Davis: “I’m really hungry to be riding bulls again”
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – Two-time World Champion Justin McBride has seen this movie before.
2016 World Champion Cooper Davis taking a lead role, putting a group of talented, underdog riders under his wing and carrying them to a championship.
McBride has coached Davis at three Global Cup competitions, and he saw Davis really elevate his game, especially on the leadership side, three years ago at the Edmonton Global Cup for the victorious Team USA Eagles.
Therefore, it was no surprise that Davis emphatically put Team Ariat ahead of Team Pendleton Whisky last weekend with a 91-point ride on Marquis Metal Works Bill The Butcher.
Davis’ Team Ariat (3-0) was trailing against McBride’s previously undefeated Pendleton Whisky (2-1) squad at the Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol, and his ride sparked Ariat’s come-from-behind victory.
The win over Pendleton Whisky was important for Team Ariat. It improved to 3-0 as J.W. Hart’s squad now has the inside track at earning a first-round bye for Championship Weekend on July 10-12 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, if it can take care of business this weekend in Las Vegas and win Division B.
“Cooper Davis is a true leader in this format,” McBride said before the start of Division B competition. “If Davis gets those young guys to rally with him, if he gets them to ride with him and he talks them into it – which I really think Davis will, because this is his bread and butter – yeesh, watch out. Ky Hamilton has gotten a lot better. Ky Hamilton is on the rise.
“There can be some fire there.”
Hamilton has teamed up with Davis to provide Ariat with a 1-2 punch inside the Pendleton Whisky Let ‘Er Buck Saloon at South Point Arena.
The 20-year-old went 2-for-2 in the victory over Pendleton Whisky, and Davis and Hamilton are both 3-for-6 through Ariat’s first three games, while teammates Tyler Bingham (0-for-4) and Maverick Potter (0-for-2) are still searching for their first scores.
Davis missed almost five months of the season because of a broken neck, but the Jasper, Texas, native looks to be rounding right back into championship form. He is 5-for-8 in PBR competition since returning from the injury, and he won the Sheridan, Wyoming, Touring Pro Division event prior to the METC.
The 26-year-old used the time off to get back into a similar physical condition to that he was in when he won the 2015 PBR World Finals event average and the 2016 world title. In 2015, Davis lost 24 pounds in two months and went on at the time to become only the fourth rookie to win the PBR World Finals. Jose Vitor Leme became the fifth in 2017.
“I feel like I’m where I need to be, weight-wise (139 pounds),” Davis said. “I’m really hungry to ride bulls again. So this little break, it hasn’t been good for anybody. There’s nothing that’s really positive to take out of it for me, other than rededicating myself to bull riding and getting back in shape. So if there’s a positive, that’s it for me. I hated breaking my neck, I hated being out for six months, but I’m amped up and ready to go ride bulls again.”
Davis is also embracing the opportunity to lead an up-and-coming squad in Vegas vs. captaining a team of well-known veterans.
He understands Team Ariat may not have the name recognition of Division A winner Team Cooper Tires, which features world No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme and six-time PRCA champion Sage Kimzey, but Davis believes his team is budding with confidence.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in these guys, and I’m a big believer in giving someone the chance and the opportunity that’s really got something to prove. Get the monkey off their back, and come in and show just how good they are,” Davis said. “I’m not all for stats and statistics and all that, but I’d like to see these young guys come in and, heck, I’d like to go show up Jose and Sage and show that paper doesn’t win.”
To get a shot at Team Cooper Tires, Team Ariat first needs to finish off Division B competition this weekend in the Top 3 in the standings.
The METC features 12 teams, and two Divisions (A & B). The Top 3 teams in each division, based upon win-loss record, qualify for Championship Weekend and a single-elimination tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on July 10-12 in front of fans.
Following Division A competition, Team Cooper Tires, Team Las Vegas and Team Can-Am have clinched playoff berths.
Ariat is likely well on its way to Sioux Falls for the postseason in front of fans, but it still needs to take care of business against No. 2 Team South Point (2-1) and No. 5 Team Boot Barn on Friday and Saturday. They then will face a TBD opponent on Sunday.
“As long as we can keep our foot in the door and keep hammering at them, we’ve got plenty of talent, so all we need is to get to Vegas and to do what I’ve always done, and that’s to stay positive about it,” Davis said. “I think we’ve got a shot. We’ve got J.W. Hart behind us, so if we’re not doing our part, I know J.W.’s going to step up and tell us what to do.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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