The cowboys made their way to Glendale, Arizona for the 25th stop on the BFTS tour, the Built Ford Tough Invitational. We are in the home stretch now, with only seven events left before the World Finals.
This was a great stop for the 2007 Daisy Rookie of the Year Clayton Williams, as he won the first event of his young career. Williams was able to ride all three of his bulls on the way to his victory, including the previously unridden King Solomon, owned by Hales/Hicks & McKracken.
Mike Lee won round one. He rode the Diamond S Bucking Bull High Lonesome to an 89 score. Australia’s exuberant Ben Jones was second with an 87 after he rode Rush, owned by Radke Bucking Bulls. Right behind him in third was Zack Brown. He was given an 86.75 from the judges after he covered Martinez Bucking Bull LLC’s King Pin. Three men tied for fourth with an 86.25 – Brian Canter on the Richards Ranch’s Ugly Water, Reese Cates on Coyote Ugly, owned by Martinez Bucking Bull LLC, and Ross Coleman on Buffalo Hide, owned by Circle T Ranch and Rodeo.
Colby Yates rode Stage Fright to an 88.50 to win the second round. Circle T Ranch and Rodeo own Stage Fright. Second with an 88.25 was Josh Koschel. He rode Mastermind, owned by Martinez Bucking Bull LLC. Popular Brian Herman was third after he covered Mud Wasp to an 87.75. Mud Wasp is yet another Martinez bull. Fourth came Jared Farley with a score of 87.25 after his dance with Vampire, and yes, yet another Martinez bull.
The only rider to break that 90 mark was L.J. Jenkins, and it occurred in the short-go. He was awarded a 90.25 after he rode the Pete Baker/Homestead Genetics bull Southern
Gangster. Williams was second after that ride on King Solomon that garnered him an 89 score. Ednei Caminhas was the only other cowboy to ride in this round, and was third. He rode Hebert Bucking Bulls’ Shane to an 88.75.
Clayton had been on King Solomon before, but with different results. “I got on that bull earlier this year and it didn’t go well,” he said. “In Albuquerque I kind of got rocked back on my pockets which is a bad place to be, so this time I went into it a little differently.”
Williams proved that consistency really is the name of the game, as his scores did not get him a piece of the pie in round one, and he was only sixth in round two. By being the only rider to cover all three of his bulls however, he took home just over $28,000 for the overall event win.
Behind Williams for the Glendale event, we had Jenkins, Caminhas, Yates, and Coleman.
The Salem NationaLease Bull of the Event was Gnash. He is owned by Rafter 7R Bucking Bulls, and was given a score of 46 points by the judges.
The BFTS standings still have Guilherme Marchi with a commanding lead. According to my research, Marchi has only missed being part of the Championship Round eight times in 25 events, which shows just why he is numero uno!
Second in the world standings is Valdiron de Oliveira, with Kody Lostroh third, Lee fourth, J.B. Mauney fifth, and Jenkins sixth.
The end of the month the tour goes to Nashville, but the thoughts will be on making money and not music. Before that however, there is the Chihuahua Challenge in, obviously, Chihuahua, Mexico. That is this coming weekend, and I so wish I were going. I had a great time last year, but too much going on this time and can’t get away. I’ll be watching on TV though, and hope you do the same.
Photo: Clayton Williams on his way to victory. Andy Watson photo.
Be safe and God Bless,
Viva La Raza,
Barb.
