ALBANY, N.Y. – Note to the Professional Bull Riders special effects department: buy more confetti!
Lots more confetti.
Membership into the PBR’s elite “90-Point Club” is moving faster than a pack of Girl Scouts in line for a Hannah Montana concert. The confetti cannons fired off eight times during Sunday’s final rounds of the PBR’s inaugural Albany Invitational, including six times in the short-go.
Travis Briscoe, the red-hot red-head from New Mexico, was not one of the riders to make it rain paper bits, but he had nothing to prove. After winning Worcester Mass., just two weeks ago, and then the winner-take-all last weekend in California, Briscoe used the power of three rides of 88 or better to capture his third event in three weeks.
Briscoe, the last rider out in the championship round, squeaked by Missouri’s Luke Snyder at the very last second, with an 89.5 pointer on Dirty Dozen (Davis/Wilson/Mayo). That put him only a quarter-point ahead of Cool Hand Luke in the average, but it was enough to land him a $54,500 payday.
Briscoe landed the extra bucks in the Ford Moment of Truth bonus - $30,000 – as he was the leader heading into the short-go and held on for the win. That means he has earned about $200,000 in just three weeks, as well as strengthening his hold on the all important points standing.
Albany was an event where covering both your first and second round bulls wasn’t enough to guarantee a spot in the championship round. The PBR set a new record, with 31 qualified rides in round two, and eight riders rode all three of their bulls (short-go included).
The leader board in the short go changed so much, and so fast, that several of the cowboys that found themselves seated atop the shark cage in the center of the arena were bumped off before arena announcer Randy Schmutz even got to ask a single question.
Second place in the event went to Luke Snyder. Snyder had a three round average of 267.25, including a 90-pointer on Walk The Line (C Berger/Ryken) in the short-go. Snyder led the charge of qualified rides on Sunday afternoon as the first man out of the chutes in round 2, for 88 points on Cowboy Cut (C Berger/Struve).
Third in the standings went to Mighty Mike White, with 267 points. White qualified for the short go with 89.75 points on Spittin Image (Mark Reed/John Bystrom) in round 2, then added to the storm of 90-pointers in the championship round with 90.25 points on Almost Famous (C Berger/Struve).
Right behind him in 4th was Brazilian Paulo Crimber, who had plenty to dance about this weekend, with an event total of 265 points. Crimber scored 87.75 in the 2nd round on Montego Bay (C Berger/Ryken/Rosen) and 90.75 points on Live Wire (C Berger/Ryken) in the short-go.
Fifth went to Kasey Hayes, with 84.75 poitns on Bulldog Disco (C Berger/Struve) in round 2 and 90.75 on Shane (Herbert Bucking Bulls) in the championship round, for an event total of 263 points. That left him a half-point ahead of 6th place L J Jenkins. Jenkins matched Hayes’ score in the short go, riding Cooper (C Berger/Ryken/Rosen), after scoring 86.25 on Rip & Dip (C Berger/Struve) in round 2.
Rounding out the top 15 were:
7th: Mike Lee, 262 points; Lee scored 88.5 in round two on a re-ride aboard Smiley after Vertical Limit failed to perform to PBR standards, then Lee scored 90 on What I Say (Herbert Bucking Bulls) in the short go.
8th: Ross Coleman, 261.25 points; Coleman continued his hot-streak, with 86.25 points on BowTech’s Loverboy (C Berger/Ryken) in round 2, then 89.5 on Scaredy Cat (Berger/Ryken/Hawks) in the short-go.
9th: Kody Lostroh, 177.50 points; After putting up the event’s first 90-pointer, on North Dakota Kid (John & Lacey Berger) in round 2, Lostroh couldn’t beat the power of Evil Forces (Berger/Struve) in the short go, hitting the dirt in 4.2 seconds.
10th: Cord McCoy, 176.75 points; McCoy scored 87.75 on Dakota (Sonny Williams) in round 2, but bucked off Blue Boy at the 3.7 second mark in the short go;
11th: Adriano Moraes, 175.75 points; The 3-time world champ hasn’t lost a step, as he thrilled the crowd with a round 2 ride on Snapshot (Davis/Wilson/Mayo/Hooker) for 88 points, but then the notorious Copperhead Slinger (Berger/Ryken) flung Moraes to the ground in 1.8 seconds.
