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Dustin Boquet Holds on to Win First Career Division 1 Xtreme Bulls Event

FORT WORTH, Texas – The wait was worth it for Dustin Boquet.

The Louisiana bull rider took the lead after the first day of competition at the Division 1 SWELS – Xtreme Bulls in Fort Worth and then sweated through the second day of competition while watching on TV.

Boquet’s score of 175 points on two head held through the second night of the event Wednesday at the plush, new Dickies Arena, allowing him to capture his first Division 1 Xtreme Bulls victory.

“This has always been a goal of mine to get a Division 1 win, and this is pretty exciting,” said Boquet, 25. “It’s also a blessing to get a Division 1 win this early in the season. It helps my confidence a lot. This (Dickies Arena) is pretty dang big. I couldn’t believe how big it was when I got in here. It was cool to compete in this brand-new place, and it was awesome to get the first Xtreme Bulls win here.”

Boquet entered the Division 1 event fifth in the 2020 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $11,512. He will move up the ladder after earning $13,555.

“It was a little nerve-wracking watching (Wednesday’s event) on TV,” Boquet said. “I would never go against my buddies. All I did was do my job and stayed on my bulls, and I got the job done. This win feels good.”

Ky Hamilton took second with 172 points. Trevor Kastner and Parker McCown split third with 171 points each.

Boquet, Hamilton and Kastner rode Tuesday night, while McCown competed Wednesday. The rookie was the only cowboy to ride two bulls on the second night.

“I was just blessed to get two good bulls down,” said McCown, who finished atop the PRCA | RAM Rodeo Permit Standings in 2019 in record fashion. “I’m just thankful with the outcome. I’m glad I was able to get them ridden. This season, I’m just going to try and ride whatever bull I get on and go through the year one bull at a time, and we will see how we are at the end. I want to make the (Wrangler) NFR, and I definitely want to win rookie of the year.”

Boquet finished second in the long round with an 87.5-point ride on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Living Life.

“I had never ridden that bull,” Boquet said. “That bull had a little something to him, but it all worked out.”

In the short round, Boquet climbed aboard Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Cow Banger.

“I’ve seen that bull for a couple of years,” said Boquet, who made his lone appearance at the Wrangler NFR in 2018. “I knew he wasn’t going to be any fun and I knew I was going to have to hang on. He had me thrown off at a couple points, but I just held on and was hoping for the best. I was like, ‘Where was that buzzer at?’ because he was giving it to me. I had a lot of hard try and never gave up.”

On Wednesday, several riders had a chance to unseat Boquet, but only McCown managed to ride two bulls. Cole Melancon was the last rider to compete Wednesday, and after three rides – two of which were re-rides – he failed to register a score. Melancon had an 89-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Torch in the long round.

“It makes it really hard there, but if you don’t get on them you don’t win,” Melancon said. “I have no regrets. I shoot for first every time.”

Boquet is trying to bounce back in 2020 after an injury-marred 2019 season. He tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the long round at the 42nd George Paul Memorial Xtreme Bull Riding in Del Rio, Texas, in April.

“I didn’t have surgery, but I was out about 3½ months,” Boquet said. “I came back and I didn’t have the confidence that I needed. I kept getting on and trying my butt off, and it just didn’t work out for me last year. Sitting on that couch watching that NFR in 2019, I ain’t doing it again. That lit my fire back, and I’m feeling good. My knee feels good. Heck, my whole body feels good, and it is really showing.”

Refreshed and rejuvenated, Boquet has high goals for 2020.

“If you don’t want to get a gold buckle, then I don’t know why you are getting on bulls,” he said. “Being healthy this year has been great, and I hope the good Lord keeps blessing me and keeping me safe.”

Clayton Sellars sidelined with knee injury

Bull rider Clayton Sellars, who made his Wrangler NFR debut in 2019, will be out of action for an extended period after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Wednesday during the SWELS – Xtreme Bulls.

Sellars was injured during his 77.5-point ride on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Road Rage in the long round.

“I reckon I’m going to be out 4½ months,” said Sellars, 21. “The bull was really close to the bucking chutes, and I kind of jumped off away from my hand and my left leg was still underneath him. It kind of stretched out and then he hit me in the hip or something, and it just put my knee down and foot up and stretched my ligaments too far and tore them both. (Dr.) Tandy (Freeman) has us all hooked up. We are going to have surgery as soon as possible and be back kicking in the arena again.”

Courtesy of PRCA

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