Three Things We Learned at the Chicago Invitational

By: Justin Felisko
January 10, 2016

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Here are three things we learned from the Chicago Invitational at Allstate Arena this weekend.

MAUNEY BEGINS TITLE DEFENSE HOT AND COLD

Defending World Champion J.B. Mauney began his title defense on the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) this weekend with a relatively sub-par weekend by Mauney’s standards.

Mauney finished 1-for-3, but his 89-point ride on Machinery’s Auctioneer’s Little Joe propelled him to a Round 2 win and 100 world points.

“I knew him a little bit,” Mauney said. “Not a whole lot about him. I had never been on him and had seen him a couple of times. I didn’t know what to think, but I just went jump for jump.

“I do this to be not the best for a full year, but the best every time I nod my head.”

The 29-year-old finished eighth overall with 105 total points.

Mauney led the BFTS in 2016 with 16 round wins.

However, outside of his Round 2-winning-ride in Chicago, it was an otherwise tough weekend.

The Chicago Invitational was Mauney’s second one qualified ride-or-less weekend in his last 13 BFTS events.

The No. 9 ranked bull rider in the world standings was bucked off by Slinger Jr. in 4.19 seconds during the Built Ford Tough Championship Round.

He said after Round 2 he was happy to bounce back from his Round 1 buckoff against Wipeout (7.39 seconds).

“Last night, I kind of quit the ship a little bit,” Mauney said. “I let one slide by me last night,” Mauney said following Round 2. “I should have tried a little harder. Everybody was saying, ‘Well, he slipped or he throw his head up.’

“But you are supposed to ride all of them.”

JOAO RICARDO VIEIRA RESPONDS TO 2015 COLLAPSE WITH STRONG PERFORMANCE

Joao Ricardo Vieira concluded the 2015 season 8-for-26 and saw his world title aspirations fall apart for the second consecutive year.

Vieira responded by going 3-for-3 in the BFTS season-opener to finish the Chicago Invitational in second place (322.5 world points) to Wallace de Oliveira (550).

The No. 3 rider in the world standings capped off his performance with an 86.5-point ride on Americana to split fifth-place in the championship round with Silvano Alves (86.5 points on Fire Bender). Each rider earned 23 world points in the round.

Alves finished 3-for-3 for his first three-ride weekend since last March.

Vieira earned 240 of his world points for finishing second in the event average and nearly won Round 2 with his 88.25-point ride on Like A Boss, which earned him 60 world points.

“He was a strong bull, but my aggression was good,” Vieira said.

Vieira rode Pull the Battery for 83 points in Round 1 on Saturday night.

The 2013 Rookie of the Year said he was very happy to start the season on the right foot.

“It is very important to start good, but the tour is tough,” Vieira said.

Vieira spent the offseason in Brazil, competing in five rodeos.

According to Vieira, he won one rodeo and placed second in two others.

“I rode really good there,” Vieira said. “I rode left and right no problem.”

Vieira said the time in Brazil was good for him, before joking that it wasn’t good for his English.

He said the time off was good for his body after concluding 2015 battered and beaten.

“I feel 100 percent now,” he concluded. “I feel healthy.”

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE FOR THE FIRST WIN

At 36 years old, Wallace de Oliveira became the latest veteran to win at the BFTS level.

Less than a year after Ben Jones won the Ty Murray Invitational, Oliveira earned his first career victory with a flawless weekend.

Oliveira set himself up for his first career event win with a career-high 88.25-point ride on Cracker Jack – a bull he selected fourth in the championship round draft with the help of Alves.

He then watched as Vieira came up short of passing him for the event lead before Mike Lee (4.3 seconds on Modified Clyde) and Douglas Duncan(2.6 seconds on Cooper Tires Brown Sugar) bucked off during the final two outs of the evening.

“I am very happy because I am riding well this weekend,” Oliveira said with Alves translating. “I rode all three bulls and the last bull was a good bull. I didn’t know any of the bulls in the short go.”

Oliveira then interrupted Alves and said, “He picked him for me. This is my brother,” before laughing.

Oliveira continued, “I knew I needed points to stay up here. I am very happy to ride on the Built Ford Tough (Series). This is everybody’s dream. This is very difficult to ride, compete and win on the Built Ford Tough. I am very, very happy.”

Oliveira won the round – the first round win of his career – for 100 world points after previously riding Blue Grass for 83.5 points in Round 2. Oliveira finished Round 1 in third place for 50 world points with an 86.75-point effort on Ram It.

Rounding out the Top 5 in the event was Vieira (322.5 points), Valdiron de Oliveira (242.5), Kasey Hayes (155) and Ryan Dirteater (135).

Hayes rode Apollo Stripes for 87.75 points in the championship round.

“It has been a while,” Hayes said. “It feels good to get one down and get the momentum going. I was sitting at home not really doing much, but once I got here it just felt right. I have been bucked off by him before, but he was big and I didn’t overcommit either way and stayed square on him. I went back to the basics of when you are a steer rider. You just keep your chin tucked and go where they go. Essentially, if you do that you will ride your bulls.”

The ride was Hayes’ first championship round ride since last season’s BFTS opener in Baltimore when he rode Fire & Smoke for 89.25 points.

This weekend was Oliveira’s second regular-season BFTS event since 2010. He competed at last year’s regular-season finale in Tucson, Arizona, and the World Finals. Prior to that, Oliveira spent four years back in Brazil before returning to the United States last season.

Oliveira spent the majority of 2015 competing on the BlueDEF Tour and in the Touring Pro Division.

He had never been to Chicago before, and this weekend was only his fifth BFTS regular season event.

In fact, he was the last alternate in the draw.

Now he gets to head to New York for the first time in his life as the No. 1-ranked bull rider at next weekend’s Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden.

“I have never been there,” Oliveira said. “No Chicago. No New York. These are all the same rodeos. They are nothing different. I am happy to be here riding in America.”

Oliveira first will take a pit stop in Denver for this week’s BlueDEF Tour event, where he is scheduled to ride on Monday night.

Fans can catch all of the action on PBR LIVE starting at 9 p.m. ET.

INJURY UPDATES

According to Dr. Tandy Freeman, Bonner Bolton sustained a C-2 fracture with evidence of a spinal cord injury after landing on his head following his 86.75-point ride on Cowboy Up in Round 2.

He was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment. Freeman stated the injury has “improved greatly and that it does not appear that Bolton will require surgery. Several months of immobilization will be required for fracture healing.”

Ben Jones did not compete in the championship round after aggravating a right hamstring strain in Round 1. He is probable for New York.

There were three injuries in Round 1 on Saturday night.

J.W. Harris sustained facial bruising when he was head-butted by Spotted Demon in Round 1 on Saturday night.

Brady Sims injured his right wrist (free hand) when he landed on his hand as he was thrown from Flint in 3.47 seconds in Round 1.

Cody Nance sprained his right (riding) hand attempting to ride Joe The Grinder in Round 1.

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

© 2016 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.