Triplett Gets Ready for New York With TPD Win in Kearney
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – A little time off did not slow down the red-hot Matt Triplett.
Fresh off a 5-for-6 showing at the 2019 PBR World Finals, Triplett went 2-for-2 to win the Midway Auto Dealerships PBR Challenge Touring Pro Division event in his 2020 season debut.
Triplett won Round 1 with an 89-point ride on Red Solo Cup before earning the victory with 87.5 points on Uncle Gangster.
Triplett picked up 15 points toward the world standings in the first TPD event under the new points system.
“Man, I just need to keep working hard and not take my foot off the gas pedal,” Triplett said.
The 28-year-old beat out a slew of PBR veterans for the victory at LandMark Implement Arena as six riders went a perfect 2-for-2.
2018 World Finals event winner Marco Eguchi finished second for eight world points after riding Reckless Tested (87.5 points) and Little Bob (85 points).
Dener Barbosa, who is trying to work his way back onto the Unleash The Beast after 2017 shoulder surgery cost him half of the 2018 season, won the championship round with 88 points on Oz to finish third overall (seven world points). Barbosa began the night with an 84-point ride on Hot Habanero.
Rounding out the Top 5 was 2017 Team USA Eagles rider Cole Melancon (2-for-2, 171.5 points, 4 world points) and Colten Jesse (2-for-2, 170 points, 3 world points).
The three points will help Jesse as he too tries to return to the Unleash The Beast full-time in 2020 after undergoing reconstructive shoulder surgery in the spring. Jesse begins the season with five injury exemptions.
Meanwhile, 2019 World Champion runner-up Jose Vitor Leme’s 2020 season began with a quick 1.52-second buckoff against Terror Struck.
Triplett is coming off his best season in five years. The Columbia Falls, Montana, bull rider finished seventh in the world standings after going 25-for-64 (39.06%) with five Top-5 finishes and six Top-10s.
The six-time PBR World Finals qualifier had not finished inside the Top 10 of the world standings since a career-high fifth-place finish in 2015.
Triplett will next compete when the 2020 Unleash The Beast begins with the Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden, presented by Ariat, on Jan. 3-5 in New York City. He is also one of 15 riders that will be riding in the 15/15 Bucking Battle on Jan. 3, which airs Jan. 4 on CBS national television at noon ET.
Professional Bull Riders – Midway Auto Dealerships PBR Challenge
Kearney, NE, 2020 Season
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Matt Triplett, 89-87.5-176.50-15 Points.
2. Marco Eguchi, 87.5-85-172.50-8 Points.
3. Dener Barbosa, 84-88-172.00-7 Points.
4. Cole Melancon, 85-86.5-171.50-4 Points.
5. Colten Jesse, 84.5-85.5-170.00-3 Points.
6. Claudio Montanha Jr., 85.5-84-169.50-2 Points.
7. River Stephenson, 87.5-0-87.50-1 Points.
8. Brady Sims, 86-0-86.00
(tie). Weston Hartman, 86-0-86.00
10. Ezekiel Mitchell, 85.5-0-85.50
(tie). Eli Vastbinder, 85.5-0-85.50
12. Lucas Divino, 84-0-84.00
13. TY Wainwright, 83.5-0-83.50
14. Gage Gay, 83-0-83.00
(tie). Jesse Petri, 83-0-83.00
Kache Moosman, 0-0-0.00
Jose Vitor Leme, 0-0-0.00
Scottie Knapp, 0-0-0.00
Marcus Mast, 0-0-0.00
Ouncie Mitchell, 0-0-0.00
Austin Richardson, 0-0-0.00
Jake Lockwood, 0-0-0.00
Dustin Ratchford, 0-0-0.00
Ueberson Duarte, 0-0-0.00
Travis Briscoe, 0-0-0.00
Flavio de Souza Viana, 0-0-0.00
Dalton Rudman, 0-0-0.00
Brady Oleson, 0-0-0.00
Kyle Jones, 0-0-0.00
Dylan Madsen, 0-0-0.00
Chase Hamlin, 0-0-0.00
Ricky Aguiar, 0-0-0.00
Max Castro, 0-0-0.00
Bradley Brittain, 0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson, 0-0-0.00
Clint Connelly, 0-0-0.00
Austin Allred, 0-0-0.00
Brian Shuey, 0-0-0.00
Mason Ward, 0-0-0.00
Nathan Hatchel, 0-0-0.00
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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