McConnel Takes Round 1 of Last Cowboy Standing

By: Jordan Marie Johnson May 10, 2014@ 01:50:00 AM

Joseph McConnel rides Smokin Okie for 88 points on Friday night. Photo by Andy Watson / BullStockMedia.com.

LAS VEGAS ― The bulls were tough, but Joseph McConnel was tougher as he took the top spot in Round 1 of the Professional Bull Riders Last Cowboy Standing at Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday night. McConnel’s 88-point ride on Smokin Okie (Moad Cattle) landed him first place and advanced him to Saturday’s Round 2.

McConnel earned a spot for this weekend’s Built Ford Tough Series event after winning the PBR’s Touring Pro Division event in Stephenville, Texas, last weekend. This is the 19-year-old’s third BFTS event of his career.

2010 PBR World Champion Renato Nunes continued his success of recent weeks and currently sits in second place after riding Prince Albert (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Dallas Schott/Clay Struve) for 87.5 points. Nunes has won the last two BFTS events, taking first place in both Des Moines, Iowa, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Australian Lachlan Richardson placed third on Friday with 86.5 points atop Night Rider Six (Julio Moreno Bucking Bulls). Richardson had dropped to 36th in the PBR world standings, but in the Last Cowboy Standing’s progressive -elimination format all that matters is reaching the 8-second buzzer, which Richardson did, handily. He will advance to Round 2 Saturday and continue his quest for the $100,000 event title.

With 11 qualified rides overall, and a field of 25 needed for Round 2, 14 cowboys at the top of the current world standings will return Saturday to compete.

The list of riders is as follows:

Joseph McConnel
Renato Nunes
Lachlan Richardson
Josh Faircloth
Jordan Hupp
Marco Eguchi
Markus Mariluch
Tanner Byrne
Joao Ricardo Vieira
Cody Nance
Mike Lee
Guilherme Marchi
Silvano Alves
Matt Triplett
J.B. Mauney
Eduardo Aparecido
L.J. Jenkins
Kasey Hayes
Emilio Resende
Gage Gay
Stormy Wing
Sean Willingham
Ryan Dirteater
Brady Sims
Ty Pozzobon

Bushwacker, the two-time reigning PBR World Champion Bull, awaits one lucky rider in Saturday’s Round 3 of Last Cowboy Standing. These final rounds will be broadcast on CBS Network Television on Sunday, May 11, at 4 p.m. ET.

The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network and networks around the world. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer.

The Last Cowboy Standing is the last event of the first half of the 2014 PBR Built Ford Tough Series. The series will take a three-month hiatus and resume August 15-16 in Tulsa, Okla. at the BOK Center. On Oct. 22-26 it will culminate in the 2014 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals taking place at Thomas & Mack Center, where the 2014 PBR World Champion will be crowned and awarded a $1 million purse.

Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series
The Last Cowboy Standing
Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas
Event Leaders (Round 1-Event Points)

1. Joseph McConnel, 88-88.00 points.
2. Renato Nunes, 87.5-87.50 points.
3. Lachlan Richardson, 86.5-86.50 points.
4. Josh Faircloth, 86.25-86.25 points.
5. Jordan Hupp, 85.75-85.75 points.
(tie). Marco Eguchi, 85.75-85.75 points.
7. Markus Mariluch, 85.5-85.50 points.
8. Tanner Byrne, 84.5-84.50 points.
9. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 84.25-84.25 points.
10. Cody Nance, 83.5-83.50 points.
11. Mike Lee, 83.25-83.25 points.
Austin Meier, 0-0.00 points.
Ben Jones, 0-0.00 points.
Brady Sims, 0-0.00 points.
Brant Atwood, 0-0.00 points.
Carlos Garcia, 0-0.00 points.
Chad Vanamburg, 0-0.00 points.
Claudio Crisostomo, 0-0.00 points.
David Mason, 0-0.00 points.
Douglas Duncan, 0-0.00 points.
Eduardo Aparecido, 0-0.00 points.
Emilio Resende, 0-0.00 points.
Gage Gay, 0-0.00 points.
Guilherme Marchi, 0-0.00 points.
Guytin Tsosie, 0-0.00 points.
Harve Stewart, 0-0.00 points.
Hernald John, 0-0.00 points.
J. B. Mauney, 0-0.00 points.
J.W. Harris, 0-0.00 points.
Jason Malone, 0-0.00 points.
Jay Miller, 0-0.00 points.
John Smith, 0-0.00 points.
Jory Markiss, 0-0.00 points.
Kaique Pacheco, 0-0.00 points.
Kasey Hayes, 0-0.00 points.
L.J. Jenkins, 0-0.00 points.
Luis Blanco, 0-0.00 points.
Mason Lowe, 0-0.00 points.
Matt Triplett, 0-0.00 points.
Peyton Stewart, 0-0.00 points.
Pistol Robinson, 0-0.00 points.
Ryan Dirteater, 0-0.00 points.
Scottie Knapp, 0-0.00 points.
Sean Willingham, 0-0.00 points.
Silvano Alves, 0-0.00 points.
Stetson Lawrence, 0-0.00 points.
Stormy Wing, 0-0.00 points.
Ty Pozzobon, 0-0.00 points.
Valdiron de Oliveira, 0-0.00 points.
Zane Lambert, 0-0.00 points.

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