Rookie Bull Rider and Veteran Contractor Qualify for CBR World Finals
Qualifying in the number 24 positions for the 2017 CBR World Finals at Cheyenne Frontier Days are twenty-four year old Tyler Bingham of Honeyville, Utah and on the other side of the ride, Jeff Harris, Palestine, Texas, and the Rockin C Bull Team.
#24 CBR World Finals Qualifier – Tyler Bingham
The 2011 National High School Rodeo Champion is excited to be headed to Cheyenne for the CBR World Finals for the first time since turning professional that same year. The right handed bull rider who likes to get on practice bulls when he’s home has made that theory pay off as he is currently enjoying an all-time career high riding average of 42.86 percent.
Bingham, the younger brother of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and CBR World Finals qualifier Tim Bingham, is classified as a rookie as this is his first season to compete on the CBR’s Road to Cheyenne tour.
“I am excited to be going to Cheyenne, I really like the CBR for the even set of bulls at all the events, and the money, there is a lot of money available,” said Bingham from the road.
Bingham qualified and rode in nine CBR Road to Cheyenne tour events after debuting in Laughlin last fall with an 87.5 ride on 91 Red One (Harris). That ride earned him a slot on the day sheet on the Road to Cheyenne televised tour. Although Bingham did not win an event title during his rookie season, he rode well enough to advance six times to the semifinal round and once to the Shoot Out.
During his first CBR season he attempted seventeen bulls with four qualified rides. His highest score was 90 points on 3381 Wet Willy (Bob and Jeri Adams) during the semifinal round in Rio Rancho, New Mexico where he rode two to advance to the final four Shoot Out Round for the first time.
“If I could pick my first bull in Cheyenne it would be 3381… he was great,” said Bingham who was on the road hoping to earn enough money to qualify for the PRCA’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Bingham who learned to ride bulls alongside older brother Tim, plans to rodeo all summer in an effort to qualify for his first Wrangler National Finals. He works construction part time when he is not riding bulls and aspires to someday retire as a full time rancher.
What surprises most people about Tyler Bingham? He is married (Jerica Bingham)
#24 Bull Team Challenge Qualifier – Jeff Harris’s Rockin C Bull Team
2016 CBR World Champion Bull Team owner Jeff Harris and Rocking C partners Lowell Clay and Bob Blackwell pulled into Del Rio, Texas knowing the odds were 12 to 1 that he would qualify this team to compete at the CBR World Finals at Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Unpredictable weather conditions, outside load chutes, a two day pool party and a super-sized arena full of booming fans, all combine to make Del Rio a challenging venue for stock contractors.
“Picking bulls for Del Rio is always a test and I literally think about it for months,” said Harris.
This year Harris varied from conventional wisdom of lining up mature well known buckers and put up a trio of young four year old bulls to attempt the final Cheyenne Challenge that would send the winner directly to the World Finals.
Harris won the event with 283.72 points, 2.27 points ahead of the Jaynes Gang. Bucking Blackwell’s bull 201 Speckled Bird, Garrett Jones hit 90 points and with that came an 88 point bull score which would anchor the team. The second draw of veteran rider Cody Wood would not produce a score but with a 7.22 second ride and Kimzey left on your third bull, Harris remained was optimistic. Kimzey would go 88.5 on 215 Lone Wolf to seal the team’s top bull team composite score.
“This is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me, I am really looking forward and excited about being there” said Lowell Clay upon learning his team won and was now on the qualifying roster for Cheyenne.
Clay and wife Sylvia, who have been competing in the bull team challenge for several years, will make their first trip to Cheyenne as a competitor. Harris describes his Rockin C partners as lifelong friends that love rodeo bulls and compete in the two year futurity competitions and the aged divisions of the bucking bull industry.
Courtesy of CBR