Coming into this weekend’s Express Ranches Invitational, the overall look of contestants will be m different than what we have been accustomed to seeing since the start of the 2019 Monster Energy Unleash The Beast Tour a little over a month ago. Following the drama that unfolded in the Championship Round last week, Clauido Montanha Jr. was suspended by the PBR Championship Committee for excessive time in the chute after not even attempting to ride his bull. Along with him, nine other athletes would not be in action which includes recently retired Guilherme Marchi and Valdiron de Oliveira along with a slew of others that are competing for a 2019 world title. Reigning world champion Kaique Pacheco, 2016 world champion Cooper Davis and Matt Triplett who is planning on making his return to the arena at the Iron Cowboy are just a few others that would miss the action here in Oklahoma City.
When we talk about the shake-up that we would see here at the Express Ranches Invitational, we also begin to watch how all the new faces and injuries would affect the overall look of the teams that we will see next week at the Global Cup event in Arlington, Texas. It was announced just before the start of round number one that Joao Ricardo Vieira and Brennon Eldred would be replacements at AT&T Stadium which will give them a huge boost heading into next weekend! All of that being said, the main focus for the next two nights is that of earning the distinction of the 2019 Express Ranches Invitational event champion which will not be an easy task for the banged up and bruised bull riders in the world that represent the best we have on the Monster Energy Unleash The Beast tour.
Cody Jesus Begins A Great Run In OKC
Photo Credit: Jeana Wilson-Kilcrease
As round one was set to begin inside of the Chesapeake Energy Arena, it was known that this would be a round that would give the top bull riders in the world all that they could handle as the ABBI Classic bucking bulls would, once again, make their names known on a Friday night. Historically, these rounds show fewer qualified ride totals than others and that would be the case again here in Oklahoma City. Once things were said and done, there would be only six qualified rides that would be made leaving the fans watching at home and in person hoping o see a much better outcome in round number two Saturday night. One of those men although, would continue a great season after Cody Jesus would walk away with his third round win of the 2019 season while U.S.A Wolves teammate Ryan Dirteater would place second which would mean this would be the second weekend in a row that these two had split the top two in a round. His round one win made history as Jesus has tied Jess Lockwood for the most round wins of the 2019 season so far with an astounding four each that will make the world title race very interesting later in the season!
Chase Outlaw Splits The Round Two Win In Oklahoma City
Photo Credit: Andy Watson / Bull Stock Media
After a scary get off last night in the 15/15 Bucking Battle, Chase Outlaw came into round two a little beat up and sore after possibly breaking some ribs after being slammed into the back of the bucking chute but began round two with the first qualified ride before it went quiet for quite some time, much like what we saw just 24-hours ago in round number one. Although the qualified ride totals were still not to where we all wanted them to be we were able to watch another eight qualified rides being made on Saturday night. The bull power has been phenomenal but tonight, both Chase Outlaw and Cody Teel would be able to outlast all the others to split the round two win and head into the championship round following their solid efforts earlier in the evening at the 2019 Express Ranches Invitational.
Ryan Dirteater Takes Home The Championship Round Win In OKC
Photo Credit: Andy Watson / Bull Stock Media
For the first time in the 2019 Professional Bull Riders Monster Energy Unleash The Beast tour, we were not able to fill all fifteen open spots in the Championship Round after two rounds of qualifying action. Heading into the final round here in Oklahoma City, only twelve would do what they needed to do to advance to compete for the 2019 Express Ranches Invitational event championship. Although we have seen a lackluster performance on the bull riders side of the arena, we have seen some amazing outs put out by the bucking bulls that continued here in the Championship Round again. After all was said and done, four would be able to make it to the eight-second buzzer lead by Ryan Dirteater who would post up a round winning 91.00 point bull ride to walk out of the arena with another 100 world title race points.
Round By Round Rides From Oklahoma City:
Round One:
Cody Jesus (88.25)
Ryan Dirteater (87.25)
Jess Lockwood (86.00)
Joao Ricardo Vieira (82.50)
Luciano De Castro (82.00)
Alex Marcilio (68.00)
Round Two:
Chase Outlaw & Cody Teel (86.75)
Colten Jesse (86.50)
Ryan Dirteater (86.00)
Luciano De Castro & Emilio Resende (85.75)
Lucas Divino (83.75)
Tanner Byrne (77.25)
Championship Round:
Ryan Dirteater (91.00)
Jess Lockwood (89.50)
Luciano De Castro (86.25)
Tanner Byrne (85.75)
Cody Jesus Is Victorious In The 15/15 Bucking Battle
Photo Credit: Jeana Wilson-Kilcrease
Heading into the Global Cup event next weekend, U.S.A. Wolves teammate Cody Jesus is riding a high wave of momentum after beginning his weekend in Oklahoma City a perfect two-for-two during the first night of the Express Ranches Invitational. Not only did he win the round one performance earlier in the evening on Friday night he would turn around a couple of hours later and be one of two to make qualified rides in the 5/15 Bucking Battle round to take home his second consecutive round win of the night. He would be able to do this in grand fashion after covering his bovine counterpart Cochise to the tune of 91.50 points to leave the crowd with something to cheer about as we look ahead to a Championship Saturday performance in just 24-hours time as we crown a 2019 Express Ranches Invitational champion!
Ryan Dirteater Is Crowned Your 2019 Express Ranches Invitational Champion
Photo Credit: Jeana Wilson-Kilcrease
When we talk about dominance we must now bring one man to the forefront of our minds so far here during the 2019 Professional Bull Riders Monster Energy Unleash The Beast tour, especially when we talk about the event here in Oklahoma City. Home state cowboy Ryan Dirteaterthrives on the pressures of competing in front of his home state crowd and it showed again here this weekend as he was crowned the 2019 Express Ranches Invitational champion. He came into Oklahoma City as the reigning event champion from 2018 and did not look back while earning 600 world title race points which, in turn, moved him all the way up the world standings leaderboard into the fifth position in the world standings. He heads into the Global Cup next weekend riding with confidence as he heads up his U.S.A. Wolves team inside of AT&T Stadium!
As we are preparing to leave Oklahoma City and head down the road a couple of hours, we begin to look ahead to a full weekend of professional sports action that will end with a huge Global Cup event in Texas. Before we can begin our journies to the Lone Star State, we will all come together and enjoy the Superbowl festivities tomorrow afternoon and then begin the trek to AT&T Stadium to be a part of a legendary event. Our entire Rodeo Round Up team will be making our way to Arlington to bring you in-depth coverage over the two days of action as the Global Cup makes its way onto U.S. soil as a host of stacked teams will compete to bring home the Global Cup to their own countries until it goes up for grabs again in the 2020 Professional Bull Riders Monster Energy Unleash The Beast season!
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