Triplett Wins in Big Sky

BIG SKY, Mont. – Matt Triplett (Columbia Falls, Montana) was crowned the champion at the Big Sky PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour (RVT) event Saturday night at Sage Brush Field.

The No. 7 ranked bull rider in the world entered the night tied for third place after covering The Kraken (Dakota Rodeo – Chad Berger / Clay Struve / Ken Barnhard) for 86.5 points in Friday’s Round 1. Triplett opened Saturday night by riding Just Juan (Dakota Rodeo – Chad Berger/Rich Bumbaca) for 85 points in Round 2 before being bucked off by Speed Demon (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heald Pro Bulls) in the championship round.

Chad Berger’s rank pen of bulls pitched a shutout in the championship round, though, meaning Triplett’s 2-for-3 performance was enough to win the event.

Triplett is walking away from Big Sky with 80 points toward the world standings and a check for $11.793.92.

Cody Teel (Kountze, Texas) finished in second place after turning in his second 85.5-point of the weekend Satruday when he covered Parachute (Triplett Bucking Bulls) in Round 2. He was later bucked off by Wicked Stick (Dakota Rodeo / Chad Berger / Clay Struve / H&C Bucking Bulls) in the championship round.

Teel, the No. 13 riding in the world standings, picked up 50 world points and $8,031.54 for the effort.

Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) finished the weekend third overall in the event. The 19-year-old rode Dirty Deeds (Dakota Rodeo / Chad Berger / Clay Struve) for 85.5 points in Round 2 before being tossed by Catfish John(Dakota Rodeo – Chad Berger / Clay Struve / Miller) in the championship round.

Lockwood gained ground on good friend, and No. 3 ranked rider, Derek Kolbaba after netting 30 world points and $4,806.64 for the performance. The 19-year-old now trails Kolbaba by 130 points in the world standings.

2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) finished in fourth place in Big Sky after winning Round 2 courtesy of an 86.5-point ride on Mental Revenge (Dakota Rodeo / Chad Berger / Clay Struve / H&C Bucking Bulls). Davis was later bucked off by Fire & Smoke (Dakota Rodeo / Julie Rosen / Clay Struve / Chad Berger) in the championship round.

The Texan is currently ranked No. 10 in the world standings and will be leaving this weekend with 20 world points and $4,975.56.

Ezekiel Mitchell (Baytown, Texas) rounded out the Top 5 after covering Swashbuckler (Dakota Rodeo / Julie Rosen / Clay Struve / Chad Berger) for 83.5 points in Round 2. Mitchell was tossed by Element 79 (Dakota Rodeo / Chad Berger / Clay Struve / Heald Pro Bulls) in the championship round.

The fifth place finish was Mitchell’s highest of his career so far in the Velocity Tour, and it earned him 15 world points and a $2,718.13 paycheck.

The Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour next head to Santa Barbara, California, on August 3 for the Old Spanish Days Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo.

The 2017 Velocity Tour will culminate with the Velocity Tour Finals at South Point Arena in Las Vegas on Oct. 28-30, leading into the PBR’s Built Ford Tough World Finals, Nov. 1-5 at T-Mobile Arena. 

Big Sky PBR Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour
Name, Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Aggr. Score-Money Earned

1. Matt Triplett, 86.5-85-0-171.5-$11,793.92
2. Cody Teel, 85.5-85.5-0-171-$8,031.54
3. Jess Lockwood, 84.5-85.5-0-170-$4,806.64
4. Cooper Davis, 82-86.5-0-168.5-$4,975.56
5. Ezekiel Mitchell, 83.5-83.5-0-167-$2,073.15