12th: Austin Meier, 175.5 points; bucking off Mean Machine (Berger/Ryken/Rosen) in 2.8 seconds, after covering Clam Digger (John & Lacey Berger) for 88.
13th Vince Northrup, 173.25 points; The tour newcomer scored 86 points on Repercussion (Mark Reed/John Bystrom) in round two but paid a heavy price for it in the short-go. Party Time (Herbert Bucking Bulls) was anything but a party for the cowboy. After bucking him off in 2.4 seconds, the bull ‘s hooves came down on Northrup’s head and chest, ripping the protective face mask off. Early medical reports were that Northrup suffered “a few” broken ribs, a possible punctured lung and a fractured or broken jaw.
14th: McKennon Wimberly, 172.25 points; bucked off a spectacular Sir Patrick (Berger/Ryken/Rosen) at the 4.7 mark after 87.25 points on Partner (Shawn Graham).
15th: Valdiron de Oliveira, 172 points; Oliveira lost the battle with Palace Station Deuces Wild (C Berger/Low/Rosen) in the short go after scoring 87.5 in round 2 n Cosmo.
This weekend’s re-ride king, Reese Cates, a recent addition to the BFTS tour, added to his total. By the end of round two, Cates had attempted five bulls, and rode four of them. Cates had two re-rides in Saturday’s round, and followed that up with a ride and then re-ride in Sunday’s round two. He scored 86.75 on Outlaw, his round 2 reride, but finished in 16th place, a quarter-point shy of the short-go.
In addition to Northrup’s injuries, Tyler Smith suffered a reported fractured jaw and concussion in his ride on Bad Action (Berger/Ryken) in round two. Smith was offered a reride option, but declined due to his injuries. Another tour newcomer, DJ Domangue, will probably find himself a little sore on Monday, after his round two trip on Midnight Special (John & Lacey Berger). Domangue scored 83.5 points aboard the bull, but after getting off the bull, saw Midnight Special turn back and give the rider a few rolls in the dirt. Evidently not happy to see a cowboy cover him, Midnight Special then flung himself to the dirt … on top of Domangue.
In a bizarre ride, 2004 World Champ and PBR Finals Champ Mike Lee was aboard Vertical Limit in round two, and was about to nod when the chute panel in front of the bull opened. Vertical Limit – with Lee still aboard – bolted forward into the next chute, where Lee calmly nodded his head and took his ride. Evidently Lee handled the unexpected chute change better than the bull, because Lee received a 74.25 score and a reride option, which he took.
Brendon Clark, who entered round two tied for the event lead with Travis Briscoe, didn’t fare as well in round two. After having to repull his rope at least twice, because of the bull Godfather’s (Berger/Low/Rosen) bad behavior in the chute, Godfather put a hit on Clark, crashing him to the dirt in 1.7 seconds. Clark left the arena visibly pained, and finished the weekend in 22nd place.
The only 90-point rider that didn’t make it to the championship round was Chris Shivers. Shivers passed the test aboard High Test (Sonny Williams) with flying colors in round two, making his only qualified ride of the weekend an exciting one for fans.
Riding with a helmet as a result of last weekend’s injuries, Brazilian Valdiron de Oliveira found the recently removed stitches put back in his chin. After a lacerated chin from his ride in Sacramento last weekend, Oliveira rode wearing a helmet this weekend. The stitches had been removed, arena announcer Brendon Bates explained, but Valdiron had to be re-stitched after the chin injury was opened up again. This time, it wasn’t a bull that caused the re-injury, however, it was 3-time champ and countryman Adriano Moraes. It was reported that the laceration re-opened Saturday night, when Oliveira and Moraes were wrestling and horsing around after the event. The champ didn’t appear at all remorseful on the back of the chutes as Bates ratted him out, laughing with Oliveira and flexing his muscles.
Copyright 1996 - 2008 Rodeo Attitude, LLC., All rights reserved.