Event Preview: Colorado Springs
By: Denise M. Abbott April 30, 2014@ 01:10:00 PM
PUEBLO, Colo. ― This weekend the one and only Professional Bull Riders elite Built Ford Tough Series returns to Colorado Springs’ Broadmoor World Arena with the Built Ford Tough Rumble in the Rockies, May 2-4.
The Top 35 bull riders in the world and the rankest bucking bulls in the sport will face off during more than two hours of non-stop bucking action over the course of three days. The PBR is the premiere bull riding organization in the world and was named “America’s fastest growing sport” by Forbes (September 2013). This is southern Colorado’s only chance to see the Top 35 toughest men in the sport this year.
The Rumble in the Rockies begins at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 2; 6:50 p.m. on Saturday, May 3; and 1:50 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. Tickets start at $15 and are on sale now at the World Arena box office, www.ticketswest.com, and by telephone at (866) 464-2626.
The format is simple. All 35 bull riders will attempt one bull during Round 1 on Friday, Round 2 on Saturday and Round 3 Sunday. After Sunday’s Round 3, the scores from the three rounds will be added together and the Top 15 scored riders will return for the Built Ford Tough Championship Round to attempt one more additional bull each. The rider with the highest score after all four rounds will be declared the champion and take home at least $30,000 of the total $140,000 purse.
After Round 2 on Saturday, Colorado fans will be treated to a special round of competition, the PBR’s 15/15 Bucking Battle. This round offers an additional total purse of $21,000 and double the valuable points needed toward the overall 2014 PBR World Championship title. The Top 15 bull riders in the world standings will be taking on the Top 15 bulls for one ride each. The man with the highest score will be the winner. These results are completely separate from the Built Ford Tough Rumble in the Rockies event.
Reigning PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney has been matched with Rock River Red (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/ J.R. Scott/ Dallas Schott), during the 15/15 Bucking Battle. Mauney faced the bull last year in Nashville, Tenn. Rock River Red made short work of Mauney in their first meeting and tossed him to the ground in 4.09 seconds. This time around he’ll be facing a World Champion, so Rock River Red will have to bring his best game to the arena.
Current No. 1 rider and 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi will meet Wicked (J.A.R.S. Bucking Bulls/ Gene Owen) during the 15/15 Bucking Battle. Wicked and Marchi met for the first time just three weeks ago in Billings, Mont. That battle went to Wicked in 4.03 seconds. Marchi, however, holds the record for the most qualified rides in PBR history at 509 and will be counting on this strength to get him by Wicked on Saturday.
The 2012 PBR World Champion Bull Asteroid (Circle T Ranch & Rodeo) will be waiting for two-time (2012, 2011) PBR World Champion Silvano Alves on Saturday in the 15/15 round. Alves has attempted to ride Asteroid three times previously, most recently in Oklahoma City earlier this year. He has never made it to the halfway mark against Asteroid, but will be looking to change that stat this weekend. Asteroid, however, has been perfect since August 2012, bucking off 26 consecutive riders after Mauney conquered him for 93.50 points in San Antonio, Texas.
Shepherd Hills Tested has been designated the Bad Boy Mowers Bounty Bull in the 15/15 Bucking Battle and is worth $25,000 if Fabiano Vieira can make a successful 8-second ride on him. Shepherd Hills Tested has only been ridden twice in his career – both times by Mauney for 92.50 and 90.50 points. This will be the first time that Vieira faces the 7-year-old bull.
The 15/15 Bucking Battle will air on CBS Network Television on Sunday, May 4, at 1 p.m. ET.
May 2-4 will mark the sixth time that the PBR has stopped at World Arena, which previously showcased the toughest sport on dirt from 2001-2005.
Previous champions in southern Colorado are:
2012 Renato Nunes (Pueblo)
2011 Robson Palermo (Pueblo)
2010 Renato Nunes (Pueblo)
2009 Cody Nance (Pueblo)
2005 Adriano Moraes (Colorado Springs)
2004 Ednei Caminhas (Colorado Springs)
2003 Wiley Petersen (Colorado Springs)
2002 Adriano Moraes (Colorado Springs)
2001 Adriano Moraes/Justin McBride (Colorado Springs)
Reigning World Champion and No. 2 rider on the all-time money list Mauney will compete in the Springs this year alongside five other World Champions: Alves (2011, 2012), Renato Nunes (2010), Longmont, Colo.’s Kody Lostroh (2009), Marchi (2008) and Mike Lee (2004).
Young stars Tanner Byrne and Gage Gage are scheduled to compete also, as well as fan favorites L.J. Jenkins, Sean Willingham and many talented up-and-comers.
The Rumble in the Rockies will air live on CBS Sports Network, Sunday, May 4, at 4 p.m. ET.
The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network and networks around the world. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer.
World Arena is the 17th stop of 27 on the 2014 PBR Built Ford Tough Series schedule. The season kicked off Jan. 3-5 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The season will conclude at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 22-26, when the 2014 PBR World Champion, the bull rider who amasses the most points during the 2014 season, will receive the coveted World Championship belt buckle and a $1 million bonus.
© 2014 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.