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Ryan McConnel rode all three of his bulls, including Say I Won’t Gunner, to take home the Pike Electric Invitational 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (March 15, 2009) - The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) set Alabama on fire as the top 40 bull riders in the world invaded Birmingham’s BJCC Arena on March 14-15. The world’s best riders took on the toughest bulls that the PBR had to offer for the Pike Electric Invitational, stop #14 on the PBR’s elite Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) tour. In the end, young Oklahoman Ryan McConnel (Colgate, Okla.) took home the coveted event title after riding all three of his bulls for 265.5 points. He collected a check for $30,648 and added valuable points to his 2009 BFTS standings, moving him into the top ten in the world.

“I just have a positive head on my shoulders right now,” McConnel said from the winner’s circle. “I’ve been feeling better this week because I got on some practice bulls before this weekend. I had an excellent bull in the short-go that I knew I could be over 90 on.”

McConnel rode the bull, Cajun Blast, owned by Circle T Ranch & Rodeo, for 86.25 points. He followed that up with a second place finish in round two after taking on the bull Scaredy Cat of Chad Berger/Denny Hawks for 88.75 points. He entered the Built Ford Tough Championship Round in second place with a total of 175 points and picked the bull, Say I Won’t Gunner, owned by Chad Berger/Clay Struve, in the PBR Bull Draft. McConnel tamed the top animal athlete for 90.5 points, locking up not only the Championship Round victory, but the coveted Pike Electric Invitational event title.

“I’ve been wanting to get one (a win) and I know that I can now,” the Oklahoma bull rider said. “I just wanted to get my first win down and it feels good.”

Young gun McKennon Wimberly (Cool, Texas) took second place after riding all three of his bulls for 262.75 points, adding a check for $14,981.50 to his bank account. PBR fan favorite Wiley Petersen (Fort Hall, Idaho) rode his tenth consecutive bull which helped him take third place in Birmingham. He finished with a total of 262.5 points and a check for $11,230. Taking fourth place was Colorado cowboy Josh Koschel (Greeley, Colo.) who finished the weekend with 261.75 points and collected $6,901.50. Rounding out fifth place was Team Enterprise rider Renato Nunes (Buritama, SP, Brazil) who covered two of his three bulls for 176.75 points and added $7,255.50 to his 2009 earnings.

In the first-ever bull vs. bull match-up, superstar bucking bull Big Tex (Chad Berger/Clay Struve) emerged victorious over 2008 PBR World Champion bull Bones (Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC), winning the $50,000 purse. Big Tex received a score of 46 points while Bones got a score of 45.5 points. Both top animal athletes bucked off their respective riders during the Built Ford Tough Championship Round---Zack Brown (Santa Fe, Texas) got on Big Tex and 2004 PBR World Champ Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) chose to ride Bones.

Birmingham was stop no. 3 of 9 on the 2009 PBR Bull Team Competition. Fourteen teams have been formed, each competing for their share of a total tour purse of over $500,000 throughout the 2009 season. The team, Mandan Mafia, took first place and the $10,000 check after totaling 134.5 points, beating out second place team, Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC, who ended the event with 133.75 points and a second place check worth $5,000.

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