While the 2016 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series season kicked off just over three weeks ago it came with some interesting and exciting changes as to how things will be happening throughout the year. A couple of weeks ago we brought you a story about the changes that will be taking place as the championship points get dispursed throughout the events and the effect that will have on the World Championship title race for 2016.
Although the most notable changes to the rulebook will have a direct coorilation as to how we will crown a World Champion bull rider there were some much needed changes that took effect as to how we will find out who will be crowned the World Champion Bucking Bull as well. We will talk about some of these changes in depth and let you know what some of the best stock contractors in the world think about these exciting changes that will take place throughout the 2016 PBR BFTS season!
The formation of the new Executive Competitons Committee that was formed for the start of the 2016 PBR BFTS season has come in and made some interesting changes to the current rulebook that will make things much more exciting, not only for the fans of the PBR but for the contestants and stock contractors assoicated with the organization as well. One of these rules will directly effect how we will determine who the title of World Champion Bucking Bull will go to at the end of the 2016 PBR BFTS World Finals later this year when we head to Las Vegas once again.
There are three changes that will be most notable to the fans and we will break them down one by one for you below as they come directly from those involved with the PBR:
• This year the World Champion Bucking Bull contenders will be based on season-long performance, with the possibility of an additional selection by BFTS riders and up to two bulls selected by the ECC.
This is a change from previous years as there was always a “vote” from the PBR Livestock Director, Cody Lambert, and the top 35 bull riders in world. Those that received the most votes were invited to compete for the title of World Champion Bucking Bull.
• A minimum of seven, and a maximum of 10 bulls will be eligible for the WCBB title. Each bull’s top eight qualified scores from the current BFTS season will be totaled. The seven bulls with the highest combined score for their top eight performances will earn qualification to compete for the WCBB title.
Once again this will be a direct change as to how it has been in years past. This year any bucking bull has the opportunity to join the race for the title and it will all be based on who the top seven bucking bulls are throughout the year based solely on their scores and performances throughout the year.
• The Top-40 bull riders on the BFTS will vote for one additional contender to be added to the seven qualified bulls if the selection is not already represented in the top seven qualifiers. At their discretion, the ECC can select up to two additional contenders.
This will allow any contractor, big or small, that brings bucking bulls to any PBR Built Ford Tough Series event throughout the year to have an opportunity to have their bulls in contention for the world title. Along with the top seven getting an automatic advancement the top 35 bull riders get to choose another one that they like as well. After that up to another two can be chosen directly by the ECC for their own chance. This will make for a fantastic World Champion Bucking Bull race for the 2016 season.
This will be a great change for both the fans of the PBR as well as the contestants and the stock contractors too. In years past it seemed that if you were not a well known and a larger stock contractor your chances were pretty slim of even being considered for the honor of competing for the title. With this change any bucking bull that can sit atop the top seven spots in the season bull scores can have a chance no questions asked. Now, the bull riders can still have a say on which bull they would like to see but it is not soley based on votes any longer. I look forward to seeing what this will do to make the stock contractors work even harder to make sure their top animal athletes get chosen to comepte for the title of World Champion Bucking Bull!
Four-Time Stock Contractor of the Year, Jeff Robinson:
“There would have been some bulls that didn’t even make it that didn’t have eight outs. The World Champion Bull is just that. It isn’t just a World Finals champion bull. That is eight outs. They will have to perform at all eight to be in that Top-7. If they don’t perform there, the riders aren’t going to vote them in. I think it is a good deal. The competition committee is there just in case there is a bull the riders don’t necessarily like and that is a good place for them.”
Jared Allen’s Pro Bull Team’s Stock Contractor Matt Scharping:
“It is good. It is the way it should be. Let the bulls speak for themselves. They have to have eight good outs and that is the way it should be. That way it is not taking anything anyway from anybody. It is based on performance. If you are not performing, you are not going.”
Reigning Stock Contractor of the Year Chad Berger:
“I think it should have been that way for quite some time now. When you put your bulls out there and give them eight, 10, 12 outs on the Built Ford Tough Series and they perform well, they should be rewarded and be one of those bulls in the running for World Champion.”
Stock Contractor And Owner Of Retired Bull Bushwacker:
“Something that we thought should have happened a long time ago. Makes all those bulls that shined all year have a chance to win the championship.”
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The above mentioned quotes and references were obtained from our friends at PBR.com. You can read the complete article by visting their website or by clicking this link here to take you directly to the story itself!
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