Teel Takes Home $100,000 Stampede Prize

CALGARY, Alberta – Cody Teel of Kountze, Texas, the 2012 PRCA Champion bull rider, added another title to his trophy case on Sunday afternoon winning the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

Teel, 24, rode Liquid Fire for 91.5 points to kick off the final four round of competition at the Calgary Stampede.

“I never really felt settled or had a seat on that bull,” Teel said. “He was changing leaps while I just kept moving ahead and kind of just staying out of him with my feet the whole time, just shuffling. (That’s) what I like to call bicycling the whole time, having to put everything I had into it and just stay aggressive.”

Teel went on in further detail about the 2015 PBR World Finals bucking bull and PBR Canada standout.

“He tries just the whole time,” Teel said. “You can’t back off the throttle. He keeps bringing it and as soon as you weaken he’ll yank a knot in you and put you on the ground real quick, so you really just got to be aggressive and ride him for 10 seconds,”

Three Built Ford Tough Series bull riders would take aim at Teel, but they came up short.

Nathan Schaper was first to go, bucking off No Good Deed.

Ryan Dirteater tried his luck on Bottle Rocket, the same bull Sage Kimzey won the $100,000 prize on in 2015, but was completely button-hooked by the bovine and came splashing down into the mud.

Last to go was Fabiano Vieira, but he was thrown off Chip Shot before the whistle, and Teel was able to leave with the $100,000 check.

“All of those guys in the four man – everyone here was a top Calgary bull rider, so you don’t expect anyone to fall off or buck off,” Teel said. “When that happens, it’s almost surprising. But to be able to pull it through and get the win – it means a lot.

“I had two great bulls today and they just gave me the opportunity for the win.”

Teel advanced out of Sunday’s long round with an 84.5-point ride onDiamond Eyes.

Dirteater won the long round with an 88-point ride on Heavens Basement, while Schaper (85 points on Excessive Force) and Vieira (82 points on Twist Your Face Off) were the only other two riders to make the 8-second mark.

Two-time World Champion J.B. Mauney and defending Calgary Stampede champion Kimzey both were bucked off in the long go by Checkered Flags and Night Moves, respectively.

Even though the rain poured down and the arena conditions were less than favorable, the crowd remained intact.

“It’s unbelievable all of the fans that stayed through all of the rain and everything,” Teel said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. To have them hollering and screaming when you do make a good ride in this weather, it’s definitely an experience that you may never experience again unless you’re here.”

When asked about his thoughts on competing in the PBR, which he hasn’t done since 2010, Teel said:

“Right now my goal is to be the PRCA World Champion again. It’s just a year-to-year, so we’ll just see where we’re at, at the end of next year and just go from there.”

Despite failing to make the 8-second mark in the final round on Sunday, Dirteater, Schaper and Vieira all left town with sizable earnings.

Dirteater took home $11,500 from Pool A and added $16,333 for the second-place split in the final four. He heads back to Oklahoma with $27,833.

Schaper earned $10,500 in Pool A and added that same $16,333 from the final four, totaling his check at $26,833.

Vieira earned $8,500 from Pool B. Adding that to the final round payout and his earnings total was $24,833.