World Leaders Giving it a Go in Thackerville
By: Justin Felisko August 26, 2014@ 03:00:00 PM
WORLD LEADERS GIVING IT A GO IN THACKERVILLE (8-26-14)
PUEBLO, Colo. – After originally believing he would miss this weekend’s Built Ford Tough Series event in Thackerville, Oklahoma, because of his right PCL injury, world leader Guilherme Marchi is now expecting to compete.
Marchi first told Eugenio Jose Santos earlier this weekend at the Monster Energy PBR Brazil Finals in Barretos, Brazil, that his rehab with renowned Brazil physical therapist Nivaldo Baldo was going very well and that he felt like he would be able to compete in Oklahoma just two weeks after aggravating his knee injury from Last Cowboy Standing in Round 1 of the Express Employment Professionals Classic.
“My knee is good,” said Marchi, who is flying back to the United States on Wednesday. “The treatment is going great. The physical therapy is so hard; it is very intensive all day, every day. Nivaldo Baldo in Campinas for me is the best. He prepared myself and prepared my knee. … I think I will be ready for the next event.”
Fabiano Vieira has confirmed to the PBR that he plans to compete in Thackerville after dislocating his right shoulder (free arm) two weeks ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Vieira spent the past two weeks undergoing physiotherapy. It is the same shoulder that plagued him at the end of the first half of the BFTS and it is expected to be a problem for the remainder of the season.
Tanner Byrne, currently ranked 17th in the world standings, is out for this weekend’s BFTS event after aggravating a right wrist injury while riding Kung Fu Fighter for 75.75 points in Tulsa. He had originally sustained the injury earlier this summer in Canada.
Byrne, who got married to his wife, Meghan, last week, said on Tuesday that he has been unable to close his hand and has been participating in physiotherapy. The 22-year-old is eyeing a return to action in Nashville, but is also waiting for an official diagnosis from Dr. Tandy Freeman.
Sean Willingham remains out, but said on Friday that his injured right hip is already 100 percent better compared to the beginning of August and he is hoping to return in mid-September.
Other riders ranked inside the Top 30 that will be out for Thackerville include Ty Pozzobon, who is done for the season following a torn ACL and LCL in his right knee, and Robson Palermo, who continues to rehab from April shoulder surgery.
Budd Williamson won the third annual Curtis Leschyshyn PBR Classic on Saturday night in Langham, Saskatchewan, to earn the top alternate spot for this weekend’s BFTS event. It will be his 2014 debut and third event of his career.
Jordan Hupp earned the other Touring Pro Division alternate spot after going 2-for-2 to win the Prescott, Arizona, Touring Pro Division event on Saturday night.
Other riders that have made the cut for Thackerville as alternates include Harve Stewart, Stetson Lawrence, Billy Robinson, Guytin Tsosie, Jason Malone, J.W. Harris, and Josh Faircloth.
Kody Lostroh will be competing with a World Champion exemption after putting forth his best-performance of the season two weeks ago in Tulsa with a fourth-place finish.
A complete draw will be available on Wednesday.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko.