Under the Stars

Chad Berger's Carney Man, a top bull in the ABBI Classic's this year.  Photo by Brandy Appleton.

This past weekend the PBR was in Thackerville, OK in it's only outdoor bull riding event of the season.  The big show was under the stars, but in my opinion, the stars were on the ground...in the form of the big, beautiful bovines of the PBR!

Friday night kicked off a Classic bull competition for 3-4 year olds, the up and coming stars of the PBR.  Carney Man (photo above) led off the night with a rank outing and buck-off of Austin Meier.  Carney Man is now unridden in 7 outs and he received a score of 43 points (out of a possible 50).  I thought he deserved a higher score (of course, I always do!).  I said to my husband, "the judging is like the old figure skating judging...save the higher scores for last!"

There were several outstanding young bulls out Friday night, and the winner of the Classic round was High Jack, a son of superstar bull I'm a Gangster, posted a 45.25 point score.  He was explosive out of the chute and dismissed his cowboy.  Fairy Tattoo (44.75 pts) is a 3 year old from Boyd & Floyd, who was strong, a fast spinner and had big moves.  One to watch, for sure!  Black Duck (43.25 pts), Vortex Madness (44.25 pts) and Shepherd Hills Tested (44.25 pts) were also stars of the night with huge kick, and powerful jumps.  Shepherd Hills Tested tallied his 11th straight buck off, and is still the front runner for the ABBI Classic Bull of the Year.  Mickey Mouse, who is a young son of the great bull, Dillenger, scored 44.5 points in his buck off, continuing his 100% buck off streak!  Jet Set, in my opinion was one of the best bulls of the night, but the judges only awarded him 43.75 points - he was rank!  Joker, was wild!, in his buck off.  He came out of the chute, paused and took a huge jump, complete with belly roll.  The cowboy had no chance!  

Train Wreck was waiting for the #1 rider going in to the Short Go Friday night.

The Short Go Friday night produced only 2 rides, and while the bull scores were average, the bulls themselves, clearly were not!  Whiskey's Rebel (44.25 pts) went right, when he typically goes left; Palm Springs (43 pts) who was the Bucking Bull of the Year in the PRCA last year, continued his unridden streak; Blue on Black (43.75 pts) who is a grandson of the superstar bull Blueberry Wine was outstanding; and Porcupine Puncher (42.25 pts) jerked his cowboy off to the side with big back end whip, is unridden in 11 outs.

Trainable remains unridden!

Saturday night, the bulls were even better.  Trainable (43 pts) is a good looking bull, who remains unridden.  Flirting with Diaster (43.25 pts) was fussy in the chutes and bucked great.  He went right, when he normally goes left.  Highway 12 (44 pts) looked strong and in control.  Surprised he was slated in the long round, he is usually a Championship caliber bull.  Moe, who is a son of the late, great Apollo, looks like his dad but didn't quite buck like him.  Top Proctor (44 pts) who is a handsome bull, got his cowboy strung out on the end of his arm.  Jericho (42.25 pts) is a beautiful reddish-color bull who is a great bucker!  Altercation (43.75 pts) got stronger as the ride went along, and for a second thought he'd get ridden, but bucked his rider off.

Quiet Riot scored 44 points in the Championship round.

One of my bull crushes, Too Sexy, was chosen by the #1 cowboy going in to Championship Round.  Too Sexy scored 44.25 points in his 2.34 second buck off of Caleb Sanderson.

The Championship round Saturday night was incredible!  Only one score was tallied, and that was by Harve Stewart.  Harve rode Meat Hook (44.5 pts) for a huge score of 90.5 points to win the round and overall event!  Congratulations to Harve on his first ever PBR event win!

But, back to the bulls!  Rock & Roll continued his domination scoring 45.25 points in his buck-off. Asteroid proved that he was not going to be ridden again easily by bucking off Cody Ford in 2.18 seconds.  Asteroid was awarded 45.25 points, a lower score because he hipped himself coming out of the chute.  Tennessee Honey also scored over 45 points with a 45.75 point effort in his buck off of the reigning world champion.

Bushwacker

And then there was reigning World Champion Bucking Bull, Bushwacker.  What else can I say?  He was magnificent!!!  The judges awarded him high bull score of the weekend, 47 points.  It took only 3.78 seconds for Bushwacker to dump Brendan Clark...but in those 3.78 seconds we saw some of the best of Bushwacker this entire year!

I was a nervous wreck waiting for Bushwacker to buck!  I swear that is why my hair turns gray so fast! But once Brendon was on the ground, I was squealing like a little girl, so excited and thrilled to see Bushwacker look so dominant...again!!  I believe Bushwacker served notice to everyone..."that little Asteroid is cute and kicks high, but I AM the reigning World Champ and I'm ready to duke it out in Vegas and win the crown for a second time in a row!"

So, once again, the bulls had me screaming, squealing and cheering like mad!  I can't wait for the next event, and it's only Tuesday.  Call me crazy, but I just can't get enough of the magnificent bulls of the PBR!




Unless noted, all photographs by Susan Hanrahan