Livingston Wins Round 1 in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) first event in Jacksonville, Florida, since 2008, it was an 18-year-old rookie that made his mark. Koal Livingston (Burleson, Texas) turned in his second career qualified ride on the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) and it was enough to win Round 1 of the Jacksonville Invitational Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Arena.

Livingston rode Ram It (K-C/Josie McElroy Bucking Bulls/Spark-lin Acres) for 87.5 points on the way to his first career BFTS round win. The young gun, who made his BFTS debut this past January in Sacramento, California, took home 100 points towards the PBR world standings along with $3,580.

The rookie moved himself to 24^th in the world standings and leads the event average heading into Championship Sunday.

Meanwhile, 2008 PBR World Champion Guilherme Marchi (Itupeva, Brazil) continued his march toward history when he covered Red Fury (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls) for 87 points to tie for second place in Round 1. The ride was his 590^th on the BFTS and leaves him 10 rides away from become the only rider in history to reach the 600-ride milestone on the PBR’s elite tour.

Marchi picked up 55 points toward the world standings along with a $2,375 paycheck.

Fellow Brazilian, and 2015 PBR Brazil Champion, Luciano De Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil) tied for second place with Marchi after his own 87-point ride on Ante Up (K-C Bucking Bulls / TCB Ranch). The rookie earned 55 world points and $2,375 after splitting with Marchi.

Canadian Dakota Buttar (Kindersley, Saskatchewan) came in fourth place after reaching 8 seconds aboard GAH’s Little Man (JD Nix Rodeo Co.) for 86.5 points. It was Buttar’s first ride since Round 2 in Anaheim, and his first since suffering an injury in Kansas City last month. The ride netted Buttar 40 points toward the world standings and $1,300.

Three riders tied for fifth place Saturday night. Rookie Claudio Montanha Jr. (Ribeirao Dos Indios, Brazil), two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, North Carolina) and Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas) each turned in 85.25-point rides to secure their place in Round 1.

Montanha rode Lights Out (Winding Trails – Robert Faulkner), while Mauney and Outlaw covered Mr. Big Stuff (K-C Bucking Bulls) and Johnny B (JD Nix Rodeo Co.) respectively.

The trio each took home 16.6 world points and $633.

The best bull riders in the world will return to Veterans Memorial Arena one more time for Championship Sunday. Each rider will attempt one more bull in Round 2 before the Top 15 move on to the Built Ford Tough Championship Round where a winner will be crowned.

The Championship Sunday action beings at 1:30 p.m. ET on PBR LIVE and the PBR LIVE app. CBS Sports Network will also broadcast Championship Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET.

PBR Digital Editor Kristian Limas contributed to this report. 

Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series
Jacksonville Invitational
Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Forida
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

1. Koal Livingston, 87.5-0-0-87.50-100 Points.
2. Guilherme Marchi, 87-0-0-87.00-55 Points.
(tie). Luciano De Castro, 87-0-0-87.00-55 Points.
4. Dakota Buttar, 86.5-0-0-86.50-40 Points.
5. Chase Outlaw, 85.25-0-0-85.25-16.66 Points.
(tie). Claudio Montanha Jr., 85.25-0-0-85.25-16.66 Points.
(tie). J.B. Mauney, 85.25-0-0-85.25-16.66 Points.
8. Rubens Barbosa, 84.75-0-0-84.75
9. Matt Triplett, 84.25-0-0-84.25
10. Fabiano Vieira, 84-0-0-84.00
(tie). Brady Sims, 84-0-0-84.00
12. Mike Lee, 83.75-0-0-83.75
13. Ryan Dirteater, 83.5-0-0-83.50
14. Eduardo Aparecido, 83.25-0-0-83.25
(tie). Kaique Pacheco, 83.25-0-0-83.25
(tie). Stetson Lawrence, 83.25-0-0-83.25
(tie). Stormy Wing, 83.25-0-0-83.25
18. Derek Kolbaba, 83-0-0-83.00
19. Dener Barbosa, 81.25-0-0-81.25
20. Reese Cates, 80-0-0-80.00
Mason Lowe, 0-0-0-0.00
Marco Antonio Eguchi, 0-0-0-0.00
Cooper Davis, 0-0-0-0.00
Shane Proctor, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Rodeo Tyler, 0-0-0-0.00
Luis Blanco, 0-0-0-0.00
Jake Gowdy, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Nance, 0-0-0-0.00
Troy Wilkinson, 0-0-0-0.00
Sonny Schafferius, 0-0-0-0.00
Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0.00
Fraser Babbington, 0-0-0-0.00
Robson Palermo, 0-0-0-0.00
Paulo Ferreira Lima, 0-0-0-0.00