SCORE BULLETINS

Kansas City Outlaws Shut Out Missouri Thunder In First Rivalry Game Between Missouri’s First-Ever Professional Bull Riding Teams

Kansas City Outlaws: 172.00

Missouri Thunder: 0.00

Photos (Courtesy Andre Silva): Click here to download.

B-Roll (Courtesy PBR): Click here to download.

As the second day of competition at the final preseason event of the year for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series, fans were treated to the first-ever showdown between the Kansas City Outlaws and Missouri Thunder in a battle for the Show Me State. In commanding fashion, the Kansas City Outlaws rode supreme, shutting out the Missouri Thunder 172-0. After both teams registered buckoffs in their opening outs, with neither Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) nor Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri) converting, the Kansas City Outlaws began to reclaim their winning form from the first preseason event of the year in Bismarck, North Dakota. Cole Melancon (Sour Lake, Texas), tasked with Jingle and Go (JQH Bucking Bulls – Skip & Elaine Jones), reached the requisite 8 for a crucial 85.5 points. With the next two sets of outs all ending short of the whistle, the Missouri Thunder were in a must-ride situation in their fifth and final out: Jesse Petri’s (Dublin, Texas) showdown with Contusion (Team Wyatt). While Petri proved key in the Missouri Thunder’s win the night prior, he was bested by Contusion in 5.49 seconds. With the win clinched, Marcus Mast (Middlebury, Indiana) punctuated the Outlaws’ golden effort with the high-marked ride of the game, important for the Outlaws’ bull pick in the Bonus Round. In perfect time with Big Kiwi (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers Bucking Bulls), Mast was scored 86.5 points as the crowd inside the Tryon International Equestrian Center erupted in raucous cheer. With the win, the Kansas City Outlaws improved to 1-1 in the Tryon Chute Out, while the Thunder slipped to 1-1.

Arizona Ridge Riders Defeat Oklahoma Freedom to Remain Perfect in North Carolina PBR Team Series Preseason Event

Arizona Ridge Riders: 255.50

Oklahoma Freedom: 86.00

Photos (Courtesy Andre Silva): Click here to download.

B-Roll (Courtesy PBR): Click here to download.

In one of the best efforts delivered by a team throughout the preseason for the inaugural PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series, the Arizona Ridge Riders outscored the Oklahoma Freedom by two ride scores to win their second consecutive game at the Tryon Chute Out, beating the Sooner State team 255.5-86. Alisson de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) again set the tone early for the Ridge Riders, besting White Squirrel (Obernagel/Sho-Me Rodeo) for 82 points in their first attempt of the game. The score gave the Ridge Riders an early lead after the Oklahoma Freedom’s Dawson Branton (Jefferson, Oregon) was upended by Mic Drop (UTC/Sellers Bucking Bulls) in 3.01 seconds. In the next set of outs for each team, Ross Freeman (Kountze, Texas) was unable to continue the momentum for the Ridge Riders, and while Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) came down short of the requisite 8 for the Freedom, he was awarded a re-ride. With Vastbinder slammed down hard on the dismount, Freedom Head Coach Cord McCoy elected to sub in Branton for the re-ride, which would be the last out of the evening. As the fierce game continued, both teams converted in their next outs. With Freedom rider Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) riding Light It Up (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Kinser/McCall) for 86 points and Ridge Riders contender Tyce Willis (Alvord, Texas) covering Uncle Gangster (Pick-It Hammers) for 87.25 points, the scoreboard read 169.25-86. The Ridge Riders held a slim 83.25-point lead as the game eclipsed the halfway mark. The fourth out for the Freedom and Ridge Riders both ended in buckoffs, and the tension was high as the fifth-slot riders readied for each roster. Following a heartbreaking 7.9-second buckoff by Trevor Kastner (Ardmore, Oklahoma) atop Keep’em Guessin (UTC/Sellers Bucking Bulls), Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) had the chance to clinch the victory for his team, despite the Freedom still awaiting their re-ride attempt. Matching Feeling Dangerous (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Kinser/McCall) jump-for-jump, Hevalow reached the 8 for a victory-sealing 86.25 points. With Branton bucking off the Freedom’s re-ride bull, the Arizona Ridge Riders sealed their second victory in Tryon, beating the Freedom 255.5-86. The Arizona Ridge Riders advanced to the Bonus Round with an unblemished 2-0 record, while the Freedom fell to 1-1 following their stunning upset of the home-state favorite Carolina Cowboys on Friday night.

“Tonight, Arizona, we got another win on the board, and the greatest thing to me was Tyce Willis getting through, making a great ride,” said Arizona Ridge Riders Technical Coach Paulo Crimber. “And Koltin Hevalow, he got the bull once before and bucked off towards the whistle, but today, he finished him strong. All of the team is working together, and Alisson is leading the way, and it seems to be working, which is amazing. We are looking forward to the real season.”

