DENVER, Colo. --- Reuben Yutzy from Dundee, Ohio, is happy to have won the first round of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Denver Chute-Out at the National Western Stock Show.
However, the young bull rider would be much happier if he had the chance to ride another bull and win the championship on Wednesday. Yutzy’s first ride came aboard D & H Cattle Company’s bull named Rock Face.
The 90-point effort is the high-marked ride of the young man’s career but came with a price. Yutzy landed hard after the ride and walked out of the arena. He consulted medical staff when he was having numbness in his right hand. On-site doctors sent him for x-rays which revealed that he had a fracture of his C-6 vertebra
He came to Tuesday night’s bull riding with a neck brace on and even though he qualified for the second round he will be a spectator again on Wednesday. The good news is, he earned a whopping $4,257for his effort and will only be out of competition for two months. He has been a member of the PBR for less than a month and will definitely be a rider to watch when he is healthy again.
Tuesday night saw 25 of the 45 riders making qualified rides. Leading the pack was Stormy Wing from Dalhart, Texas, who had an 89-point effort on Chad Berger’s bull named The Breeze. Right behind him is the reigning world champion, Colorado’s own Kody Lostroh, from Longmont.
Lostroh received an 88 for his ride on Jeff Robinson’s bull, Relentless Warrior. All of these men will have their second bull here on Wednesday night beginning at 7:30 p.m. The 15 with the highest scores will then advance to a final round in hopes of winning the championship.
Last year’s winner here was Brian Canter from Randleman, N.C. Canter won over $20,000.
