Billings, Mont. – “We won’t make fun of anyone today because of their race, religion or sexual preference … unless we think it’s funny.”
That was how PBR Stock Director Cody Lambert kicked off the round two bull draft on Saturday morning in Billings, Mont. He followed it up with a group apology for anything that would be said during the hour long event that might offend.
The more than 300 PBR fans who turned out for the 11 a.m. Saturday draft at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana got plenty of laughs, especially from Lambert. They also got to see their favorite bull riders, and hear both the reason behind why a rider chose a particular bull and, often, Lambert’s reaction to their choices.
The key to making the best pick, for a pair of riders on Saturday, was to wake up in time to show up.
Before the picking began – done in order of the riders’ finish from round one Friday night – Lambert said he thought the first few bulls to be chosen “are probably not ones you could win the round on, like Tighty Whitey and Bad Medicine, but those guys have one high score already so they’re looking for a bull that will perform but is consistent.”
Proving him right, the picking opened with round one co-winner Brendon Clark, who chose Bad Medicine, followed by co-winner Zack Brown, who chose Tighty Whitey. Clark admitted he was looking for a bull that would give a good ride and “be a sure thing.”
For the draft, those attending get a print out of the riders, in order of finish, and the bulls for the round, ranked highest to lowest on their Average Rider Score (ARS). The data sheet also lists the buck off percentage of the bulls for left-handed or right-handed riders, and the bull’s power rating. Each rider has one minute to choose his bull. Fans are fully encouraged to hoot, holler, cheer, boo and shout out recommedations.
Some riders approached announcer Brandon Bates, who emcee’d the draft, with their choice firmly in mind. Others questioned Lambert about a few choices before making their selection. A few let Lambert make a recommendation for them and 2004 World Champion Mike Lee, picking 34th, let the crowd choose for him.
Lambert’s picks included McNasty for JB Mauney (29th pick); Sand trap for Ryan McConnell (34th pick); and Stray Cat for Matt Bohon.
While it sounds like big business, as the riders pick the bull they want to face that night, most of the time is spent talking to or cheering for the rider, or listening to those onstage pick apart the rider’s choice.
When Brian Herman made his choice, 7th in the draft, he took Why Not Minot,” the bull with the second highest average rider score, at 89.75. When asked why he took that bull, instead of some that might guarantee him even more points, the 37-year old rider joked, “I want to make the best of the time I have left.”
In more than a few cases, the rider chose a bull, looking for revenge for a prior buck off. A few took bulls that they previously had solid scores on. McKennon Wimberly said his previous 88-pointer on the bull led him to choose Almost Famous, when he picked fifth in the round. Reese Cates (6th pick) took Hellfire on the recommendation of rider LJ Jenkins, who has ridden the bull twice before. Sean Willingham (26th pick) took Blizzard as a rematch from Atlanta and Kolt Donaldson (14th pick) wanted another shot at Smash Hit, which bucked him off last week. Ross Coleman chose Deputy Sheriff, with the highest average rider score, because he wants a rematch from the bull he said bucked him off a few days earlier.
During the draft, Dustin Elliott chose Liquid Kitty (15th pick), and then explained about the finger injury that had him miss the short-go of last weekend’s event in Omaha. He later took some good natured ribbing from Colby Yates, picking late in the draft, who joked about being able to handle his bull, Big Red Truck, despite a finger problem. After Lambert said a rider couldn’t look for more than an 83 point ride on the bull, Yates jokingly boasted, “I can be 83 points all day. I’m going to be 84, because I’ll spur him!”
Former World Champion Ednei Caminhas, picking 17th, asked Lambert for advice in picking between Marcus or Big Coyote. When Lambert recommended Firebird instead, Caminhas said “no thanks” and took Big Coyote.
“He’s not going for the win with that one. Go to a girls’ bull riding if you want to,” Lambert said after Caminhas’ choice. “Go with the easy one, if you’re riding for 17th place.
Heading into the draft, Tyler Pankewitz sat in the unenviable position of 45th choice, or basically getting whatever bull no one else wanted, after the quickest buck off time in round one, of 2.1 seconds. Pankewitz caught a break, however, thanks to the bad luck or bad timing of two of his fellow bull riders. Both Ned Cross, picking 31st, and Kasey Hayes, picking 35th, did not show up at the draft when it was their time to pick.
Because of that, each of them dropped to the bottom of the order and will have to donate $1,000 each to the Resistol Relief Fund. That left Pankewitz with three bulls to pick from. He took 7-of-Hearts.
Just as Pankewitz finished his pick, Kasey Hayes jumped onstage, to make his choice. He thanked his fellow riders who, he said, called and woke him up in time to tell him he had just missed his turn in the draft. Because he made it before the draft ended, he got to choose between the remaining two bulls, and took Night Sweats, a pick Lambert joked was “really fitting.” That left Ned Cross with Catywompus, the only bull remaining.
When the picking was done, Lambert said one of the key match-ups to look at in round two will be Kody Lostroh against Blue Boy. Lambert said he was surprised that Blue Boy, with the sixth highest average rider score, was still available when Lostroh picked, the 38th to go. Lambert said Lostroh can ride any bull run under him, and predicted the match up would be one of the top five in the round tonight.
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