The Morning Line – Oklahoma City Round 1 & 15/15 Bucking Battle
By: Slade Long
The opening round in Oklahoma City features an ABBI Classic competition with a good number of new bulls we haven’t seen at this level. There are some serious contenders in this group as well.
Boudreaux Campbell on 72 Hundred Bad Days:
Today is kind of like Christmas Day for Campbell. He has an outstanding draw here, and in the 15/15 round as well. Jose Vitor Leme rode this bull for 92.25 points just last week, and Leme was 91 on him in Fort Worth. Campbell really likes bulls that go hard into his hand, and he should get along great with this one.
Kaique Pacheco on 716 Outlaw:
Outlaw has been ridden three times in five career outs, but he hasn’t faced any right-handed riders. Regardless of which way he goes, Pacheco could have drawn a lot tougher in this round. He’s trying to hold on to the world standings lead, and he needs qualified rides for that. He has a good shot at getting one here.
Rafael Henrique Santos on 705E Manaba:
This bull is worth keeping an eye on. He was an ABBI Futurity Champion a couple of years ago. He’s always been a solid, consistent bucker. He’s 7-0 against riders, and he’s grown up to be strong. He consistently likes to go to the right, and sooner or later some right handed rider is going to take him down for a huge score. Santos has a chance to be that guy tonight.
Colten Fritzlan on 7 Bread Basket:
Silvano Alves rode Bread Basket for 86 points in Del Rio, Texas. Bread Basket likes to go to the right, and right-handed Fritzlan should get along with him. One buckoff in Round 2 cost Fritzlan last week, and he has a chance to get a good start in Oklahoma City.
Eli Vastbinder on 47E Ranch Water:
This is a solid new bull with only five outs on record. Mason Taylor rode Ranch Water for 89 points last month, and Ranch Water threw Cole Melancon off in Fort Worth in February. Ranch Water likes the right, and although Vastbinder was blanked last week in Sioux Falls, he has a chance here.
Brennon Eldred on 39E- Cherry Bomb:
Eldred has been out since late February with injuries he sustained in Fort Worth – courtesy of this bull. But, he’s a seasoned pro, and this bull is really a pretty good draw for him. He had a little bit of a freaky trip with Eldred in Fort Worth, which may not happen on Saturday night. In the short time he’s been around, Cherry Bomb is 1-2 against right-handed riders with Eldred being the one buckoff.
15/15 Round
Eduardo Aparecido on 55 Pookie Holler:
In his past four outs, Pookie Holler has buckoffs against Ezekiel Mitchell, Cody Teel and Sage Kimzey. He’s unridden in five UTB level outs and two at the National Finals Rodeo over the course of the past year. The bull should have the edge here.
Marco Eguchi on 524C Mezcal:
We last saw this bull in Fort Worth, where he was just a rank beast. He posted a 46-point out and one-jumped Marcus Mast. Mezcal, like his namesake, can pack a punch, and Eguchi may have to go through a pre-flight check before nodding his head.
Mauricio Gulla Moreira on 442 Blue Crush:
This bull can be a little like a balloon you let the air out of sometimes. Rafael Henrique dos Santos was 91.75 points on him in Louisville, but normally Blue Crush is really hard to ride. Prior to Louisville, Blue Crush had been unridden since August of 2019.
Boudreaux Campbell on 500 I’m Legit Too:
This is really the perfect draw for Campbell, who was 91.75 points on this bull last October in Lincoln, Nebraska. Campbell is ridiculously good on bulls that go wide open into his hand, and I’m Legit Too is going to do exactly that.
Colten Fritzlan on 60 Midnight Rock:
This could be a big score. Midnight Rock hasn’t given up a qualified ride since last August, but he likes to go to the right, and Fritzlan is certainly capable of getting the job done.
Junior Patrik Souza on 162 The Right Stuff:
The Right Stuff has bucked off 24 riders in a row on the premier series, and 25 overall, and he has only been ridden once in 36 career outs. Jess Lockwood rode him at the 2019 World Finals en route to a World Championship. The Right Stuff does not necessarily overpower riders, but he has a knack for getting guys on the ground, and is one of the hardest to ride bulls in the business.
Derek Kolbaba on 22 Night Hawk:
Night Hawk is 17- 0 in his career, and he’s an especially bad fit for left-handed riders. He threw Jose Vitor Leme off at the World Finals, Kolbaba had a great ride on a bull away from his hand last week, but this one will be tougher to get by.
Keyshawn Whitehorse on 124 Woopaa:
Woopaa has been ridden three times in his young career for an average score of 95.33 points. That’s an unheard of number, but it is also kind of bad news for Whitehorse. The reason Woopaa is able to produce gaudy scores is that he has it all. He gets in the air, has some kick, world class speed, and he’s all out to the left. He will be pretty tough for a right-handed rider to get by.
Silvano Alves on -540 CopperPoint Swagger:
Alves is 0-2 on this bull, and Copperpoint Swagger is 14-1 against right-handed riders overall. He usually goes to the left and can reverse the spin, but Alves didn’t make it very far on him in either of their previous matchups.
Rafael Henrique Santos on 262 Oilfield Outlaws Yellow Feather:
Yellow Feather has a lot of power, and he goes to the left. Joao Ricardo Vieira was 88.5 points on him in Fort Worth earlier this year, but he hasn’t allowed a right-handed rider to make the whistle yet, and he is a huge favorite in this matchup.
Cole Melancon on 612 Ridin’ Solo:
These two met in Okeechobee, FL earlier this fall, and Melancon was down in under one second. Ridin’ Solo is rideable, but he’s also a strong contender for the 2021 YETI World Champion Bull title this season. Look for this bull to have a lot of air, and a lot of action. He can go either way, but strongly prefers the left, which is away from Melancon’s hand.
Dener Barbosa on 38C Amato:
This is an up-and-coming bull who has earned his way into this round with only four outs on record. He was outstanding at Pensacola and Louisville. He likes the left, and he can be a slightly milder version of Woopaa. Barbosa is strong on bulls that go into his hand, and he has a chance at a big score here.
Joao Ricardo Vieira on 57 Diddy Wa Diddy:
Vieira bucked off this bull at the 2019 World Finals, but he should be the favorite here. Diddy Wa Diddy is a great draw for a left-handed rider. Derek Kolbaba rode him for 90.75 points in Okeechobee, Florida. Vieira is coming off a perfect 4-for-4 showing in Sioux Falls, capped by 93-point, short-round winning ride on I’m Legit Too. He should do well here and even the score with this bull.
Jose Vitor Leme on 39D Top Shelf:
Leme was 91.75 points on this bull in Kansas City to win THIRD in the championship round behind monster rides by Boudreaux Campbell on Woopaa and Cooper Davis on Chiseled. Top Shelf has won close to $300,000 in bull competitions since he was a calf in 2017. He’s a fully grown, world class bucking bull now, who has a strong record against the best riders going, but Leme kind of owned him in Kansas City.
Kaique Pacheco on 43C- Chiseled:
This is a big-time matchup. Chiseled is a right-handed riders’ best draw in this round. Pacheco leads the world standings over Cooper Davis right now, and Davis posted a huge 94-point ride on Chiseled just last month. Pacheco has not faced this bull before, but he has to be happy to have him here.
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