Roughy Cup Lights the Fuse
Prestigious event sets up 10 days of BFO in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS – Much has changed over the years since the Bullfighters Only’s inaugural Roughy Cup in 2015.
It was, in essence, the first freestyle bullfighting competition in Las Vegas since the Wrangler Bullfight Tour concluded nearly two decades before.
“That’s what created the BFO, what brought us into the mainstream,” said Weston Rutkoswki, the reigning three-time BFO world champion from Haskell, Texas. “It will always hold a special place in my heart.”
No athlete is more prepared for the fifth year of the Roughy Cup than Rutkowski. Set for 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4 at Tropicana Las Vegas, it will feature the top 12 bullfighters in the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings all battling for one last bump before the Las Vegas Championship officially commences.
It’s also an opportunity for the athletes to test out the dirt in BFO’s specially developed arena which is housed giant tent on the northeast corner of the Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Blvd.
“One of the best feelings about competing in the Roughy Cup is that you’re among the top 12 in the world,” Haskell said. “That’s the goal at the end of the year, because it gives you a chance to compete for that world title.”
He knows a thing or two (actually three) about the BFO’s top prize. The Las Vegas Championship is a 10-day event that features not only the top men in the regular season standings, but it also offers opportunities for 24 up-and-and comers who hope to make a name for themselves in freestyle bullfighting.
After opening the championship event with the Roughy Cup, the two dozen qualifiers will battle through three days of head-to-head competition with the winners advancing to the Las Vegas Championship quarterfinals.There they will be matched with the top athletes in head-to-head bouts.
All roads eventually lead to the Hooey Championship Round on the final Saturday, Dec. 10th, where the champion will be crowned.
“The Roughy Cup is just the big event to kick off the championship,” said Beau Schueth, the defending Roughy Cup Champion from O’Neill, Nebraska. “Winning it means a lot, because it’s just the top guys going that will be part of it. If you can pull off a win, that really sets up your week and gives you a jump on trying to catch the guys in front of you on the standings.”
That’s exactly what Scheuth did a year ago. After winning on the opening day of Sin City events, he parlayed a spectacular run through the rest of the year to finish second in the world standings. The Roughy Cup was just the first of several rugged tests he faced in the Nevada desert.
“The Roughy Cup is a tough deal because of who’s competing,” he said. “You’re coming off three weeks of not going anywhere, you’ve had time off, and there’s a chance you could be rusty. You’re also going up against the best bulls in BFO. Everybody else is hungry.
“Everybody’s laying it out on the line. It’s a lethal combination, because everybody knows how important it is.”
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