Riders compete, but bulls get last word at PBR event at Bolado
Park last weekend
TRES PINOS — If only the bulls could have walked away with the $20,000 purse.
Cowboy Shane Proctor said it was a “fluke” he walked with anything on Saturday night at Bolado Park, where 40 bull riders tried their hand at staying on some of the meanest bulls as part of the Professional Bull Riders Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour event in Tres Pinos.
And, for the most part, the bulls more than lived up to their end of the bargain — bulls 14, riders 1.
“It was a great pen of bulls tonight,” said Proctor, who was the only rider to last eight seconds during Saturday’s short go-round, recording a score of 88.5, the best of the night.
“Tonight was the bulls’ night, and every bull had a great night,” Proctor said. “They showed it against all the cowboys.”
And that’s no bull.
Only three riders — J.B. Mauney, A.J. Hambre and Zack Brown — posted scores during the long go-round, forcing organizers to hold a drawing for the remaining 12 spots in the short go.
“There were four or five bulls here that are gonna be in the top-five for bull of the year this year,” said Luke Snyder, who is ranked No. 22 in the Built Ford Tough Series Standings.
Snyder actually stayed on his first ride during Saturday’s long go, scoring a 74. But after being rewarded with a re-ride, Snyder was bucked off his second bull.
“All of the bulls here are the best bulls in the business right now,” Snyder said. “The bull power was just outstanding.”
By luck of the draw, Snyder did advance to the short go, where the riders were allowed to choose their own bulls prior to the money round. Feeling he needed to make up considerable ground on the competition, however, Snyder selected All In, owned by Naccarato Bucking Bulls.
He was promptly bucked off.
“He’s pretty famous around here,” Snyder said of All In.
Even Proctor, who collected $4,700 at the end of the night, was one of those cowboys who was bucked off during the first go.
“It was actually a fluke I got to draw back to the short round,” Proctor said. “It just shows how good the bulls were here.”
And the bulls proved their point.
J.B. Mauney, who scored an 87.5 during the long go-round and is ranked No. 3 in the series standings, felt he had something to prove atop Big Tex, owned by Berger Bucking Bulls.
“I’ve been on that bull before, and it’s probably the rankest bull in the world going right now,” Mauney said. “It threw me off the first time and I was wanting to prove a point tonight and ride him, but he threw me off again.
“I told Chad (Berger) that if I get a chance to pick him every time from here on out, I’m gonna pick him until I ride him.”
Recording the best score in the long go-round, though, Mauney had first pick of bulls heading into the money round. He could have selected an easier bull to ride, one that wasn’t named Big Tex, but he didn’t.
Mauney finished second overall ($4,900), with Hambre ($3,000) and Brown ($2,700) rounding out the top four.
“I always want to prove to myself and everybody else that I’m the best bull rider in the world and I always try to pick the best bulls that are there,” Mauney said. “But it didn’t work out for me tonight.”
On Saturday night at Bolado Park, at least, the top honor went to Proctor.
“I flew all the way here from North Carolina to get bucked off — my day should be over,” said Proctor, who is ranked No. 25 in the standings. “Luckily enough, I was able to not only get drawn back, but take advantage of being drawn back.
“And you rarely do get drawn back because most guys ride all the bulls.”
Saturday’s PBR event included live music, vendor booths, a kiddie corral and a barbecue. The Tres Pinos School Parents Club also hosted a wine tasting event and silent auction, where proceeds benefited the enrichment program at Tres Pinos School.
Additionally, a mutton busting event was held, and Eric Lopez took home the first-place buckle. Billy Norman, Vincent Nino and Tucker Bourdet rounded out the top fou
