. and riders will sign autographs from 12-1 p.m. PBR in-arena announcer and experienced angler Clint Adkins will host a fishing seminar from 12:30-1 p.m., while Brandon Bates, an announcer for the PBR and host of “The Elk Chronicles” on the Outdoor Channel, will host a hunting seminar from 1-1:30 p.m. There will be a Big Green Egg Cowboy Cook-Off from 1:30-3 p.m. with riders Shane Proctor and Luke Snyder, along with Bates, collaborating with local celebrity chefs to create a meal using ingredients that won’t be revealed until the event begins. The judges for the competition will be Flint Rasmussen, the exclusive entertainer of the PBR, along with Springfield radio personalities Andy Taylor and Curly Clark from KTTS 94.7 and Dawn McClain and Jay Fotsch of Power 96.5.
INJURY REPORT:
Jared Farley has a strained groin and is doubtful for Round 2. Beau Hill has a strained left wrist and is questionable for Round 2.
PFIwestern.com Invitational presented by Bass Pro Shops
Friday at Springfield, Mo.
Round 1:
1. Mike Lee, Decatur, Texas, 88.5 points on Train Wreck (D&H Cattle Company/Enlow/The Gilberts).
2. (tie) Brent Atwood, Decatur, Texas, 87.75 points on Iron Horse (Circle T Ranch & Rodeo) and Valdiron de Oliveira, Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil, 87.75 points on Segs The Juice (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls).
4. Paulo Lima, Bezerros, Brazil, 87.5 points on Prince of Darkness (Boyd/Floyd/Turner).
5. (tie) J.B. Mauney, Mooresville, N.C., 86 points on Hard Rock (Davis Rodeo Ranch & Luna) and Luke Snyder, Raymore, Mo., 86 points on Outa Da Blue (Circle T Ranch & Rodeo).
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
The PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 100 million viewers annually watch over 400 hours of primetime PBR programming on VERSUS, NBC, CBS and networks around the world. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money and 20 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBride with $5.5 million -- the most of any western-sports athlete in history. The PBR was nominated as 2010 Sports League of the Year at the Sports Business Journal Sports Business Awards, alongside the National Football League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Nearly two million fans attend Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events each year. For more information on the PBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamPBR and http://twitter.com/TEAMPBR.
