Round 4 and 5 World Finals

JB Mauney

Round 4 started off with victory for the bulls. The first 8 riders did not make the 8 second buzzer for a score. A cowboy from Columbia Falls, Montana by the name of Matt Triplett ranked 34th in the world got on Torres Brothers bucking bull Hot and Juicy for the first ride of the night scoring an 88.25. Goulburn, Australias’ own Ben Jones got his first qualified ride in Las Vegas on a bull called Earl owned by Hebert Bucking Bulls and Georgia Akers for an 88.50. Cody Nance from Paris, Tenn. was the next cowboy to connect with his bull Class 6 Kat for a 82.25 which brought him to a 257.75 pulling him into second for the event. Eduardo Aprecido from Brazil rode Bad to the Bone for an 87.75. JB Mauney was able to ride Breakdown for a 90.75 to bring his event total to 362.25 which not only put him at the top of the leader board but also put him back in the #1 spot in the world over Silvano Alves. Alves did not get a score in round for getting bucked off True Blood; which then enabled Mauney to expand his lead by over 400 points in round 5 over Alves. Although only seven out of thirty-five cowboys were able to pick up scores the world title was in the air for anyone to take.

As round 5 emerged all eyes were on the #1 ranked bull rider in the world JB Mauney and #2 ranked rider Silvano Alves, it was a race between the two. Alves was just over 400 points behind Mauney coming into roud 5. There’s still a lot of cowboys and bulls looking for an event win on the cowboys side and world champion bull to be crowned. Ryan Dirteater of Hulbert, OK was the first cowboy out of the shoot and collided with Nitro Carrilo Cartel for an 89; this bull was retired after several trips to the world finals and went out with a bang. Silvano Alves rode  Cowtown Slinger for an 88.25. Chase Outlaw got his first ride at finals in round 5 aboard Jack Daniels Winter Jack for an 86. Cody Nance was able to get another score in round 5 New Holland Powerstar for an 87.25 which gave him the number 3 seat in the championship round. Crowd Favorite JB Mauney was the final rider of the round and got a bull they call Ford Hammer Down and rode him for a 91, Mauney was the only cowboy to ride 5 out of 5 bulls going into the championship round. Mauney sitting in the #1 position a full bull ahead of all the competition.

All these cowboys you’ve been reading about all week are protected by a very special group of guys while riding bulls in the arena. The worlds best bull fighters risk themselves to protect these riders. Shorty Gorham, Frank Newsom, Jessy Byrne, Lyndall Runyon, and Flint Rasmussen. Flint is not only a bull fighter but a world renown rodeo clown/entertainer who has been with the PBR for ten years now.

Pictured below is Shorty and Jesse protecting a rider from the bull after he’s been bucked off and Flint making a typical face for him as he entertains the audience even more.