PBR’s Built Ford Tough Series Returns to Nashville, Sept. 5-6
By: Jordan Johnson September 03, 2014@ 01:31:00 PM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series returns to Bridgestone Arena this weekend, Sept. 5-6, for the third year in a row and 16th time overall with the Jack Daniel’s Invitational presented by Cooper Tires.
Tickets for the Jack Daniel’s Invitational start at $10 and can be purchased at the Bridgestone Arena box office, www.Ticketmaster.com, and by telephone at (800) 745-3000. For more information visit www.pbr.com.
Among the Top 35 bull riders in the world who will be competing during this two-day event is Tennessee native Cody Nance, who has won three events so far this season (Tacoma Wash., Fresno, Calif., and Billings, Mont.), the most titles of any bull rider this year, and currently ranks ninth in the PBR world standings. Defending PBR Nashville event champion, 2008 PBR World Champion and current No. 2 PBR rider Guilherme Marchi will also be in the lineup.
Six PBR World Champions are scheduled to compete in Nashville, including reigning World Champion J.B. Mauney, Silvano Alves (2012, 2011), Renato Nunes, (2010), Kody Lostroh (2009), Marchi (2008) and Mike Lee (2004).
This weekend will also be the last time Nashville fans will have the opportunity to watch two-time PBR World Champion Bull Bushwacker compete before he retires at the end of the season following the Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas. Dubbed the “Baddest Body in Sports” by ESPN The Magazine, this bovine athlete has been ridden just once in the last five years. It will be a memorable performance Saturday night when arguably the best PBR bull in existence goes up against his next opponent during the Built Ford Tough Championship Round.
In front of a home-state crowd on Friday, Nance will attempt Gnarly Head (K&K Ranch) in the first round, a bull that is new to the Built Ford Tough Series. Gnarly Head has been ridden just once on the Touring Pro Division Circuit.
Spotted Juice (Mike Miller) will face Mauney in Round 1 on Friday night. This bovine bucked off both 2012 Rookie of the Year Emilio Resende and Alves while in New York this past January.
Current No. 1 bull rider in the PBR World Standing Joao Ricardo Vieira will take on Big Kahuna (Mike Miller) during the first round Friday. Big Kahuna made quick work of 2009 PBR World Champion Kody Lostroh in Nashville last season, tossing him in 3.22 seconds.
With this talent in the arena, the competition is sure to be fearless and intense. There’s a $140,000 total event purse on the line, as well as valuable points towards the overall PBR World Championship. Each man will be fighting for the win with a determination unmatched and unseen in any other sport against opponents upwards of 2,000 pounds.
During Round 1 on Friday and Round 2 on Saturday the Top 35 bull riders will get on one bull each. After Round 2, the riders’ individual scores from both rounds will be totaled and the Top 15 riders will advance to the Built Ford Tough Championship Round for one more ride and a chance at the $30,000 event title.
Previous Nashville event champions are as follows:
2013 Guilherme Marchi
2012 Robson Palermo
2010 Ben Jones
2009 Cody Ford
2008 Justin McBride
2007 Robson Palermo
2004 Owen Washburn
2003 Billy Robinson
2002 Justin McBride
2001 Dusty LaBeth
2000 Adriano Moraes
1999 Terry Don West
1998 Terry Don West
1997 Jerome Davis
1996 Michael Gaffney
Nashville is the 21st stop on the 2014 BFTS schedule, and one of only 26 cities to host the series this year. The bull riding action is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6.
PBR LIVE on pbr.com will broadcast the Jack Daniel’s Invitational at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 5 and at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 6.
CBS Sports Network will carry Round 2 and the championship round on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET. The broadcast will feature Craig Hummer providing play-by-play, color commentary from two-time PBR World Champion Justin McBride, while dirt-level interviews will be handled by Leah Garcia.
The 2014 season culminates with the Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 22-26. The Finals will crown the 2014 PBR World Champion, who will receive the coveted championship buckle, a $1 million bonus and a new pickup truck from Ford, the title sponsor of the Built Ford Tough Series.
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