Behind the Chutes: Thackerville Draw Preview
By: Justin Felisko
August 31, 2016
Shane Proctor had been in the midst of a 24 consecutive buckoff stream prior to his ride in Tulsa. Photo: Andy Watson / BullStockMedia.com
PUEBLO, Colo. – He may have been stepped on, but man, oh man did reaching the 8-second-mark feel so good for Shane Proctor in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Thackerville draw notes (8-31-16)
The 11-year veteran had been mired in a career-worst streak of 24 consecutive buckoffs before finally breaking through with an 86.75-point ride on High Razor during last weekend’s Express Employment Professional Classic, presented by Osage Casino.
“Man, it is real good to get it over with,” Proctor said. “It is either money or mud. I rode a ton of bulls this summer and I stayed on a lot of them. I didn’t have any trouble this summer. I just got to where coming to these Built Ford Toughs wasn’t fun anymore. I put a lot of pressure on myself and unfortunately you can’t do that here. You have to be loose and cool and enjoy the sport.”
It was Proctor’s first qualified ride since winning Iron Cowboy way back on Feb. 26. Proctor admitted he didn’t know how high the streak had gotten, but he was well aware of the fact that he hadn’t reached 8 seconds in quite some time.
“I knew it had been a while,” Proctor said. “I don’t know how many bulls it was total, but it was a ton. Way more than I am normal to. For me, it is what it is. I am over with it now and am ready to start a new streak.”
Proctor, who was bucked off by Rodeo Time in 1.99 seconds during the Tulsa Built Ford Tough Championship Round, will look to right the ship in Thackerville against After Midnight (2-0, BFTS) and Currey Creek Mudslinger (5-0, BFTS).
The Grand Coulee, Washington, bull rider is still ranked eighth in the world standings and is 1,381.17 points behind world leader Kaique Pacheco.
Pacheco has drawn Kongo (0-0, BFTS) and Recovery Time (11-2, BFTS) for Rounds 1 and 2.
There will be three alternates competing in Thackerville because of injuries to No. 3 J.B. Mauney (left hip pointer and abdominal contusion), No. 23 Ben Jones (reconstructive shoulder surgery) and No. 30 Chase Outlaw (shoulder separation).
Fraser Babbington is the top alternate courtesy of his winning performance at the Eureka, Montana, Touring Pro Division event last weekend. Babbington is trying to make his way back onto the BFTS after sustaining a broken pelvis competing in PBR Australia this summer and was cut after the Music City Knockout.
Babbington won the Eureka TPD with an 87.5-point ride on Dirty Deeds.
The 29-year-old has drawn Red Dawn (0-0, BFTS) and Anonymous (1-0, BFTS). Babbington is only 20 points behind No. 35 Aaron Roy.
Luis Blanco and Kurt Shephard are the final two alternates.
Blanco faces Smooth Air (1-1, BFTS) and Bronco’s Bad Dog (2-0, BFTS), while Shephard sees Ms. Kitty’s Peacemaker (2-1, BFTS) and Voo Doo Too (3-0, BFTS).
Quentin Vaught, currently the 110th ranked rider in the world, is in the draw as the BlueDEF Tour invite. Vaught’s 84-point ride on High Test was good enough for him to win the J.W. Hart PBR Challenge on June 4.
The 20-year-old from Crane, Missouri, will make his BFTS debut against Hill Mfg.’s 255 Organized Crime (4-0, BFTS) and Mojo Bone (0-1, BFTS).
Cooper Davis will attempt to win his third consecutive event when he squares off against Cool Hand Luke (0-0, BFTS) and El Diablo (0-0, BFTS).
He is only 20.33 points behind Pacheco for the world No. 1 ranking.
“I don’t ever think I have been this confident. I am pretty up right now,” Davis told John Rittenoure of the Tulsa World last week.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
© 2016 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.