Blanco, Van Nek, Jones, Titman on Top at TPD Events Last Weekend

By: Heather Croze July 01, 2014@ 01:00:00 PM

Luis Blanco won the Eastern Montana Bull Blowout last weekend in Sidney, Montana.

PUEBLO, Colo. – During the two-night event in Williston, North Dakota, Ben Jones (Goulburn, New South Wales) went 2-for-2, winning his second Professional Bull Riders Touring Pro Division event, and helping his efforts to get back on the Built Ford Tough Series.

Jones won the Williston event with 172.5 points and $4,374.10. He also finished tied for seventh overall on a second entry, after he split third and fourth in the long round courtesy of an 86.5-point ride. Per TPD rules, a bull rider may enter an event as many times as he chooses. Some riders have been known to enter two or even three times.

The dancing Australian rode Gold Coast (Mosbrucker Rodeos Inc. Bulls) for 87.5 points in the long round, before making the 8-second whistle in the short round.

Second place went to Cody Hudson of Camas, Washington. Hudson rode big with scores of 84 points in the long round and 86.5 points in the short round for a check worth $3,104.20.

Dakota Louis (Browning, Montana) took third place after putting up scores of 84 and 85 points for a combined 169 points and $1,552.10. Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas) continued his stellar week with an 83.5-point ride and an additional 85-point ride for a fourth-place finish with 168.5 points and $1,058.25.

Jason Malone rounded out the Top 5 with 168 points and $1,015.92. With a number of placings and wins on the Touring Pro Division, Malone is closing in on cracking the Top 35 in the world standings, currently sitting 39th.

Luis Blanco (Irving, Texas) picked up an 85.5-point ride in the long round, before tallying an 88.5-point ride in the short round at the TPD event in Sidney, Montana, last Friday and Saturday, to win the Eastern Montana Bull Blowout. Blanco landed a $4,189.65 payout.

Blanco was one of four riders to score in both rounds. Tyler Harr (Hazen, Arkansas) and Brady Sims (Holt, Missouri) each took a share of the win in Round 1 win with an 87-point score each. Harr entered the event twice and notched 85.5 points during his second ride of the long round. Sims also entered twice and tallied an 83.5-point ride to go with his 87 in the round.

Stetson Lawrence (Williston, North Dakota) earned an 86 points on his first bull of the long round, before using an 87.5 in the short round to finish in second place with 173.5 points and $3,378.76. Austin Meier (Kinta, Oklahoma) picked up an 81 in the long round, before recording an 85 in the short round to finish third and walk away with $1,824.53.

Harr finished in fourth and fifth place with 161 and 87 points, respectively. He earned a total of $2,396.91 for both places.

The Brent Thurman Memorial Bull Riding on June 28 was won by Bryan Titman (Ephrata, Washington), who put up 172 points overall for $5,664.79. Titman was the only rider to cover his bull in both rounds, as he earned an 88-point score in the long round and then racked up 86 points in the short round.

Zachary Miles (Gonzales, Texas) placed second with his 87-point ride in Round 2 for $4,190.92, while Zane Cook (Fort Gibson, Oklahoma) took third with 87 points in the long round for $2,697.05.

BlueDEF Velocity Tour – Newark, New Jersey
Jesse Van Nek (Rockhampton, Queensland) picked up an 88-point ride on Leave It (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls) in the long round at the Professional Bull Riders BlueDEF Velocity Tour event at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, last Saturday, to win the event. It was his second career TPD victory.

Van Nek narrowly edged out current BFTS Rookie of the Year leader, Gage Gay (Staley, North Carolina), who recorded 85 points in the long round aboard Anger Management (J Bar W Ranch Bulls). Rowdy Rice (Easly, South Carolina) was right behind Gay with 84 points, while Josh Moorer (Oneonta, Alabama) finished fourth with 82.5 points.

Van Nek walked away with $4,011.15, while Gay took home $2,889.15. Rice and Moorer each earned $1,767.15 and $1,122.00, respectively.