Austin Gamblers Earn Team’s First Victory with Win Against Home-State Rival Texas Rattlers

Austin Gamblers: 244.50

Texas Rattlers: 86.25

Photos (Courtesy Andre Silva): Click here to download.

B-Roll (Courtesy PBR): Click here to download.

In the third game of Saturday evening’s PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Preseason event in Tryon, North Carolina, the Austin Gamblers reached a crucial milestone, and did so in memorable fashion. Going head-to-head with fellow Lone Star State outfit Texas Rattlers, the Gamblers recorded the team’s first game win, defeating the Rattlers 244.5-86.25. The Gamblers jumped to an early lead as Conner Halverson (Gordon, Nebraska) covered Axel Surgeon (Halpain Bucking Bulls) for 86.25 points. The Rattlers were quick to respond in their second trip of the night when Rafael Jose de Brito (Potirendaba, Brazil) brought the game to a tie by posting his own 86.25-point effort atop Ink Spot (Mason Bucking Bulls). While Austin Richardson (Dallas, Cowboys) couldn’t give the Gamblers the lead back in their next out, Dakota Louis (Browning, Montana) delivered the contingent the go-ahead score in the next section of contenders. Following a buckoff for the Rattlers by Marco Juarez (Anthony, New Mexico), Louis covered Buckle Up (Mason Bucking Bulls) for 85 points to give the Gamblers a 171.25-86.25 lead. The game then reached a new level of intensity as Jake Morinec (Mokena, Illinois) and Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas) took to the chutes for their teams in the fourth frame. While both riders were awarded re-rides, Mitchell’s trip with Rock Solid’s Booger Sugar (Rock Solid Bucking Bulls/Dizzy) ended in a score, with the Gamblers awarded 73.25 points but earning a re-ride. In a business decision, Austin Gamblers Head Coach Michael Gaffney declined it, adding to his team’s lead as the scoreboard read 244.5-86.25. Needing to score, the fate of the Texas Rattlers was left in the hands of Travis Wimberley (Las Lunas, New Mexico). Unable to rise to the moment, Wimberley was bested by 7 Up (Team Alaska) in 3.05 seconds, cementing the victory for the Gamblers. The Gamblers improved to 1-1, while the Rattlers slipped to 1-1 following their first loss in North Carolina.   

“It feels fantastic to get on base in those three ways,” said Austin Gamblers Head Coach Michael Gaffney. “Those guys needed that punch of positivity and momentum, and just some feel-good points.”

Nashville Stampede Upset Home-State Favorite Carolina Cowboys with Shut-Out Win

Nashville Stampede: 84.25

Carolina Cowboys: 0.00

Photos (Courtesy Andre Silva): Click here to download.

B-Roll (Courtesy PBR): Click here to download.

In the final game of the evening, the North Carolina crowd got the showdown it awaited all evening as the local favorite Carolina Cowboys readied to take on the Nashville Stampede during the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Preseason event in Tryon. Eager to rebound from a shutout loss dealt to them Friday by the Oklahoma Freedom, the Cowboys, however, were unable to right the ship and were again blanked, this time by the Nashville Stampede. After Fernando Henrique Novais (Pereira Barreto, Brazil) and Nathan Hatchel (Hennessey, Oklahoma) bucked off for the Stampede and Cowboys, respectively, the second duo of cowboys readied to climb aboard their draws. Striking first, young gun Mason Moody (Letcher, South Dakota) was a force atop Bolo (Richardson Lane & Cattle Co.) for a crucial 84.25 points. Unable to answer, Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) failed to add points for the Cowboys, bucked off by Big Mac (Shuler Bucking Bulls) in 2.3 seconds. After both teams were shut out in the subsequent two sections, the game came down to Novais for the Stampede and Cody Casper (Newport, Washington) for the Cowboys. As Novais bucked off Eager Snake (Triple C/Barrett Bucking Stock) in 3.89 seconds, Casper had the opportunity to clinch the Cowboys’ first win in their home state in a walk-off. However, Casper was brought down in a heartbreaking 2.89 seconds by Not Yet (Team Alaska). As a result of the buckoff, the Nashville Stampede improved to 1-1 with the 84.25-0 win. The Carolina Cowboys, following two wins in Bismarck, North Dakota, last weekend to start the PBR Team Series preseason, concluded the league’s final preseason event winless, going 0-2 through game play at the Tryon International Equestrian Center.

“Well, the thing about this format, it doesn’t matter how you do it. Someone is going to win, and somebody is going to lose,” said Nashville Stampede Head Coach Justin McBride. “It was an ugly game, I would say, but we luckily got the win.”