Sellars Earns Missouri Thunder Strong Lead, Win Over Arizona Ridge Riders in Game 4 of the PBR Team Series Preseason Event
By: Rachel Tighe
BISMARCK, N.D. – History was made tonight in Bismarck, ND, when bull riders joined teams to compete in five-on-five bull riding games in four preseason matchups in the PBR Team Series – a new league of eight bull riding teams from across the country competing for a national championship.
The preseason for the inaugural PBR Team Series season got underway at Bismarck Event Center, with high-scoring rides in each game this evening.
The league’s two preseason exhibition events in June do not affect the PBR Team Series championship race and standings – a 10-event regular season that begins July 25 with neutral site games in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and culminates in the championship tournament in November. Night two of Dakota Community Bank & Trust PBR Bull Riding Challenge continues Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET, available to fans LIVE on Pluto TV (channel 720).
Missouri Thunder: 261 points
Arizona Ridge Riders: 83.75 points
Day 1 of the Dakota Community Bank & Trust PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Bull Riding Challenge ended with a powerful performance from the Missouri Thunder in crushing the Arizona Ridge Riders, 261 to 83.75. The Thunder began Game 4 with a near-perfect 89-point ride by Clayton Sellars (Fruitland Park, Florida) aboard Melanie’s Dream (Diamond Willow/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger), and the team never looked back. Arizona Ridge Riders’ Chase Dougherty (Decatur, Texas) was able to notch an 83.75-point ride aboard third-time bovine matchup Yadi (Denis & Jan Owens/Joe Cefalu/Chad Berger), but the Thunder recorded two more qualified rides and ran away with the game. Leandro Machado (Esperança, Brazil) went for 85.5 points on Black Snake (Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger), and Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) scored 86.5 points against bovine opponent Stretch (Heald Pro Bulls/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger,) propelling the Thunder to a high scoring 261-83.75 victory.
“It feels fantastic to win the first night here at the inaugural Teams season,” said Missouri Thunder Coach Luke Snyder after the final game of the first PBR Team Series preseason event. “It’s a great confidence boost for our guys going into the rest of this year.”
“To get a victory is awesome but what means the most to us is just showing up and doing our jobs, each one of us,” added Clayton Sellars. “As a team, we’re thrilled right now. Everyone’s riding their best and trying their best.”
© 2022 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.