Whitehorse Latest to Step Up Alongside Leme for Team Cooper Tires
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – While it is no secret by now that Team Cooper Tires (5-0) is barreling down the Division A highway full steam ahead courtesy of Team Captain Jose Vitor Leme, Cooper Tires’ victory over Team Wrangler on Saturday night was another reminder that its depth is capable of stepping up when necessary.
Alternate Keyshawn Whitehorse has only competed in two of Team Cooper Tires’ first five games, but the 22-year-old has made noteworthy contributions in both of his appearances in a similar regard to primary starters six-time PRCA champion Sage Kimzey and seven-time PBR World Finals qualifier Stetson Lawrence.
Whitehorse was the only rider from either Cooper Tires or Team Wrangler (1-4) to record a score in Round 1 Saturday night, and his 84.5-point ride on Squeeze Box was pivotal in Cooper Tires’ 173-170.25 victory.
Brennon Eldred (81.5 points on Livin Lucky) had pulled Team Wrangler to within 3.25 points of the lead. However, Leme then rose to the occasion once again when he bounced back from a 1.79-second buckoff vs. Armed & Dangerous in Round 1 to ride Red Rocker for 88.5 points on Cooper Tires’ final ride of the game.
Leme and Whitehorse were able to create enough separation together that Roscoe Jarboe was unable to earn enough points (91.75 points) when he rode his re-ride option, Sitting Bull, for 88.75 points on Wrangler’s final attempt.
The victory all but clinches Cooper Tires the Division A title and an automatic bye into the semifinal round of the Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol, Championship Weekend in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Cooper Tires just needs either one qualified ride on Sunday against No. 2 Team Las Vegas (4-1), or one buckoff from Team Las Vegas to clinch the Division A title.
Fans can watch Cooper Tires and Las Vegas battle it out live on CBS Sports Network and RidePass Sunday at 11:45 a.m. ET.
“The biggest thing is we all believe in each other,” Whitehorse said. “It is not one of us that doubts each other. All of us believe in each other and give that confidence off to each other. Obviously, with Jose and Sage put together, we have a bunch of potential there. We have a bunch of ability and talent.
“I am just glad to be helping the team, and I look forward to helping the team more. I expect to ride at this level with these guys and be able to ride with them. Having us all on the same team helps us click. We all have the same mentality to go out there and win. None of us want to be here just for fun. We are here to have fun, but we are here to win first and foremost.”
Leme continues to put Team Cooper Tires on his back, and he leads the METC with eight qualified rides in 10 attempts.
“I am very happy to be able to help my team with my rides,” Leme said. “That certainly gives me a lot of confidence and pleasure in riding. I am happy with everyone being healthy and working to make it happen.”
It truly has been a team effort for Team Cooper Tires, especially when you take out the red-hot Leme from the equation.
One night it is Whitehorse (2-for-4) stepping up to assist Leme, and the next night it can been either Kimzey (3-for-9) or Lawrence (2-for-7).
Whitehorse clinched the victory for Cooper Tires last week vs. Team YETI with his 70-point ride on Wasted Nights.
Team Cooper Tires is not invincible, though, despite its unblemished record.
Since opening Division A play with four qualified rides in its first two victories, Cooper Tires has slowed down recently and posted only two qualified rides in two of its last three games.
Leme refuses to settle for mediocrity, and Whitehorse said he has certainly been motivated to step up and raise his game knowing he is on the world No. 1 bull rider’s squad.
“When you are around some of the best guys in the world, they don’t have to say anything to make you ride better,” Whitehorse said. “You just look at them and you kind of learn from them, just from watching. I have always been that person to observe and see that. Being around them makes you want to step up more.
“The thing is, Jose expects you to step up, and we are all going to step up together.”
General Manager Cody Lambert has given Lawrence an off day in between Division A games, and Whitehorse said that it has not bothered him one bit.
Whitehorse is willing to fill any role asked, and he is going to stay prepared with Lawrence back in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game.
“Stetson and I both don’t care,” Whitehorse said. “We both understand. We are going to do what it takes. We really do play together as a team, and that really makes it fun.”
If Cooper Tires gets the top Division A seed, it would then face the winner of the Team Las Vegas vs. Team Can-Am/Team Union Home Mortgage quarterfinal playoff game at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls on July 11.
“We are super excited, especially with it being the first fan-based event back,” Whitehorse said. “Heck, that is going to be a great time. It is definitely going to be one to remember, and it already has been one to remember, for sure. To go there, and to ride really good with the guys we have around us, and we have become even better friends.
“We look forward to capping everything off, but we are just going to let our riding do the talking at the end of the day and keep going at it each bull one at a time.”
Professional Bull Riders – Team Challenge – Game 13
Las Vegas, NV, 2020
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Roscoe Jarboe, 0-88.75-88.75
2. Jose Vitor Leme, 0-88.5-88.50
3. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 84.5-0-84.50
4. Brennon Eldred, 0-81.5-81.50
Colten Jesse, 0-0-0.00
Stetson Lawrence, 0-0-0.00
Leandro Machado, 0-0-0.00
Sage Kimzey, 0-0-0.00
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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