Billings, Mont. – Friday night was a good night for bull riding, as the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) rolled into the Metrapark for round one of this weekend’s three day event, as the event saw 23 qualified rides go on the board.
A good day, that is, unless you are in the top ten in the points race. Then your odds were not so hot on putting up a score. Only three of the top ten in the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) standings were able to make a qualified ride. One of those 10 isn’t at the event, because of injuries, and six – including four of the top five – bucked off.
In a three-day weekend that includes the bull draft for round two on Saturday, that could leave the door open for riders to gain some ground on the coveted top spots.
Round one drew a big crowd to the Metrapark and, even if the crowd was a little more low key than usual, they made it clear when they saw rides they liked, or if they disagreed with a judge’s score. Entertainer Flint Rasmussen was a major fan favorite of the night, playing in his home state, and often was on the receiving end of jokes from arena announcers Brandon Bates and Clint Atkins, especially with Flint’s parents in the audience.
Friday night’s round started strong, with four of the first eight riders making qualified rides. Included in those four were Brendon Clark on Flashover (Ty Rinaldo TZ Bucking Bulls) and Zack Brown on Tuscarora (Jesse Hill Bucking Bulls), who split the round after back to back rides of 89.5 points.
It was a triumphant return to Billings for Brown, as this is where he was hurt a few years back, and those injuries led him to retire from the sport. Brown returned to the PBR last year, and this was his first event in Billings since those injuries.
Third in the round went to Aaron Roy, of Saskatchewan, who is looking to stake his spot on the PBR’s top tour. Roy scored 88.75 points in Big Iron (Diamond S). He was followed by Brazilian Valdiron de Oliveira in fourth, with 88.25 points on UnaBomber (Eno/Kubinchak). Oliveira’s score will help him secure his top 10 spot in the points race, where he currently is 6th.
Next in the order of finish in Friday’s round were two young guns and a seasoned veteran, all from Texas. Reese Cates and McKennon Wimberly split fifth and six places, aboard Rockin Robin (Chad Berger/Clay Struve) and Bumblebee (Berger Bucking Bulls) respectively, each with a 88.0 score. Seventh place went to 37-year old Brian Herman, who after being cut earlier this season earned his way back onto the top tour and has since been riding solid. Herman scored 87.25 points on Trump Tower (Shane Gunderson).
Rounding out the top ten in Friday’s action were: 8th, Josh Koshel opening the round on Shiner (Beutler and Sons Rodeo Co.) for 87 points; 9th, fan favorite Ross Coleman with 86.75 points on Brass Cat (Diamond S); and a 3-way tie at 86.5 points for 10th through 12th between Clayton Williams on Diez (TZ Bucking Bulls), Dustin Hall on Keith (Diamond G) and the blazing hot Luke Snyder on Hoodlum (Diamond S). After hitting a slump earlier in the season, Snyder has been riding just about anything run under him in the past few events and has jumped from the mid-30s to 12th place in the BFTS points standing for the season.
Many in the top 10 gave Snyder and others a chance to climb higher, as Mike Lee, Chris Shivers, Travis Briscoe, JB Mauney, LJ Jenkins and points leader Guilherme Marchi all failed to cover their first round bulls. Shivers had an ugly hang-up on his bull that saw bull fighter Shane “Mad Dog” Simpson take a hard hit from the bull as well. Luckily, both men walked away from the ride.
Current number two man in the points race, Kody Lostroh, scored 82.25 points on Flint Jacket (Berger), and finished 21st in the round.
Others posting scores in the round include:
13th, Cole Taylor, 86.0 points on Salty;
14th, Kolt Donaldson, 85.75 points on Double Shot;
15/16th, Dustin Elliott, 85.0 points on Just Say No;
15th/16th, Bryan Richardson, 85.0 points on Smokey;
17th-19th, Ednei Caminhas, 83.75 on Cats Meow;
17th-19th, Cord McCoy, 83.75 on Milk Man;
17th-19th, Vince Northrup, 83.75 on Bulldog Disco;
20th, Jody Turner, 82.75 on Soldier Boy;
21st, Kody Lostroh
22nd, Renato Nunes, 79.75 on Bobcat;
23rd, Helton Barbosa, 77.50 on Bossman;
Richardson, by virtue of his qualified ride and his finish in the last regular round last weekend, had the Enterprise Ride with the Best, and picked up the $5,000 bonus when he covered Smokey.
At one point in the night, Cody Lambert ended up working as the arena pick up man. When the fourth flight of riders began, it was Lambert that was on horseback for the next eight rides, helping to get the bulls out of the arena after the ride, instead of his usual position by the chute gates as stock director.
The fans in Billings are missing out on one last chance to see three-time PBR World Champion Adriano Moraes ride. Moraes is not riding this weekend, using his World Champion exemption to miss the three day event.
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