This is a group of ABBI Maturity bulls that are competing among themselves. It’s just like the Classic rounds, except in a maturity, bulls can be any age. The top Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) bulls are ineligible to enter this, so it’s a long round-level bull competition. Many stock contractors believe they have a bull that’s better than a lot of the regular BFTS long round bulls, and this is essentially where they can prove it. Quite a few of the bulls in this round are “tweeners” that sometimes go in short rounds, but haven’t convinced Cody Lambert they should always go in short rounds.
Aaron Roy on 26Y Savage Moves:
Roy got a score last night, and he has a very solid bull tonight. Ryan Dirteater was 88.5 points on Savage Moves last week. The bull went to the left with Dirteater, and that will be away from Roy’s hand, but he showed great timing and a lot of speed. If Roy can get tapped off on him, he should be good to go.
Neil Holmes on 058 American Sniper:
This is a matchup that probably favors the bull a little, but there’s potential for a huge score here. If American Sniper has his day, he should go to the left and he’ll have big showy jumps. Holmes is a little left-handed guy who can make a bull like this look his best if he can hang in there until the whistle blows.
Reese Cates on 807 Cowtown Slinger:
This bull is kind of a gift for Cates. Cowtown Slinger should spin to the left pretty fast, but with near perfect timing. He does get ridden a lot, and he’s given up seven rides in his last 10 PBR outs. Cates hasn’t been doing all that well lately, but this bull could help him change that.
Robson Palermo on 96 Fire Rock:
This is a rematch from nearly two years ago. Palermo put up 87.5 points in their first meeting. Fire Rock has a style that fits a lot of riders, but he’s not the kind of bull guys can take a nap on. He’s just a little out of line, and that’s enough to shake guys loose. Palermo should have the edge here, but every ride is a fight with this bull.
Shane Proctor on 140 Sharp Dressed Man:
This bull doesn’t have much experience, but he gave up an 88-point ride at the Touring Pro Division level to a right-handed rider. Proctor’s first round bull turned out to be more than he bargained for. This one is a bigger question mark, but he may turn out to be just what Proctor needs in Round 2.
Stormy Wing on 95X DaNutso:
This makes a pretty interesting match, or rematch. They’ve met once before, and the bull won, but DaNutso is the kind of bull I think fits Wing. He’s a little unpredictable, he likes to go to the left, and he can take some big long jumps and can break his timing up some. Wing is a guy who rides in hyper aggressive mode most of the time, and while that occasionally does him in, DaNutso is a bull you can be a little aggressive on because of his unpredictable nature.
Cooper Davis on -24X Butcher’s Nightmare:
Everything’s coming up roses for Davis so far here in Springfield. He won the first round, which gave him a shot at a $5,000 bounty bull, and he won that too. Davis is a guy who has struggled at times at this level, but there has never been a doubt that he has the ability. Here he’s looking at a bull that has been really good for right-handed riders, and he’s got to be happy with this second round draw.
J.B. Mauney on 94 Top Hat:
If you can imagine being the owner of a bucking bull, you can see where it takes a lot of work to get a bull good enough to compete this level. It’s like being a high school baseball coach, and having a player go on to make it to the big show. Now, imagine being the owner of this particular bull. This is his first PBR event, and he’s not only going to the show, but his first pitch is going to be thrown to Albert Pujols. Top Hat is going from obscurity straight to the top of the game. He’s on a big stage, against the number one guy in a meaningful situation. We don’t know what Top Hat is like, but Mauney definitely has the odds in his favor.
Kaique Pacheco on 440 Little Bighorn:
Pacheco is a young guy, he’s in position to make a run at the World Championship, and he’s facing some adversity right now. He came down off a quality bull last night, and he didn’t do anything last week. This bull is rideable, but he’s only given up rides to the best guys who have faced him. The last time we saw him on tour is in Biloxi, Mississippi, where Mauney rode him to a second place finish in Round 2. He should have the edge here, but this time of year is when the mental game of bull riding means the most. Pacheco needs to be mentally strong, right himself and make this count.
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