DALLAS -- The Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series stop in Dallas over the weekend featured three former World Champions who were in the money, the 100th ride of the season in the 90s, and an instant replay review that played a big role in determining the winner.
Here are eight standout features of the Dickies American Worker of the Year Invitational, the 22nd of 33 scheduled stops on the Ford Series.
1. The return of Justin McBride. The defending World Champion competed in his first Ford Series show after being sidelined for the past seven months. McBride underwent surgery on November 28 following the 2007 PBR World Finals in Las Vegas. The surgery repaired extensive ligament damage and a rotator cuff tear on McBride's left shoulder.
But McBride, an Elk City, Okla., cowboy, stayed on his first and second-round bulls and earned $2,874 after finishing seventh overall, and fans applauded his return.
Recently, McBride served as a color commentator for the PBR's telecasts on Versus. Three weeks ago, he helped produce a PBR Challenger Tour stop in his hometown of Elk City.
2. The return of Chris Shivers. The two-time World Champion finished third in the average after winning the second round with a 90 and then posting an 89.5 in the final. It was a moral victory for Shivers, who returned to competition after being sidelined for two months. Shivers sustained a broken left cheekbone and eye socket when a bull slammed him into the slide gate inside the bucking chute as he was mounting the bull in Rosemont, Ill.
Shivers earned $13,050 in Dallas, which pushed his season earnings to $100,223. He also ranks ninth in the BFTS with 4,744 points.
3. Mike Lee's second BFTS victory of the season. During the final round, Lee quickly departed from the notorious bull Hot Pistol. But a judge awarded Lee a re-ride because Hot Pistol bumped his rear into the chute as the animal exploded into the arena.
Minutes later, Lee turned in a score of 89.75 on Mr. Zantrex and then pocketed $28,100 after winning the title.
Lee, 25, the 2004 World Champion, finished as the only rider among the 45-man field who stayed on all three bulls. Lee also won the season opener in late December in Atlanta and has season earnings of $103,965. Lee ranks sixth in the BFTS world title race with 5,306.25.
The North Texas show was a homecoming for Lee. He lives in Decatur, which is about 75 miles northwest of Dallas.
4. Another big instant replay challenge. Veteran Mike White of De Kalb, Texas, probably was denied the title as the result of bucking off at 7.3 seconds from the bull Camo in the final round. White, who entered the championship round with the lead, challenged the judges' ruling by asking the officials to review the ride on the instant replay system. After losing the challenge, White must pay $500.
It's the second consecutive show that has ended with the last rider challenging the judges' call. In Orlando, Fla., on June 7, winner Sean Willingham was initially clocked at 7.6 seconds for touching his bull as he hung on the side during the last part of the ride. But after the review, judges ruled that he stayed on for at least 8 seconds.
5. A so-so weekend for Marchi. World title race leader Guilherme Marchi entered the Dallas show with high hopes of rebounding from getting bucked off of both bulls at the BFTS show in Orlando. He performed somewhat better in Dallas, but obviously not as well as he would have liked. Marchi advanced to the short go on a one-ride score, but he was thrown off.
Despite staying on only one of his past five bulls on the Ford Series, Marchi still has amazingly has conquered 76.19 percent of the bulls that he has faced this season (48 of 63). And he still has a commanding lead in the world title race over second-ranked Valdiron de Oliveira, 9,390.3 to 6,596.3. Marchi's season earnings are $209,254.
6. The 100th 90. Australian Brendon Clark finished second in the average after turning in a final round score of 92 (the highest score of the weekend) atop Gnash, owned by the Rafter 7R Bucking Bulls. Clark's 92 was the 100th score in the elite 90s that has been recorded on the 2008 BFTS. Last year, the tally was 73 throughout the regular season and the World Finals. The record is 179 in 2001.
7. Hart at the helm. In addition to working in the booth to help with the PBR's Versus broadcast, J.W. Hart also was busy forming the team for the 2008 PBR World Cup. Hart, the 2002 PBR World Finals average winner, is the U.S. team captain and he announced his final selections in Dallas.
The U.S. team will consists of 2005 and 2007 World Champion Justin McBride, 2005 PBR Rookie of the Year Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.), 2006 PBR Rookie of the Year J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, N.C.), 2006 PBR World Finals champion L.J. Jenkins (Texico, N.M.), and Sean Willingham (Summerville, Ga.).
The World Cup, which is scheduled for August 16-17 in Chihuahua, Mexico, will feature 25 bull riders (five bull riders from each of five countries) The countries are the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Brazil.
8. Joe Wimberly in the house. In the late 1980s, the main priority for world-class bull riders was to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo each season, and Wimberly was one cowboy who could pull it off. He held his own against a field of very tough bull riders, including Ty Murray, Jim Sharp, Cody Lambert, Clint Branger and Lane Frost.
