October 26, 2018
It was a different kind of night at the PBR in Nampa, Idaho last Saturday (October 21, 2018). The last event of the 2018 PBR season, the only contender for the PBR Bucking Bull of the Year who showed up to play on Saturday was Spotted Demon. The Page bulls were missing and a good share of the bulls in the Saturday night long round were unaccustomed to the bright lights of the big arena.
On the other hand, except for the guys needing to heal up for The Finals, the Unleash the Beast Tour riders had showed up motivated and with big scores on their minds. It was one of the last chances for the riders outside the magic number of 35 to make their move. And it was an opportunity for the top riders to jockey for position in their quest for the coveted title of PBR World Champion.
At first glance, it seemed that it was going to be a rather lackluster night at the PBR where Flint was going to have to dig deep to rouse the nearly sold out crowd to excitement.
Strangely, the reduction in bull power and the intensified motivation of the Unleash the Beast Tour riders molded together to make one very fun night of PBR bull riding. It proved my theory that fans of bull riding love 8 second rides and riders love making the 8 second whistle even more.
As expected, Julio Moreno’s bulls brought it. Spotted Demon delivered with a bull score of 44.75 and Squirrel was scored over 43 points. Cody Teel and Mortimer both had good nights to combine for a 3rd place ride score of 87.5. Perfect for those fans who go to the PBR to see raw bull power and athleticism.
But the majority of the bulls drawn for Saturday night’s long round were average at best with a number of subpar performances that led to 8 re-rides. That meant that the fans got to see 8 rides leading to the possibility for 8 more.
Not a bad scenario when you look at the big picture. Rides bring celebrations by happy riders and a burst of energy from the fans. The bulls unseasoned to the hoopla of the PBR were overwhelmed and took a few rounds of the arena before they made the gate. This particular night, fans thoroughly enjoyed the show.
Rides are exciting and bucking bulls are regal creatures. Sometimes it’s not the “spectacular” that moves the crowd to have a good time. The joy of a rider celebrating the success of making the full 8 seconds on the back of a massively powerful beast is contagious. It brings on a cheer fest and elevates the excitement level each and every time. Let’s face it. Watching J.B. Mauney’s celebration after a successful ride, even for a score of 82. 25, makes for a much better time than watching him storm off, head down in defeat. That hang dog exit of a fallen rider can put a damper on even the most avid fan’s enthusiasm.
The Nampa, Idaho crowd got to celebrate with 17 riders who made the 8 seconds. And, as with the ride of Cody Teel, not all the rides were mediocre. Cody Jesus rode his drawn bull Homegrown for a score of 88, the second highest score of the night. And the re-ride bulls were the PBR mainstays that provided riders a chance to score in the mid to high 80’s. Chase Outlaw rode both his drawn bull and re-ride to put him temporarily into the 35th spot for the PBR Finals, which added to the high spirits of the night.
With a lot to celebrate and an extra number of rides, the Saturday performance at Nampa, Idaho was one of the most fun nights of bull riding I’ve experienced. And I know there was a nearly packed house that felt the same way.
by Terry Lidral
for Bucking Stock Talk Magazine
Author: Terry Lidral
Terry Lidral is a western writer/journalist who lives in Idaho. She is the publisher and editor of the online magazine Bucking Stock Talk and the online magazine Western Living Journal. Her publishing credits include Storyteller for Real American Cowboy Magazine, writing feature articles for Humps N Horns Magazine as well as a wide variety of national and international web sites, historical magazines and news publications. She is known for her "up close and personal" profiles of celebrities and industry moguls such as NPR's Tom Bodett; PBR's Wiley Petersen and D.H. Page, PRCA's Sammy Andrews, Cindy Rosser and Julio Moreno to name a few. She has been applauded for her way of making a personal connection between her readers and her subjects. She indulges in her love of rodeo by serving as an associate board member for the Caldwell Night Rodeo. She is also an accomplished trainer and handler in dog agility. Her shelties Amelie and Milo are titled in NADAC, USDAA and AKC.
