Round two of the PBR's BFTS "Air Force Invitational" is all about Brazilians

By Mary Rudloff
Posted Saturday, May 2, 2009

WORCESTER, Mass. (May 2, 2009) – With round two of the PBR’s Air Force Invitational, on Built Ford Tough Series event number 20, in the books, Brazilian riders hold both the top spots in the round and in the event average so far.

Robson Palermo took round two, as well as a nice, healthy five point lead in the average, after a blistering 92.25 pointer aboard the much-hyped “Apollo” (Box K Cattle).

The bull, considered one of the top ranked in the round, was Palermo’s for the taking when he chose second in the draft Saturday morning. That pick paid off, as the teaming of Palermo and Apollo thrilled the crowd at the DCU Center late in round two Saturday night.

The ride, which was the first 90-pointer of the event so far, was enough when added to Palermo’s 87 point ride Friday night, to give the bull rider a five point cushion heading into Sunday’s round three and championship short-go.

Palermo’s total of 179.25 puts him five points ahead of countryman Guilherme Marchi in the average so far.

Marchi is making the most of season points-leader Kody Lostroh’s absence (due to injury), in trying to close the 1,200 point gap as much as possible. Marchi closed out round two with plenty of drama when his bull “Buckeye” (Silverado Rodeo Co.) reared up in the chutes, smashing Marchi into the chute behind him as his fellow riders pulled him out. “Buckeye” then proceeded to fall over sideways, forcing the gatemen to open the chute so the bull could half-roll, half-fall onto the dirt and roll around for a few seconds before righting itself.

Marchi would get a re-ride, but when the contractor offered to run “Buckeye” back into the chute again, Marchi said to bring the bull back.

When the chute gate opened this time, Marchi showed the bull who was boss, spurring like a madman, bringing the crowd to its feet with an impressive 90.25 ride. That ride leaves Marchi in second in the round, and third in the average, 5.5 points behind Palermo, with 173.75 points heading into Sunday.

Second in the average is another Brazilian, Valdiron de Oliveira, with 174.25 points. Oliveira took fourth in round two, scoring 88.5 points on “Big Tease” (Dakota Rodeo/Julie Rosen).

Breaking up the all-Brazilian sweep in round two was New Mexico’s Travis Briscoe. Briscoe showed good moves on “Bad Action” (Dakota Rodeo/Clay Struve), for 89.25 points. It was Briscoe’s first score of the weekend, sending him into Sunday’s final rounds tenth in the average.

Rounding out the top five in round two was Nick Landreneau. Landreneau put up an 87.75 pointer on “Live Wire” (Dakota Rodeo/Struve), his re-ride bull. He was given a re-ride when his first bull, “Hard Copy” (Williams/Mucherino) hopped around the area in front of the chutes, never quite breaking into a buck or a spin, for an unimpressive 70.25-pointer. Landreneau is 6th in the event average after two rounds.

Sitting in 5th in the average after two rounds is two-time PBR World Champion Chris Shivers, with 172.25 points. Shivers scored 86.0 in the round on “Gappy Joe” (Jeff Robinson/Larry the Cable Guy), tying 6th through 8th in the round.

Also putting up 86-pointers in Saturday’s round two were J.B. Mauney and Travis Sellers. For Sellers, on “North Dakota Kid” (Dakota Rodeo/Jim Quintaine), it was his first qualified ride of the weekend.

It was Mauney’s second ride, this one on “Black Mamba” (Silverado Rodeo Co.). Mauney is also hoping to gain ground on the absent Lostroh, and is tied for 7th and 8th in the event average with Renato Nunes, with 168.5 points. Nunes gave the fans another back-flip Saturday night, scoring 85.25 points on “Jeffrey Scott’s Buckle Man” (Robinson/Broken N-N/Jeffrey Scott/Gary Blythe). He placed 11th in the round.

After a slow start to round two Saturday night, with only two qualified rides in the first ten rides, a total of 16 riders put scores up in the round by the end.

Other qualified rides in round two were:

McKennon Wimberly, 85.75 points on “God’s Gift” (Dakota Rodeo/Struve), for 9th place in the round; he is fourth in the average after two, with 172.5 points;

Kasey Hayes, 85.5 points on “Eviction” (Robinson/Tedesco), for 10th place in the round; it was his first score of the weekend.

Wiley Petersen, 85.25 points on “Husker’s Terror” (Dakota Rodeo/J. Quintaine) for 11th/12th in the round; it was his first score of the weekend.

Pete Farley, 85.0 points on “Black Eyed Bird” (Robinson/Bar None/Leon Frakes) for 13th in the round; his first score of the event.

Caleb Sanderson, 83.5 points on “Why Not Minot” (Dakota Rodeo/Roger Ward) for 14th place in the round; his first score of the event.

Josh Koschel, 83.25 points on “Big Mack” (Dakota Rodeo/Struve) for 15th; his first score of the weekend.

Austin Meier, 81.25 points on “Deviled Egg” (Jeff Robinson) for 16th; he sits in 9th in the event average after two rounds, with 160.25 points.

Clayton Baethge, Friday night’s round winner, looked to have a powerful ride on “Carolina Cat” (Walton & Wagoner Bucking Bulls) in round two, in the “Enterprise Ride with the Best”, but the clock was stopped at the 4.3 second mark, when a judge called Baethge for having his spurs in his rope when he left the chutes. Baethge challenged the call, but lost the challenge.

The Air Force Invitational BFTS event, stop number 20 in the 2009 tour, will conclude with round three and the championship round on Sunday afternoon at the DCU Center, as Marchi, Mauney, and other top ten riders look to gain all-important points, cashing in on number one Kody Lostroh’s absence this weekend. Lostroh is expected to return next weekend in Des Moines, Iowa, riding right-handed while the damaged ligaments in his left (riding) elbow heal up.