Today, Wimberly is proudly watching his son, McKennon, compete on the BFTS, and he also owns bucking bulls. At the Dallas tour stop, Wimberly's bull, Ali, bucked of Sean Willingham in the Zantrex-3 Insta-Shot Grudge Match.
With all that in mind, here are some questions for you, the fan:
1. What was your impression of Justin McBride's comeback and how do you think he'll fare throughout the rest of the season?
2. How about Chris Shivers' comeback? How do you think the rest of the season will go for him?
3. What do you think about Mike Lee's performances this year?
4. Guilherme Marchi has cooled off a little during the last two events after an amazing start this season. Do you think he'll get really hot again?
5. What about J.W. Hart's picks for the World Cup? Do you think he selected riders who will bring the coveted title home?
2. I was so excited to see Chris Shivers back. And I can't tell you how much I LOVE seeing him ride. That guy is tough, and his style of riding, is just exciting to watch.
4. I'm not worried about Guilherme Marchi. He'll get his groove back. He's so incredibly strong and has so much talent. And while I've never been a huge brazilian fan, I am rooting for GM to win in Vegas this year. I can honestly say he deserves it. I told him so in Nampa, and said I'd be there rooting for him in Vegas. And I WILL!
5. How can you question J.W.? The guy knows bullriding and he knows those riders. And I believe he's going to the World Cup to win. By the way has anyone herd who the alternates are?
As always thanks for the great blogs!!!
I was thrilled with Chris Shivers' comeback and feel that the PBR does not give Chris enough air time broadcaster talk as they do Justin.After all Chris was a two time World Champ first and he has come back from many injuries.Seems they have shoved him aside in favor of "everything Justin" Watch out for Chris./He's one who can come from behind and upset Marchi's applecart.
Mike has been like many of the former World Champions.He has his off days and on days.I think Mike now also can be a threat. He's back in form and if he stays healthy dohn't count him out.he's very talented as a rider.Thrilled he got the win.
Marchi is in a mini-slump.It happened before. I expect by July he will be back in form.
I probably would have made a few other choices .Does JW have any alternates? Who would be the alternates and when will we find out who will be on the other teams?I expect the brazilians to dominate the event.
2: Chris did great and I couldn't be happier for him. He deserves it. He is such a great guy. I was really wanting him or Mike White to win and they both did great. It's hard to say how he will do the rest of the year though. If he doesn't think too much he will be hard to beat.
3: Mike Lee is the least talked about of all the guys on tour. He is one of the best riders, but they never seem to talk much about him. He has ridden great all year and I look for him to keep doing that.
4: Guilherme definitely hasn't been riding up to his standard lately. He should have never bucked off the bulls he did. I think (and this is just my opinion) he will fall apart at the finals and give Kody and the others a chance at the title. I don't know if they will be able to catch him though. He may turn things around and ride better than ever too.
5: I think J.W. knows better than anybody who to take and I'm not questioning that at all. I personally would have taken Mike Lee and Luke Snyder over L.J. and Sean. Maybe even Mike White. I wanted him to win SO bad and when he bucked off both times I was SO disappionted. I don't think he's the one that pushed the button for the re-play challenge though. It was Chris. He was sitting right there and Mike was no where near the button. Good for Chris though. It is too bad that it was a no-score. He wanted to win one so bad and it's been eating him up all year to win one.
The alternates are Luke Snyder and Mike Lee. Luke is the number one alternate and Mike the number two. Hope that helps!!
2. I was really excited to see Chris back. He's had an up and down kind of a season, but he had a great weekend and if he keeps riding like that he's hard to beat.
3. Mike Lee is usually one of the most consistent riders on tour and he tends to kind of sneak up in the standings and the commentators don't take much notice. It was good to see him win an event,although I was cheering for Mike White to win it. He's been wanting a win so bad all year and he cam so close in Dallas. I also was wondering who pushed the replay button for Mike's last ride because it didn't look like Mike did. That's really great of Chris if he was the one who pushed it.
4. Guilherme Marchi hasn't ridden as well the past two events as he has the rest of the season. He's ridden with unbelievable consistency and that is the only reason that bucking off a few bulls seems so strange. I think he'll get things back together and finish out the season well. He'll just have to stay focused at the finals.
5. I think that JW Hart's choices for the World Cup are really good. He pikcked really consistent riders. I might have chosen to put Mike Lee in instead of Justin, though, just because Justin has been out for so long and there is no guarentee that he will pick up where he left off. JW did say though, that he will bump Justin if he doesn't ride well in his first events back.