The Morning Line: Iron Cowboy

ARLINGTON, Texas – The WinStar World Casino & Resort Iron Cowboy, powered by Kawasaki, is the second PBR Major of the season, and it follows the now familiar Last Cowboy Standing competition format. Each round is a progressive round, and everyone who stays on moves to the next round. This will go on for a minimum of two rounds and a maximum of five.

This format favors riders who ride a high percentage of their bulls, but luck of the draw can still have some effect on that. The score doesn’t really matter unless it comes down to two riders and they both stay on, which hasn’t happened yet. The Iron Cowboy lasted four rounds in 2017 with two riders making it through, four rounds in 2016 with four riders, and three rounds in 2015 with three riders. Each year it’s come down to one man staying on in that final round while the rest buck off.

PBR Director of Livestock Cody Lambert sets the bulls for this format so that the best bulls at the event come in order at the top of the second round in order starting with Pearl Harbor, Bruiser, and on down the line. No matter how many riders are alive after round one, round two will cut their number significantly.

Round 1 Matchups

Claudio Montanha on 15 Hit Man:

Montanha has had a steady hand all year, and he has a great draw to help him move on to Round 2. Hit Man goes to the left, which will be away from Montanha’s hand, but this is a smooth bull that doesn’t have a lot of power. He’s fast, but if Montanha can get by just one round, the rest will be more of the same.

J.B. Mauney on 1201 Shelley’s Gangster:

Mauney has been on this bull twice in the past two years and came away with a score both times. Gangster is 1-6 against the highest-level riders. Mauney has been banged up this year, but even hampered by injury he ranks higher than most riders. This should be a tick

Dener Barbosa on -247 Red Bandana:

The current world leader didn’t draw the easiest bull for his first one, but he has an even chance on this one. Red Bandana can spin either way, and he has good timing either way, but he’s no wimp. He has some power, and he keeps pressure on the rider by never letting up in the spin and giving the rider a chance to breath. His record is solid, even against the top riders, but he is rideable.

Jose Vitor Leme on Z7 Sketchy Bob:

Sketchy Bob is normally a great draw, and an easy win for the top-level riders, but he’s been erratic lately. He’s also not the best fit for a short lefty. He can have a lot of up and down and he’s unpredictable. He’s been far easier for right-handed riders throughout his career. Leme will have to overcome some adversity to get the job done here.

Tye Chandler on 31 Bullrito:

This bull is a specialist, and his specialty is spinning. He can go either way, but he’s usually a right-hand delivery and he prefers the right. He typically locks into a spin and methodically goes at it with all his might. He’s a light version of Lester Gillis, who you will see in the second or third round. Chandler is a righty, and he has a chance to advance with this draw.

Paulo Lima on 00 Set ‘Em Up Joe:

This is one of the best long-round bulls at this level. He throws off three out of every four riders who try him, but the very best riders he goes against beat him roughly half the time. He consistently produces scores of around 87 points. In his career, he’s faced twice as many right-handed riders as he has lefties, but he has about the same percentage against everyone. Lima certainly has a shot here, but this bull will make him work.

Eduardo Aparecido on 978 Little Red Jacket:

Little Red Jacket is a high-performance bull that occasionally appears in short rounds. He typically goes to the right, and right-handed riders love him – he’s 15-19 against them in his career. Aparecido has been on him three times and ridden him twice. The odds are strong in Aparecido’s favor here.

Valdiron de Oliveira on A14 Element 79:

Everything about this matchup looks good for Oliveira, except that the bull tends to go away from his hand. This is one of the easier bulls in the round because of his even timing, and as long as a bull stays in a steady rhythm, he’s likely to get ridden regardless of which way he spins.

Tanner Byrne on C001 Lab Rat:

Byrne is on a hot streak and he has a good chance of extending it at least one more round here. Lab Rat is a heavy, lumbering bull that likes to go to the right, and right-handed riders have had some success on him. He can have some forward movement, and if anything gives Byrne trouble that will be it.

Cody Teel on 215 Roll of the Dice:

Teel should be able to handle this bull and move on to Round 2. Roll of the Dice consistently goes to the right, has good timing, and is weak against the best riders. He can have some speed, but as long as Teel gets off to a good start he should get the job done.

Cooper Davis on 2125 Wicked Stick:

This isn’t the best draw for Davis or really anyone. Wicked Stick has short round grade difficulty and he appears in short rounds fairly often. He’s been ridden just five times in 43 career outs, and Davis is 0-for-2 against him.