Last week I said that this race was really getting exciting. Well, it gets better each weekend. With only one event left in the regular season, the race has tightened up even more.
Before I get into that, let’s look at this event. Showing why he is the current leader for Rookie of the Year, an excited and emotional Cody Nance grabbed the win of the Cooper Tire International in Columbus, Ohio. “I’ve been on a ton of bulls in my life, and thank God I’ve been really healthy and that I’m healthy now,” he later said.
Nance rode his bull in the first round, and after riding Big Rig, owned by Danny Regan Bucking Bulls to an 88.25, was third in round two. This allowed him first pick in the draft, and he chose to try The Game, owned by Brandon Gasper Bucking Bulls. This proved to be a good pick. He finished third in the short-go with a big score of 91 points and was the eventual event winner.
BFTS leader Kody Lostroh and the two men chomping at his heels, J.B. Mauney and Guilherme Marchi, all rode their bulls in the first round, but none of them won any money. Lostroh struck in round two, however. He won that round on D & H Cattle Company’s Marmaduke with a score of 89.5.
Marchi took a re-ride in round two and was given Gold Bell Wine, a bull owned by Dakota Rodeo/Winston Loe. He made the best of his second chance, as he rode the bull to an 87.25 and a fifth place finish.
But the second round was not without controversy. Mauney had a Danny Regan Bucking Bull, Chocolate Chip, and gave a super ride on him. Three of the four judges gave him a score, but as the time went on without a score from judge four, it was announced that he was called for a slap and would get a no score. To say he was upset is an understatement, and he explained what happened. He said he knew he touched him, but that the bulls’ horn (a banana-horned bull) flopped up and hit his arm, he did not slap the bull. He also said that it was upsetting, considering the race for the world title is so close. Down the road this could be the deciding factor. They replayed this several times, and after he mentioned it, it did in fact look like that was exactly what happened. But they don’t pay me for my expertise.
The Championship Round produced some really good rides, with the top four finishers scoring 90 or above. Mike White, who won the first round with an 89.5 on Walton & Wagoner Bucking Bulls’ Carolina Cat, was also the winner of the short-go. He rode the super bull Apollo, owned by Box K Cattle, with a score of 91.5. This was a big event showing for White, who has been contemplating retirement after this season. His quest to compete in his tenth straight PBR World Finals looked to be iffy at best, but his performance in Columbus put him in 44th place. He will need a little over $6000 at the last stop of the regular season to participate in this years’ Finals. Mike has many fans, and I’m sure that they are watching closely to see if he can pull it out.
Second in the short-go was Dustin Elliot. He scored a 91.25 on one of my favorite bulls, Chicken on a Chain, owned by Jeff Robinson/Mike Tedesco/Larry the Cable Guy/Bar None. Nance scored that 91 and was third. Fourth was Marchi, with a 90.25 on Chance, owned by Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC. Austin Meier was fifth after riding Silverado Rodeo Company’s Rio Grande to an 89.5.
The top five in the event were Nance, Elliot, Marchi, Meier, and White.
The bull that was voted the Salem NationaLease Bull of the Event was the great Dakota Rodeo/Clay Struve bull Big Tex. He was given a huge score of 47.25.
Lostroh stills hangs on to his lead in the BFTS, although it has been diminished a bit. Due to the misfortune of J.B., Marchi once again moved ahead of him. Marchi trails Lostroh by 754.25 points, with Mauney 535.75 points behind Guilherme. Fourth is Valdiron de Oliveira, and fifth is Zack Brown. They are followed by Ryan McConnel, Renato Nunes, Robson Palermo, Wiley Petersen, and Sean Willingham.
Next week the men take their spurs to Uncasville, Connecticut for the Mohegan Sun Invitational. After that there is a one week break and then the seven days of competition that all this has been leading up to – the PBR World Finals.
Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media photo
Be safe and God Bless,
Viva La Raza,
Barb.
Copyright 1996 - 2008 Rodeo Attitude, LLC., All rights reserved.