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Aparecido Extends Career-Best Ride Streak to Seven; Mauney Injured

By: Justin Felisko
February 24, 2017

Eduardo Aparecido has ridden seven in a row on the BFTS. Photo: Andy Watson / BullStockMedia.com

ST. LOUIS – Here are three things we learned from the Bass Pro Chute Out, presented by Cooper Tires, Friday night at Scottrade Center.

Aparecido extends career-best ride streak to seven (2-24-17)

It was by no means a ride that will make Eduardo Aparecido’s personal highlight reel, but the current world leader continues to knock down one challenge at a time.

Aparecido, riding in his first event as the world No. 1 bull rider, was able to hang on to Buccaneer for 80.25 points and a 10th-place finish in Round 1.

“This is a good performance for me and it builds more momentum,” Aparecido said.

The 26-year-old has now ridden a career-best seven in a row on the Built Ford Tough Series.

Aparecido shrugged off his streak.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Aparecido said. “We are in St. Louis now. I am treating this the same as Iron Cowboy. This week. Next week. It is all the same thing.”

Aparecido won Iron Cowboy last weekend and is averaging 86.89 points per ride during his streak.

There were a total of 11 qualified rides in Round 1.

Aparecido was one of only four riders (Mason Lowe, Chase Outlaw, Kaique Pacheco) in the Top 10 of the world standings to post a qualified ride on Friday night.

He will put his streak on the line in tough matchup in Round 2 against Intensified Clyde. Chad Berger’s bovine athlete is 10-0 at the BFTS level.

Aparecido said he has talked recently with 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi and three-time World Champion Silvano Alves about learning how to not lose focus on the task in front of him despite his current hot streak and rise to the top of the world standings.

“I talk to guys like Silvano and Guilherme about how to concentrate,” Aparecido said. “They tell me to focus on one bull. I am thankful for those guys.”

Lowe in contention for first victory in home state

Outside of a second-place finish at the 2015 Springfield, Missouri, Built Ford Tough Series event, the state of Missouri has not been a good stop in the bull riding arena for Exeter, Missouri, native Mason Lowe.

The 23-year-old has gone 6-for-20 in Missouri since debuting on the BFTS in 2015.

“They give me three chances every year so one of these I have to win,” Lowe said.

Lowe, whose girlfriend Abbey and her family are in attendance, is looking to turn the corner and give his home state fans a victory this weekend at Scottrade Center

He took one step toward that by tying Chase Outlaw for the Round 1 win after riding Canadian Fastlane for 87.25 points in front of 5,310 fans.

“That bull went out a couple and my rope slid over, but that kind of helped me ride the front,” Lowe said. “Around the middle (of the ride) I started feeling good and went to spurring.”

Lowe has posted two qualified rides in two consecutive events and is coming off a second-place finish at the Frontier Communication’s Iron Cowboy last weekend.

He earned 80 points toward the world standings Friday and moved to No. 7 in the world.

Lowe takes on Booger Red (0-0, BFTS) in Round 2.

“It is an up-and down game,” Lowe said. “When you are up, you are up, and when you are down, you are down. I am up right now.”

Outlaw welcomes Gypsy Joe to the BFTS

Chase Outlaw didn’t know jack squat about Gypsy Joe prior to their Round 1 matchup, but that wasn’t going to stop Outlaw from tying for the round win.

Minutes before Lowe made his 87.25-point ride, Outlaw had ridden Gypsy Joe for 87.25 points.

“He felt freaking good,” Outlaw said. “I never even heard of the bull or seen him before. It is kind of easier because you don’t know what he is going to do. Now I have his number. I am just having fun. I am not worried about a thing.”

Gage Gay finished third after reaching 8 seconds aboard Ram It for 86.75 points and 50 world points.

Marchi was next in line with his 85.75-point ride on Red Rocket. The 34-year-old is 12 rides away from career No. 600 and earned 40 points toward the world standings.

2015 Rookie of the Year Kaique Pacheco rounded out the Top 5 in Round 1 with an 85.5-point ride on Hard Times for 30 world points.

Outlaw is 8-for-16 (50 percent) this season in six BFTS events. Most of all, seven of his eight rides have all been scored 87 points or higher.

Those kind of point totals has resulted in Outlaw being ranked 10th in the world standings despite missing two events because of injuries.

Outlaw has drawn American Sniper (21-7, BFTS) for Round 2 on Saturday night.

This weekend is Outlaw’s sixth BFTS event. Outlaw missed the first six months of the season last year because of shoulder surgery and still finished 14th in the world standings despite only competing in seven BFTS events.

“Man, we just aint waiting until May this time to do it,” Outlaw said. “Shoot, look the hell out. I am taking it one week and one bull at a time. I am not worried about a world title or whatever, but if I do my job every weekend the outcome will speak for itself.”

Injury Updates

Two-time World Champion J.B. Mauney was unable to get out of the chute aboard Tribal Chief after spraining his left riding elbow.

Tribal Chief jerked Mauney forward inside the chute, yanking on his riding elbow and causing his hand to go numb.

Mauney eventually got out of the chute and was tended to by PBR Sports Medicine and Dr. Tandy Freeman.

According to Freeman, Mauney is questionable for Round 2.

Both Freeman and Mauney said the injury was similar to the injury the 30-year-old sustained last year in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, when Speed Demon jerked on his elbow in the chutes.

Mauney responded 24 hours later by famously riding Pearl Harbor for 94.25 points to win the 15/15 Bucking Battle.

If decides to ride in Round 2, Mauney will take on Garber’s Ghost (6-2, BFTS).

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

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