SweetPro’s Bruiser Erupts for his Highest bull Score in More Than Two Years with 46.5-Point Outing
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – Three-time World Champion SweetPro’s Bruiser has long been known to explode backwards with a tremendous amount of kick and brute power towards the end of a rider’s attempt to conquer him.
In many instances, the fireworks that Bruiser can produce often leads to spectacular 90-point rides, such as when Stormy Wing rode him at the 2017 Ty Murray Invitational for 95.25 points, or to ferocious wrecks in which a rider is sent crashing over Bruiser’s front end.
The legendary bull, though, has not flashed that brilliance in quite some time, especially since he sustained a life-threatening intestinal infection and fecal impaction last summer.
However, the Bruiser of old returned in a big way on Saturday night at the PBR TicketSmarter Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires. The 9-year-old thrashed Derek Kolbaba over his front end at the 7.19-second mark for a 46.5-point bull score during the championship round inside The Days of ’47 Arena.
The bull score is Bruiser’s best in the PBR in more than two years, and it his highest since being marked 47.5 points for bucking off Ryan Dirteater in 6.67 seconds in Glendale, Arizona, on March 23, 2018. Bruiser did buck off Stetson Wright in 6.61 seconds at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo this past February for a 47-point bull score.
“That is why that bull has taken home three world titles for the Pages,” two-time World Champion Justin McBride said for the CBS broadcast. “Great day from the veteran three-time World Champion, and that was a good day from Kolbaba, too. He was giving it everything he had. I thought he had the right idea going back in the other direction and not trying to clamp down. He was letting go of things, but what a spectacular day from Bruiser.”
Fans can watch the championship round in its entirety Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET on CBS national television.
It was a much different story this weekend compared to two years ago when Kolbaba won $50,000 at The Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo with an 89.5-point ride on Bruiser. Kolbaba also previously had ridden Bruiser for 93 points three years ago in Colorado Springs.
Saturday night was all Bruiser, though.
The superstar bovine athlete still has his work cut out for him if he wants to win a PBR-record fourth World Champion Bull title this season, but his performance this weekend will certainly raise a few eyebrows.
He is now averaging 44.75 points, which is sixth among active bulls with at least six outs. Bruiser is 5-1 on the premier series in 2020.
The 2020 YETI World Champion Bull will be the animal with the highest average bull score from their top eight regular-season outs and two outs at the PBR World Finals.
Bruiser’s D&H Cattle Company travel mate Chiseled took over sole possession of the No. 1 ranking in the 2020 YETI World Championship with his own 46.5-point bull score. Jose Vitor Leme rode Chiseled for a season-high 94 points and his fifth event win in 2020.
“A great bull and a great bull rider,” McBride said. “He got close there with the free hand, but this is awesome. This is where you have to be, up there to ride one of these rank bulls. That is a great day from Chiseled, when you see a 46.5-point bull score and a 47.5 rider score.”
Leme’s ride also went away from his hand, which used to be his kryptonite as lead CBS play-by-play host Craig Hummer noted.
“It is not a thing anymore,” McBride added. “Jose can ride bulls that go away from his hand. He got really close with his free arm several times in that ride.”
Meanwhile, No. 2 Smooth Operator extended his buckoff streak to 18 in a row by dismantling Ezekiel Mitchell in 3.7 seconds, but the defending World Champion was only marked 44.25 points.
“For Smooth Operator, that is a win right there,” McBride said. “He got his guy off. He is not concerned as much as Chad Berger with as much about what that score is.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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