Toves Takes Top Spot at Denver Chute-Out
By Susan Kanode
Taylor Toves of Stephenville, Texas, celebrated after winning the Professional Bull Riders Denver Chute-Out at the National Western Stock Show on Wednesday. Toves earned over $20,000 for the win. NWSS photo by Ric Andersen.
DENVER, Colo. – It didn’t happen the way that he would have liked for it to, but Taylor Toves won the championship at the Professional Bull Riders Denver Chute-Out on Wednesday night.
Toves finished third in the first round of competition with an 88. That gave him an opportunity to ride in the Denver Coliseum again on Wednesday during the third night of bull riding at the National Western Stock Show. Thirty riders from the first round advanced to a second round where Toves got to ride Jack Hammer from Cervi Championship Rodeo.
That matchup was electric and they took the top spot with an 89.5-point ride. It also put him first place overall with a total of 177.5 points on two head and made him the number one of 15 men to advance to the finals. The bull power in that round was overwhelming as none of the cowboys lasted the required eight seconds.
Toves watched as 14 guys made attempts and 14 guys got bucked off. He was the last man to attempt to ride a bull. Shortly after coming out of the bucking chute, the bull that Toves had gotten on stumbled. By virtue of that, Toves had the option of getting on another bull. Knowing that the final round prize money and Velocity Tour points were at stake, Toves elected to get on a third bull on Wednesday.
There was an audible sigh from the near capacity crowd when Toves hit the ground early. He still won the championship by virtue of his previous two rides. The owners of the bulls all got a bonus as they split the prize money that was allocated for the final round.
The win came with a buckle from the PBR and another one from the National Western Stock Show. Toves also added $22,125 to his checking account and 40 very important tour points. Those points moved him into Unleash The Beast tour.
Finishing second was Boudreaux Campbell of Crockett, Texas. Campell had a total of 176 points and won $16,523. Marcus Mast from Middlebury, Indiana was third with 173 and earned $8,820. Over the three nights of competition here nearly $70,000 was paid to successful competitors.
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) action kicks off at the National Western Stock Show on Thursday. The Pink Pro Rodeo gets underway at 7 p.m. in the Denver Coliseum.
The following are first round winners from the PBR Denver Chute-Out at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo.
Second Round: 1, Taylor Toves, Stephenville, Texas, 89.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Jack Hammer, $3,041. 2, (tie) Boudreaux Campbell, Crockett, Texas, and Marcus Mast, Middlebury, Ind., 87.5 points and $1,901 each. 4, Andrew Alvidrez, Seminole, Texas, 86, $760. (total on two with total money) 1, Toves, $22,125. 2, Campbell, $16,423. 3, Mast, 173, $8,820. 4, Alvidrez, 170, $5,550. 5, Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 167.5, $3,726.