Just 24 hours ago the top 35 bull riders in the world invaded the Chesapeake Energy Arena for the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series stop in Oklahoma City as the Express Employment Professionals Invitational began. Last night there were only nine riders that were able to make the much elusive eight-second buzzer to earn a qualified ride. Coming into round two here tonight the bovine power will not give these cowboys any kind of break as championship Sunday was set to begin.
Heading into round two here this afternoon the nine rides that were accomplished last night will probably be tough to match here this afternoon when the bucking bulls that are set to be underneath the bull riders are some of the toughest and strongest that these 35 guys have seen throughout the short 2017 Built Ford Tough Series season so far. That being said, it will be interesting to see how things shake out and who will advance to the championship round as eleven alternates are scratching to get within the top 35 to stay on the elite bull riding tour!
Nevada Newman Takes Home The Round Two Win In OKC
Photo Credit: Jeana Wilson Kilcrease
Once the lights began to glow bright after the opening ceremonies here on championship Sunday the sold out crowd along with the 35 bull riders behind the bucking chutes knew it was time to focus on the task at hand. Things started off with a bang as section one brought some of the most notable cowboys who were vying for a spot in the top 35 were ready to unload their power for eight seconds. As the first section concluded it would be more non-stop action as round two would determine who would advance to the championship round and who would go home with nothing.
The action was hot and heavy as the bovines and cowboys matched up for an exciting round of bull riding action where the rides were few and far between but the ones we did see made the sold-out crowd cheer with the bottled up energy that they had waiting to be unleashed. After all was said and done there would be only 6 of the 35 bull riders here this weekend that would be able to make the eight-second buzzer. No one could match the effort that Nevada Newman put up against 01 Cattle Co./Robbie Schroeder’s Gangster Can Do as he rose to the top in round two with a 86 point ride for the round win!
Complete list of qualified rides for round two posted below:
Nevada Newman (86.00) Denar Barbosa (85.50)
Dakota Buttar (85.25) Cody Nance (84.50)
Luis Blanco (82.00) Derek Kolbaba (80.75)
Young Up And Coming Bull Riders Take Center Stage
Photo Credit: Jeana Wilson Kilcrease
There are many things that happen if you are in attendance during the commercial and intermission breaks that you do not see watching the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series on CBS Sports Network. One of those things that folks can see at special times throughout the year is that of some very talented up and coming bull riders that will take over some spots within the BFTS tour as the years progress. The Chris Shivers Miniature Bull Riders organization gave the fans here tonight a taste of what they can expect to see as the years progress and the shape of the PBR evolves over the years to come.
One of those young superstars is one of our own here at the Rodeo Round Up and a son of one of our dedicated photographers. Brayden Kilcrease has had a bucket list item that included riding at a Built Ford Tough Series event and tonight he made that dream a reality. Along side his close friends and family he climbed aboard his bucking bull and nodded his head in anticipation of what was to come next. If you ever get a chance to see these young kids live I encourage you to do so as the up and coming superstars of the bull riding world appreciate your support!
Derek Kolbaba Outlasts All Others In The Championship Round
Photo Credit: Jeana Wilson Kilcrease
As the qualifying rounds came to and end and the dust settled on the arena floor it was time for the twelve bull riders from the first two rounds that managed to cover at least one of their bulls to come together once again in the championship round. All of the fans inside of the arena and those watching at home witnessed some of the very best bovine athletes giving all the cowboys as much power as they could handle. Tonight was the first night that we have seen the world champion bucking bull contenders from last year as they began their quest at the 2017 world championship title.
When the intermission was over and the music began to rise all of us knew that it was time for the main event as the championship round of the 2017 Express Employment Professionals Invitational was about to begin. Today’s round began with twelve riders competing but only one would be able to last the eight seconds atop some of the fiercest bucking bulls traveling down the road today. After all was said and done it would be Derek Kolbaba who would earn a monster 92 point score aboard D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Company ‘s world champion bucking bull Sweet Pro’s Bruiser and win the championship round!
Derek Kolbaba Wins The Event Here In Oklahoma City
Photo Credit: Jeana Wilson Kilcrease
The fans here in Oklahoma City this weekend will not leave without feeling that they saw some of the very best athletes in the sport of professional bull riding, both human and bovine, give their all down on the arena floor. Throughout the two days and three rounds of action, each and every person watching the Express Employment Professionals Invitational saw the heart and try of every contestant involved as they competed for the championship title of the third event of the 2017 Built Ford Tough Series season.
After all of the action came to an end it was time to tally up the scores and find out who would be crowned the event champion here in Oklahoma City. Once the championship round celebration was concluded the attention turned to the top of the shark cage in the middle of the arena to give the champion his time to celebrate as the third stop of the 2017 BFTS season came to an end. After all was said and done it was Derek Kolbaba who would take the title after being the only man this weekend to go 3-for-3 with a combined 258.25 points over the weekend!
This weekend’s event was the third stop on the 2017 BFTS tour which leaves only two remaining before the highly talked about first cut of the season. Oklahoma City provided eleven alternates the chance to compete to gain some much-needed points to stay on tour. A few of those cowboys took full advantage and now sit comfortably within the top 35 in the world standings securing their existence on the Built Ford Tough Series for the foreseeable future!
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