As reported here, for the first time in their history, Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) hosted an event in New York City’s Times Square that served as the prologue to the crowning of their 17th World Champion in Las Vegas next week.
The special prelude event, dubbed the “Built Ford Tough Road to Vegas presented by Cooper Tires”, took place live in Times Square and featured the world’s top ten bull riders locking horns with the fiercest bucking bulls in PBR.
And in a performance that gave him tremendous confidence going into the 2010 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals, Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, NM) covered Skyhawk Cut A Rug (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls) to emerge victorious and move up two spots in the 2010 Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) standings.
Briscoe was one of only four riders to cover their bulls, joining second-ranked J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, NC), fourth-ranked Valdiron de Oliveira (Aparecida de Goiania, GO) and sixth-ranked Mike Lee (Decatur, TX) in putting on successful Broadway showings.
But with a score of 87.00 for his eight-second moment in the sun, it was the 23-year-old Briscoe who was the star of the show. And for his effort, Briscoe earned an additional 200 bonus points to move him past Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, BZ) and McKennon Wimberly (Cool, TX), from tenth to eighth, in the BFTS standings.
“It means everything,” Briscoe said when asked what it meant to perform on a grand stage like New York City’s Times Square. “This is where a bull rider wants to be at, on this level. It don’t get any better or bigger than this.”
As for the amount of confidence winning the event gave him going into the World Finals, the five-year PBR veteran did not mince words. “A lot,” Briscoe beamed. “I’m looking forward to the Finals. I’m actually set higher than I’ve ever set going into the Finals and feel that I have a shot.”
Although covers of Flying J Saddles (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls), Bird Creek (Jeff Robinson/Leon Frakes) and Chicken Lickin (Jeff Robinson/Scruggs/Rockin RA3) did not alter their respective places in the standings, J.B. Mauney, Valdiron de Oliveira and Mike Lee all gained ground on top-ranked Austin Meier (Kinta, OK). Meier’s attempted ride of Mac-Nett’s El Presidente (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls) ended in a questionable disqualification for illegal touching.
2010 Built Ford Tough Series Standings
1. Austin Meier – 10,891.75
2. J.B. Mauney – 10,650.50
3. Renato Nunes (Buritama, BZ) – 9,591.00
4. Valdiron de Oliveira – 9,391.75
5. Ryan McConnel (Colgate, OK) – 8,216.75
6. Mike Lee – 8,147.50
7. Robson Palmero (Rio Branco, BZ) – 7,544.00
8. Travis Briscoe – 6,858.75
9. McKennon Wimberly – 6,756.25
10. Guilherme Marchi – 6,575.00
Conspicuous by their absences due to injuries were third-ranked Renato Nunes and tenth-ranked Guilherme Marchi, who were replaced by Silvano Alves (Pilar, BZ), the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, and Shane Proctor (Grand Coulee, WA), the winner of the 2010 NYC Invitational in January. However, Nunes and Marchi will return to compete in the World Finals.
The “Built Ford Tough Road to Vegas presented by Cooper Tires” will be broadcast following the NFL on CBS at either 3PM ET or 5PM ET (Please note that some local listings are calling the broadcast the ‘Road to Vegas’ on CBS).
The telecast will also feature the announcement of the finalists for 2010 World Champion Bull and a preview of the World Finals where the winner will receive the coveted PBR Championship Buckle and a $1 million bonus in the single richest bull riding event in the world.
The 2010 PBR World Finals begin Wednesday, October 20 and continue through Sunday, October 24, with bull riding beginning at 6PM on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 11:30AM on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, online at www.unlvtickets.com and by telephone at 866-PBR-SHOW.
The 2010 PBR World Finals will be televised on VERSUS at 9PM ET on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and on NBC at 4PM ET on Sunday. For more information on the World Finals, please visit www.pbr.com/competition/bfts/worldfinals2010/eventload.cfm?id=3266.
Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special slideshow presentation of PBR's historic event in the heart of Times Square.
