Professional Bull Riders - Farley & McConnel Split Round One Win in Tacoma

By Lindsay Rosser, PBR
Posted Sunday, March 22, 2009

Don’t miss the conclusion of the Tacoma Invitational when it airs on VERSUS TONIGHT!

TACOMA, Wash. (March 21, 2009) - The world’s best bull riders headed to the Great Northwest to Tacoma, Wash., for the Tacoma Invitational, stop #15 on the elite Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) tour. At the end of round one, two cowboys walked out of the Tacoma Dome with the round victory, each scoring 87.75 points. Last weekend’s BFTS event winner Ryan McConnel (Colgate, Okla.) took on the bull, Mr. Callville, owned by Red Knection K Bulls, while young Aussie Pete Farley (Kempsey, AUS) rode Don Kish Bucking Bulls’ Cool Cash. Each deposited a check for $2,340 to their bank account.

Finishing in third place was Brazilian superstar Renato Nunes (Buritama, SP, Brazil) who scored 87.25 points after riding the bull West Coast Offense, owned by Don Kish Bucking Bulls. Splitting fourth, fifth, and sixth place were Brian Canter (Randleman, N.C.), Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil), and current no. 1 bull rider in the world Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.). Each scored 87 points with Canter topping Splatter, owned by Don Kish Bucking Bulls, Palermo riding Corey & Horst/Mecedes Cattle Co.’s bull Look at Me, and Lostroh on the bull, Crystal Ball of Don Kish Bucking Bulls.

Due to his round two win at the Pike Electric Invitational, Team Enterprise rider Renato Nunes (Buritama, SP, Brazil) was eligible to compete for the $5,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car “Ride with the Best” bonus during round one of the Tacoma Invitational. Because of his qualified ride on the bull, West Coast Offense, owned by Don Kish Bucking Bulls, Nunes was awarded the $5,000 bonus. As the winner of round one, Ryan McConnel (Colgate, Okla.) will be eligible to compete for the $5,000 bonus during the second round of competition.

The Tacoma Invitational concludes tomorrow as the top 40 bull riders compete in round two and the Built Ford Tough Championship Round to see who will take home the coveted event title. The event will air on VERSUS at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 22.

INJURY REPORT:
Ross Coleman (Molalla, Ore.) suffered a possible fracture of the left fibula. He is questionable for round two of the Tacoma Invitational.

Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert, Okla.) fractured his right femur. He will not compete tomorrow.

Tacoma Invitational RESULTS
ROUND ONE: 1/2) Ryan McConnel (Colgate, Okla.) 87.75 points on Mr. Callville (Red Knection K Bulls), $2,340; 1/2) Pete Farley (Kempsey, AUS) 87.75 points on Cool Cash (Don Kish Bucking Bulls), $2,340; 3) Renato Nunes (Buritama, SP, Brazil) 87.25 points on West Coast Offense (Don Kish Bucking Bulls), $1,170; 4/5/6) Brian Canter (Randleman, N.C.) 87 points on Splatter (Don Kish Bucking Bulls); 4/5/6) Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil) 87 points on Look at Me (Corey & Horst/Mecedes Cattle Co.); 4/5/6) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 87 points on Crystal Ball (Don Kish Bucking Bulls).

About the PBR:
More than 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on FOX, NBC, ESPN, VERSUS, and on a host of foreign networks across the globe. With approximately 500 hours of prime time programming annually, PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air, in addition to attracting over 1.7 million live event attendees each year with it multi-tiered event structure which includes the prestigious Built Ford Tough Series, the Copenhagen Bull Riding Challenger Tour, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour, and the Discovery Tour, designed specifically for entry level contestants. The PBR is headquartered in Pueblo, Colo., with additional offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. The PBR prides itself in its 1,000 plus stock contractor relationships and over 1,200 PBR bull riders competing in more than 300 PBR sanctioned competitions in five countries.

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