Less than 24-hours ago we all were able to see the kind of round that we rarely see throughout a Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series season as a whopping 20 bull riders managed to make the eight-second buzzer on a Saturday night. While nearly 60% of the contestants did just that not much changed at the top or bottom of the world standings, making this afternoon’s final two rounds that much more important to those in need of a big weekend. The championship round that everyone would come in here trying to make this afternoon only allow the top fifteen from the event to participate, meaning it is almost imperative that those wanting to advance put up huge one-score numbers or put together back-to-back rides for any chance of advancing to the final round of the regular season!
As the tightest world title race in the history of the PBR looks to finish in dramatic fashion, today is the day that the last major shifts can happen before the start of the PBR World Finals in just over a week and a half. Last night, young gun Derek Kolbaba continued his march upwards by taking the round one win and closing the gap between him and the world number one man Eduardo Aparecido. Later this afternoon, anything is possible as the top five cowboys in the world are separated by just over 550 world title race points, which can easily be made up with an event win here this weekend inside the SAP Center in San Jose, California! All of the excitement would come to a head as the second round of action began here earlier this afternoon to see who would be crowned the Take The Money And Ride event champion.
Lachlan Richardson Takes Home The Second Round Win In San Jose
Photo Credit: Andy Watson / Bull Stock Media
As the nervous fans and contestants alike began to file into the SAP Center for the Championship Sunday performance everyone knew that this afternoon was one of the most important days of their 2017 season. This afternoon was the last chance for those cowboys sitting on the bubble to put their best foot forward and move within the top 35 in the world standings. On the other side of the ladder is the world title race that could change with any little slip-up. Last night five of the top six in the world standings managed to earn a qualified ride so today’s performance could be a season-changing round if any one of the top five misses the invitation to the championship round to round out this exciting 2017 PBR BFTS season and set the stage for the 2017 PBR World Finals!
When Championship Sunday began here earlier this afternoon there was a stress on the bull riders here this afternoon to put up big scores with completed rides as round one produced 20 qualified rides, filling out the needed fifteen spots in the championship round. It was imperative that no one at the top stumbles if they wanted to leave San Jose holding onto their position in the world standings. Today there would be another 14 qualified rides made, 6 of which would be the second for as many riders. That being said once everything was said and done there would only be one man that would earn the sought after 100 world title race points and the round two win. Austrailian Lachlan Richardson would be the man to do that today after earning a 87.50 point ride aboard Julio Moreno/Dallas Schott’s Mortimer to head into the championship round with 100 points that put him in 32nd place, up from the bubble 35th place, as the last ride of the regular season looked him straight in the face.
Complete List Of Round Two Qualified Rides Listed Below:
Lachlan Richardson (87.50) Troy Wilkinson (86.25)
Chase Outlaw (85.75) Colton Jesse (85.75)
Derek Kolbaba (85.25) Dener Barbosa (85.25)
J.W. Harris (85.25) Cody Teel (85.25)
Jordan Hansen (85.00) Cody Nance (84.50)
Guilherme Marchi (83.50) Skeeter Kingsolver (83.50)
Ramon de Lima (83.00) Claudio Montanha Jr. (79.25)
Derek Kolbaba Wins The Last Round Of The Regular Season
Photo Credit: Andy Watson / Bull Stock Media
Once everything was said and done and the final ride of round two was completed it was time to crown an event champion to end the 2017 regular Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series season with a bang. After today’s final round, the look of the world title race could have a very different look as any one of the top five that make it to the championship round could win the event and leave here as the number one man heading into the PBR World Finals. The anticipation and nervousness could be felt throughout the entire arena as the championship round bull draft began atop of the shark cage. Keeping in mind what was at stake, the cowboy’s picks set up many fantastic pairings that could put up huge numbers and earn any one of the top fifteen bull riders an event win here in San Jose!
Once the arena was cleared and the arena dirt was raked, it was time to shine the lights on the final round of the Take The Money And Ride event as we make our journey to the end of the regular season. Fifteen match-ups would bring us all big numbers and memorable moments as the world title race would take center stage once again. Today three of the top five bull riders in the world would make it to the championship round where two of them would manage to make the eight-second buzzer. All in all, there would be five qualified rides in the championship round as Derek Kolbaba would outlast all others to take home the round and event wins which skyrocketed him up to the top of the world standings leader board. It was a 90 point ride aboard Dakota Rodeo/Herald Pro Bulls/Clay Struve/Chad Berger’s Bad Moon Rising that would send him to the world finals in the number one spot full of confidence and determination!
The World Title Race Will Come Down To Championship Sunday In Las Vegas
Now that the regular season has come to an end the field is pretty much set for the PBR World Finals in just over a week’s time. The world title race is as close as it has ever been and the top bull riders in the world are feeling that heat. They know that if anyone of them stumbles those behind them can take advantage and move ahead of them in Las Vegas. That being said, the PBR’s BlueDEF Velocity Tour Finals will be held next weekend and a number of those sitting at the top of the world standings have elected to compete there as well in order to earn a few more world title race points. As we ramp up our coverage for the World Finals, keep an eye out for an exciting announcement at 9 P.M. CST tonight that will offer each and every one of you a very exciting opportunity to be a part of all of the action!
This weekend’s Cooper Tires Take The Money And Ride event presented by Wrangler capped off an exciting Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series 2017 regular season all while making some dreams come true and shattering the hopes of others. Each year we see this very same thing as only the top 35 bull riders in the world are invited to compete at the PBR World Finals event and historically there are a few that lose one of those spots at the last event while others squeak in by the skin of their teeth. All in all, barring any slight changes following the BlueDEF Velocity Tour Finals next weekend, the stage has been set for those that will make the trip to Las Vegas to compete for huge paydays and the title of 2017 PBR World Champion!
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