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Lockwood Wins Bismarck to Continue Surge Up the World Standings Ahead of Last Cowboy Standing

By: Justin Felisko

BISMARCK, N.D. – 2017 World Champion Jess Lockwood was holding onto the side of the backpens Saturday night inside the Bismarck Event Center looking somewhat pale.

Lockwood did not feel terrible, but he did not feel great.

The 21-year-old had just ridden Jungle Can Do for 89.5 points to take over the event lead at Chad Berger’s 19th annual Dakota Community Bank & Trust Touring Pro Division event.

Lockwood started with Jungle Can Do into his hand before the bull then turned back to the right away from his hand a little before the 4-second mark.

However, Lockwood did not toss his helmet and have nearly as wild a celebration as he did 24 hours earlier when he rode Acting Crazy for 89.5 points.

Lockwood was excited to ride Jungle Can Do, but he was also admittedly fatigued and worn down.

“I was pumped up, though, and I’m glad,” Lockwood said. “He’s a great bull. He usually goes left and he made one round and then he went right and jerked on me a little.

“I’m not feeling as strong as I should. My energy levels have been really low the last week, so I really need to get them up.”

The fourth-year pro has been a madman since on May 11, when he returned after being forced to sit out three months because a broken collarbone sustained at the 2019 WinStar World Casino & Resort Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy.

Lockwood won last weekend’s Touring Pro Division event in Deadwood, South Dakota, and was a combined 4-for-6 on two entries.

He then drove back to Texas to take care of some things at home with his fiancée Hailey Kinsel before getting right back in his truck and driving to Bismarck for this weekend’s TPD event and Berger’s $125,000 team challenge, presented by Marquis Metal Works.

According to Lockwood, he lost three pounds this week after driving more than 30 hours and not eating as healthy, or enough, as he should have.

The bull rider that won a world title eating Subway and being extra careful with his nutrition was resorting to candy bars, potato chips and Taco John tacos this week.

 
“Just tired,” Lockwood said. “I drove to Texas and back. We did 34 hours’ worth of driving this week and I was home one day and headed here. We just ate shit food. I lost three pounds on the drive back and forth, and my stomach’s been bothering me. I rode good, but it was just fighting through it.”

The physical lethargy did catch up with Lockwood some in the team challenge and he was downed by Sitting Bull in 4.65 seconds Saturday night.

Regardless, Lockwood’s battle through fatigue was worthwhile as even a less-than-100-percent Jess Lockwood was able to leave Bismarck with the Touring Pro Division event victory.

Lockwood’s 2-for-2 showing (178.5 points) was the best in the Bismarck TPD event among eight riders that each rode both of their bulls in the event preceding the $125,000 team challenge.

It is the second time that Lockwood has won Berger’s TPD event and his third win in four years overall.

Lockwood won the TPD event as a rookie in 2016 with a memorable 93-point ride on Siouxper Stinger, and last year he won Berger’s Match of Champions and $75,000 with a 92.5-point ride on Rising Sun.

“Yeah, shoot, I’ve had pretty good luck here,” Lockwood said. “I don’t know. It’s just the bulls we get on are unbelievably great, and the people that put on the event make it as prestigious as it is. You’re not going to fall off here. It’s almost impossible for a bull rider to fall off here, it’s so good.”

Bismarck was a TPD Major event, which means the event offered up Velocity Tour-level points.

Therefore, Lockwood picked up 225 points toward the world standings to move ahead of Chase Outlaw for the No. 3 position.

Lockwood did not realize how many points were available in Bismarck until he was told following his win.

“WHAT?!” Lockwood exclaimed. “Wait, hold on, how many points did I get for winning this? Why? How? Round wins? Are you shitting me? Man, I am pumped up right now! I thought it was 60 points to win this son of a gun. Oh my gosh.”

The TPD Major win helped Lockwood cut his deficit behind world leader Jose Vitor Leme to 389.16 points.

Lockwood has earned 970 points toward the world standings since returning to competition on May 3 in Uvalde, Texas.

Rounding out the Top 5 in Bismarck was 2016 World Champion Cooper Davis (2-for-2, 177.5 points, 127.5 world points), Derek Kolbaba (2-for-2, 177 points, 105 world points), Stetson Lawrence (2-for-2, 174.5 points, 20 world points) and Ryan Dirteater (2-for-2, 173.5 points, 15 world points).

Davis tied Lockwood for the Round 2 win Saturday night by riding Get Shorty for 89.5 points.

“I knew what to kind of expect,” Davis, who had been bucked off by Get Shorty in Sioux Falls, said. “Last time he kind of ducked his head around the corner and beat me around there. I wasn’t going to let that happen today.”

Lockwood is 14-for-23 (60.87%) at all levels of competition, including Berger’s team challenge, since that broken collarbone.

“I didn’t come back as strong as I wanted to, say at Albuquerque,” Lockwood said. “I didn’t make a point I was coming that strong there. But I think Green Bay was good, and I didn’t finish good there though. But the lower-level Touring Pros where you just get on good bulls, and I mean rank bulls, but I’ve been capitalizing there and I think it’ll help me to get back to form and ride the rank ones at the UTBs.”

Berger was in Deadwood last week for Lockwood’s victory and has known Lockwood since he was an up-and-coming high school state champion wrestler and bull rider in Montana.

The reigning Stock Contractor of the Year is highly impressed by what he is seeing.

“He’s hungry,” Berger said unknowingly of Lockwood’s nutritional struggles this week. “He goes in and enters Deadwood twice to try and round up some more points. He comes in here and gets (225) points. These guys like Joao (Ricardo Vieira) that went home and are relaxing and whatever they’re doing over there that are going for a world title, they’d better watch out for Jess.

“I’ll guarantee he’s not stopping. I’m sure he’s in Williston on Thursday, Sheridan Friday, Binford Saturday, just to try and grab 60 points. And that’s to win a world title. I don’t know if anybody wants it worse than him right now. Him and Chase (Outlaw).”

Sure enough, Lockwood is entered in those three upcoming TPD events this week.

Lockwood knows, though, that he cannot keep up his current pace if he doesn’t take care of his body, and that includes being more selective about what foods he consumes.

“I’ve got everything packed in my camper for the PBR season in the summer,” Lockwood concluded. “I got my NormaTecs, my Theragun. I’ve got Advil type of stuff to help with inflammation. I’ve got good workout equipment to do a little stretching on the road, working out. I just kind of let myself go, and you’ve got to stay on track. But it’s alright I guess.

“I need to get stronger. I need to put on about five pounds.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

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