Top 17 Rides of the First Half: No. 11

PUEBLO, Colo. – The first half of the 2017 Built Ford Tough Series season was a five-month stretch filled with everything from surprise surges, comeback victories and continued excellence from the world’s best bull riders.

The 2017 World Championship race is far from clear, but the first half provided an insightful preview of what’s to come in the homestretch to the 2017 Built Ford Tough World Finals.

The first half featured dominance from the future stars of the sport, an amazing run from a veteran Brazilian, an unexpected rise and a ride the etched a legend’s name into the history books. Over the next few weeks, PBR.com will countdown the top rides from the first half and look forward to the second half where a World Champion will be crowned.

With 17 days remaining before the return of the BFTS in Tulsa, Oklahoma, PBR.com will countdown the Top 17 rides of the first half.

You can witness that next great moment by purchasing tickets for the 2017 World Finals, where the PBR’s best will return to T-Mobile Arena Nov. 1-5.

Cooper Davis: 90.5 points on Spotted Demon (Glendale, Arizona)  

2016 World Champion Cooper Davis proved a lot at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals last November and moved himself into the elite category of riders on the BFTS. That comes with expectations, and what Davis did in Glendale, Arizona, was something only the top bull riders in the world can do.

Davis rode Spotted Demon for 90.5 points to tie for the championship round win in Glendale, breaking Spotted Demon’s 24 consecutive BFTS buckoff streak in the process.

 
“He is just big,” Davis said. “He has a lot of hesitation and wants to go inside and outside. He wasn’t as bad as I thought. There is a lot more to that bull. I have watched him before and I thought he looked good. I couldn’t see why guys didn’t get along with him. Now I do. He is strong.”

He admitted being caught off guard by Spotted Demon’s strength right out of the gate, but his ability to make a quick adjustment helped him fight through to the end.

“That bull is a lot like Crossfire,” Davis said. “He is really strong and wants to pull you down. I just had to keep throwing my chest to him, sit up and not let him pull me around.”