The TPD and BlueDEF Velocity Tour will next stop in Minnesota, Texas, Colorado, Oregon and California.

On Tuesday, July 1, the St. Paul, Minnesota, Best of the West Touring Pro event will take place at the St. Paul Rodeo Arena with Gay, L.J. Jenkins (Porum, Oklahoma) and Josh Faircloth (Randleman, North Carolina) ready to ride.

The RMEF Pendleton TPD event will begin Saturday, July 3, and conclude on Sunday, July 4, at Happy Canyon Arena, featuring BFTS riders Kasey Hayes (Liberal, Kansas), Matt Triplett (Columbia Falls, Montana) and Sims.

The Slick Rock Challenge in Rocksprings, Texas, on July 4-5, will feature several Texas natives from the BFTS. Jordan Hupp (Stephenville, Texas) and Harve Stewart (Stephenville, Texas) are just two of the athletes in the 27-rider field.

Some of the country’s best up-and-coming bull riders will display their talents in Estes Park, Colorado, at the Estes Park Fairgrounds on July 4-5. John Smith (Malta, Montanta), Juston Mead (Ashland, Kansas) and Colorado native Cody Tesch (Berthoud, Colorado) are scheduled to ride.

The Antelope Valley Fair, the City of Lancaster, California, and the Showdown Rodeo have sanctioned the Touring Pro event on July 4 at the Lancaster and Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. The event will include Brant Atwood (Pampa, Texas), Harr and Jones.

Current No. 8-ranked BFTS rider Markus Mariluch (Elko, Nevada) will highlight the PBR’s BlueDEF Velocity Tour event in Carson, California, at the StubHub Center on July 5-6. Gay, Faircloth and Jones will also be competing.

The last event of the weekend will take place on Monday, July 7, in Black Hawk, Colorado, at the Gilpin County Fairgrounds. Atwood, Blanco and Cody Prophet (Rigby, Idaho) highlight the field of riders.

Professional Bull Riders Touring Pro Series Event Results:

June 28 at the BlueDef Velocity Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Total Points-Earnings)
1. Jesse VanNek, 86-0-86.0 points-$4,011.15
2. Gage Gay, 85-0-85.0 points-$2,889.15
3. Rowdy Rice A, 84-0-84.0 points-$1,767.15
4. Josh Moorer, 82.5-0-82.5 points-$1,122.00
5. Rowdy Rice B, 81.5-0-81.5 points-$572.22

June 27-28 at the Eastern Montana Bull Blow Out in Sidney, Montana
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Total Points-Earnings)
1. Luis Blanco B, 85.5-88.5-174.0 points-$4,189.65
2. Stetson Lawrence, 86-87.5-173.5 points-$3,378.76
3. Austin Meier, 81-85-166.0 points-$1,824.53
4. Tyler Harr B, 85.5-75.5-161.0 points-$1,216.35
5. Tyler Harr A, 87-0-87.0 points-$1,182.56

June 28 at the Brent Thurman Memorial at Dripping Springs, Texas
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Total Points-Earnings)
1. Bryan Titman, 86-86-172.0 points, $5,684.79
2. Zachary Miles, 0-88-88.0 points-$4,190.92
3. Zane Cook, 87-0-87.0 points-$2,697.05
4. Guthrie Long, 86-0-86.0 points-$1,768.42
5. Cooper Davis, 85.5-0-85.5 points-$952.85

June 25-26 at the Buckin’ in Boomtown in Williston, North Dakota
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Total Points-Earnings)
1. Ben Jones A, 87.5-85-172.5 points-$4,374.10
2. Cody Hudson B, 84-86.5-170.5 points-$3,104.20
3. Dakota Louis, 84-85-169.0 points-$1,552.10
4. Chase Outlaw, 83.5-85-168.5 points-$1,058.25
5. Jason Malone, 82-86-168.0 points-$1,015.92

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