ANAHEIM, Calif. ― The LiftMaster Chute Out in Anaheim this weekend will feature many of the same bulls we saw in Sacramento, Calif., but Kent Cox is bringing in Bushwacker and Sweet Thang to kick up the bull power in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.
The top two bulls in Sacramento, Mick E Mouse and Stone Sober, both made a case for their inclusion in this year’s World Championship Bull race believes PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert.
“Mick E Mouse is a serious contender,” said Lambert. “He’s still behind Bushwacker at this point, but he’s probably going to be at least as tough to ride. He goes to the right, and I think it may take a right-handed rider to get by him, but a lot of good right-handed guys have tried and failed already.”
Mick E Mouse faces Ryan Dirteater in the 15/15 Bucking Battle on Saturday night.
“Stone Sober was outstanding in Sacramento,” Lambert added. “But, his real test will be here in Anaheim with Fabiano Vieira on him. Fabiano can ride the rankest bulls, and this one will probably be into his hand. We’ll get to see if Stone Sober has what it takes.”
Sweet Thang will also appear in the 15/15 round. The big black and white bull was one of the toughest bulls at the 2013 Built Ford Tough World Finals, and he was unridden until Cody Nance made the whistle on him just a couple of weeks ago.
“Cody Nance rode him in Oklahoma City, and it was just a really good ride,” said Lambert. “I didn’t expect him to ride him, but he did. Sweet Thang has always been strong and has a lot of drop, but in Oklahoma City after the first turn he looked like a bull a guy might like to get on. I don’t think the bull riders have liked him very much in the past, but finally somebody rode him far enough for them to see that he looks a little more desirable than he did before.”
RELATED: Mick E Mouse earn 46.75 points at the 2014 Sacramento Invitational
BIG TEX “ROCKS” has already been to 4 of the 5 events we’ve had this season and in his career he’s been out 44 times and ridden just once.Silvano Alves rode him at the World Finals and received a re-ride because the bull had an off-day.
“He’s deceptively tough to ride, “Lambert said. “He doesn’t kick a lot and doesn’t help the rider much at all. He tends to roll and then turn back away from the roll, and that is a tough move for any rider to get by. In the one out he was ridden, he didn’t turn back, and Alves was able to hang on.”
Bushwacker will make Anaheim the second stop on his farewell tour. Bushwacker has racked up eight straight buckoffs since being ridden byJ.B. Mauney in Tulsa , Okla., last August – three of those being Mauney – and he’s earned eight straight bull scores of over 45 points. He’ll faceNathan Schaper in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.
“I’ll take Bushwacker,” said Lambert. “I hope that Schaper rides him a good ways – we’ll get to see if Bushwacker can still bring it for 8 seconds. But, I think just about every rider is overmatched against Bushwacker. He’s just that tough.”
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