Lowe Wins Highest-Marked Ride Award at Iron Cowboy

ARLINGTON, Texas – Here are three things we learned from the Frontier Communications Iron Cowboy, presented by Kawasaki, on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium.

Lowe wins high-marked ride award at Iron Cowboy (2-18-17)

It wasn’t the highest scored ride of his career, but Mason Lowe’s emphatic 90.75-point ride on Smooth Operator in Round 2 will certainly go down as his personal best so far.

“This is my biggest accomplishment so far,” Lowe said. “You have all the other ones, but any time you are 90 it is awesome.

Lowe became only the second rider to reach the 8-second mark on Smooth Operator in five years to win the $26,000 high-marked ride award at Iron Cowboy.

“Man, that is what I am talking about,” Lowe said. “That was awesome. That sucker made pretty quick work of me last time, but I made it work. I kind of hung my rope around the outside and it kept me out of that deal and everything went right.”

Lowe was previously bucked off by Smooth Operator in 1.24 seconds in Chicago.

Reigning Stock Contractor of the Year Chad Berger was happy to see Smooth Operator get tested for a full 8 seconds.

“He should have been 92 or 93 on that bull,” Berger said. “That was a rank ride. The kid rode him perfect. The bull bucked hard. I am glad to see him get rode. I was curious how he would finish and that bull finished stronger than how he started.”

The ride is the second-best of Lowe’s career. Lowe rode SweetPro’s Bruiser for 91 points last year in Oklahoma City.

Saying Smooth Operator has been dominant in his career would be an understatement.

2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi was only rider to ever cover Smooth Operator in 52 previous outs at all levels of competition.

“Once you got around there, he kind of felt good,” Lowe said. “He was trying to step on my head and stuff, but I stayed to the front.”

Lowe was later eliminated by Fire & Smoke in Round 3 in 6.32 seconds, but finished second overall with 145 round points.

The 23-year-old from Exeter, Missouri, won a career-high $38,766.67 and moved up to ninth in the world standings.

Lowe began his night with an 86.5-point ride on Pick-It Construction’s Find Jesus.

Aparecido wins Iron Cowboy to take over world No. 1 ranking

If you are not on board the Eduardo Aparecido train, it may just be time to hop aboard.

Aparecido won his first PBR Major and $138,766.67 with four impressive bull rides to walk out of AT&T Stadium as the new No. 1 bull rider in the world standings.

“Before I came here, I knew I had to ride each bull I get on,” Aparecido said with Marchi translating. “I self-prepared to be here. I asked God to save my life and give me confidence for each bull I get on. I know some people have said no good things about me, but I have shown I have the potential to be a World Champion and win big events.”

The 26-year-old clinched his second victory in as many weeks by riding Catfish John – the same bull 2016 World Champion Cooper Davis rode to win the world title – for 89 points in Round 4 after Fabiano Vieira was bucked off by Cochise in 1.56 seconds.

“I knew the bull I draw was a really good bull,” Aparecido said. “He has been around for a long time. I had a good draw and had to stay on and see what happens. I saw Fabiano fall off the bull and I tried to stay strong and do my job.”

Aparecido earned 955 points toward the world standings to move from No. 3 in the world standings to the top position.

Previous world leader Jess Lockwood was bucked off by Cooper Tires Brown Sugar in 3.62 seconds in Round 1 and sustained a left groin injury, in addition to aggravating his thigh bruise.

Aparecido leads Lockwood by 337.5 points heading into next weekend’s Bass Pro Chute Out, presented by Cooper Tires, in St. Louis. It is the first time in his career that Aparecido is ranked No. 1 in the world.

The Gouvelandia, Brazil, native began his march to the Iron Cowboy title with an 85-point ride on Oscar P in Round 1 for 10^th place and five world points. Aparecido was one of 15 riders to advance to Round 2.

His best ride came in Round 2 when he rode Jack Shot for 90.5 points and a second-place finish (75 world points).

Aparecido, Vieira (86.5 points on Red Rover) and Lowe were the only three riders to advance to Round 3.

Aparecido then advanced to the final round by covering Big Black Cat for 88.75 points to win Round 3 for 125 world points. Vieira had ridden Honey Hush for 88.5 points to qualify for Round 4.

“To win a big event against the greatest bulls, I am so grateful right now,” Aparecido said. “I am the Iron Cowboy.”

SweetPro’s Bruiser welcomes 2012 PRCA champ Cody Teel to the BFTS

2012 PRCA champion bull rider Cody Teel began his BFTS career with an 84.75-point ride on Chute Boss, but Teel then got a first-hand lesson in just how rank PBR bulls are in Round 2.

Teel was bucked off by 2016 World Champion Bull SweetPro’s Bruiser in 2.69 seconds and the Texas native was left dusting off his riding vest in disgust.

“That is a great bull,” Teel said. “He is a World Champ for a reason, but, shoot, I let one get by me for dang sure. A good opportunity let go. You have to stay on those when you get them.”

Bruiser was marked 46 points to tie with Seven Dust as the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bulls of the Event.

It was the second time this season Bruiser has been marked 46 points.

“He was exactly what I thought,” Teel said. “He got me raised up sitting on my rear end and he really hangs and floats in the air. A lot of time dropping down and just enough to raise me up and sit me flat on my butt. It is my fault. He is a great bull. I should have rode him.

“This is not up to my standards by no means the way it ended.”

Seven Dust earned his season-high bull score by disposing Matt Triplett in Round 2 in a quick 3.67 seconds.

“He is just a nice bull,” Triplett said. “I just let him get my feet.”

Jared Allen’s Air Time finished as third ranked bull with a 45.25-point bull score after he bucked off 2015 PBR Brazil champion Luciano de Castro in 5.24 seconds.

 

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko