The Morning Line: Billings, Day 2

BILLINGS, Mont. – Round 2 of the Stanley Performance In Action Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires, will feature a chance at history.

Round 2 Matchups

Guilherme Marchi on Z61 Shocker:

This may be Marchi’s 600th Built Ford Tough Series qualified ride, and while that is an arbitrary milestone, let’s get some perspective on just how ridiculous that number is. Based on data from 8,000-plus different riders over the course of 20-plus years and 7,000-plus PBR and PRCA events, only 3% of professional level bull riders ever reach 100 qualified rides in their career. Marchi is about to reach 600 at the highest level of competition against bulls of a consistently high quality.

In 1990, Norman Curry became the second of three men to ride all 10 bulls at the NFR. He set a record for the highest average total that still stands today. His record is 800 points, or 80 points per ride. This was during the heyday of the PBR founders careers, and it was done against the best bulls of the era. Marchi’s average BFTS score is 85.49 points, and it’s fair to say that he’s accumulated all these scores against bulls that would have been considered NFR-quality bulls back then. The PBR founders dreamed of this. They were imagining a world where they could skip all the days they drew bulls that weren’t even close to being good enough to win anything on. Marchi’s career is the realization of their dream.

Marchi has been an obvious talent since he first came to the United States, and it may be some time before anyone passes him in career qualified rides if they ever do. He can also lay claim to the best overall single season rider performance in PBR history. He was dominant in his 2008 World Championship season. Whenever Marchi decides to hang up his spurs he will be remembered as one of the best bull riders ever to put his hand in a rope, but more importantly, he will be remembered as an outstanding human being. There are many great athletes you would not want your children to look up to or try to emulate, but Marchi is the kind of hero we should all celebrate. We’ve seen him struggle at times, and look very vulnerable, but through it all he’s been a fierce competitor inside the arena and a gentleman outside.

Kaique Pacheco on 95X DaNutso:

These two have met twice this season, and they have one win each. DaNutso is the biggest question mark here. Every rider is capable of riding him, but sometimes he does crazy things and the rider slips up. Occasionally he just bucks like a straightforward championship round quality bull. In this matchup, if he’s normal Pacheco should win. He’ll need to pull some of his tricks to get Pacheco on the ground.

Chase Outlaw on 976 Slick Rick:

Back in August of last year, Slick Rick threw Derek Kolbaba off in Nashville, Tennessee. Since then he’s had 10 outs, and he’s given up 10 scores. Outlaw will probably make it 11. Slick Rick spins away from his hand, but Outlaw is just as good on bulls that spin either way.

Joao Ricardo Vieira on 37Z Udder Lover:

Over the past few weeks Cooper Davis has ridden this bull twice for one round win, and second in another. He went to the left with Davis both times, which should be into Vieira’s wheelhouse.

Stetson Lawrence on 279 Sledge Hamma!

Lawrence won the opening round on a bull he had ridden before, but to pick up his second straight score he will have to stay on a bull he’s bucked off of before. Sledge Hamma is 7-0 in his young career, and he got the best of Lawrence in Glendale, Arizona, earlier this year.

Koal Livingston on 00 Gravedigger:

This is a really good bull, but the thing that stands out about him is that he may be the easiest to ride bull in the PBR right now. He’s been ridden 8 times in 13 career outs. Like most bulls who are ridden often he has good timing, but he also has moderate speed, he telegraphs every move, and he tends to keep his head high and in line with his body. This makes him as predictable as a bucking machine. He does go to the left, and the two guys he’s thrown off this season are both right-handed, so he will go away from Livingston’s hand, but this is really a bull that only wins when the rider messes up.

Shane Proctor on Z7 Sketchy Bob:

Sketchy Bob is the best possible bull Proctor could draw if he had to draw from every bull alive right now. He’s a quality bull, but he’s exceptionally good to ride, especially for right-handed riders. He had maybe the best out of his career last week in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and turned in a 45.25 point bull score – the same as Pearl Harbor. Prior to that he’d been ridden at five straight PBR events.

J.B. Mauney on 203 Buck John:

Mauney could get a much needed second score here, but it won’t be a cake walk. Jess Lockwood rode this bull for 87.5 points in Nashville last year, and he’s the only lefty who’s done it. Buck John should go to the right and he will test Mauney, but this could be the round win if Mauney passes.

Jess Lockwood on A9 Too Smooth:

This is the bull that threw Marco Eguchi out of the arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He’s unridden in his nine out career, but Eguchi is the only guy he’s thrown all the way over the fence so far. If he has the same trip here and Lockwood manages to ride him, it will almost certainly win the round.

Silvano Alves on 262 Jailhouse Jr.:

Alves is one of only three guys who have ridden this bull in 20 career outs. Jailhouse Jr. usually goes to the right, but at some point he will usually take one jump forward, and reverse the spin. This is where he gets most guys.

J.W. Harris on 09 Legal Tender:

Throughout his career, Legal Tender has been a good draw for right-handed riders. He’s 10-9 against them. When he does get the best of riders it’s usually because he backs up underneath himself and gets them tilted too far forward. Harris should be able to handle him, but if he struggles at all it will be trying to stay off the bull’s head.

Cody Teel on 226Z Wired Crazy:

This bull can be difficult because he’s a little erratic, but he gets easier as the ride goes on. Teel rode a much harder bull last night and had zero problems. He should be fine here. This bull doesn’t have much power – he just has broken timing here and there.

Brennon Eldred on 027 Kookaburra:

Eldred has had good draws on both nights. Kookaburra should spin into his hand, but the catch is that at some point he will move forward and go the other way or back to the right again. He’s similar to the bull Alves has tonight, but slightly better.