News

Uncasville notes

Roy opts out to chase Canadian title; BFTS could see its third lead change

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (October 16, 2009) - Every professional bull rider competes with the goal of winning a world title.

But the PBR is an international sport, and there are riders from all over the world. As the World Cup has proven over the past three years, there’s a sense of pride in representing one’s country.

It’s because of that pride that Aaron Roy is not the draw for this weekend’s Mohegan Sun Invitational. Instead, he was given an exemption that allows him to compete in this weekend’s Canadian Cup event in Hamilton, Ontario.

Roy is second in the Canadian standings and attempting to win the Canadian Cup National Finals in back-to-back years. This year’s Canadian Finals are scheduled for Dec. 4 and 5 in Calgary at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

The 22-year-old from Saskatchewan is ranked 25th in the world standings, and has already assured himself a spot in Las Vegas with earnings of $83,875.14 –  good for 21st in the qualifier standings.

In his three seasons on the Built Ford Tough Series, Roy has continued to improve. He competed in nearly twice as many events in 2009 than a year ago – 27 compared to 14 – and has six Top 10 finishes this year, two of which were in the Top 5.

BFTS and Mohegan Sun by the numbers

*With Cody Nance’s win in Columbus, Ohio, last weekend, six riders who had never won a BFTS event prior to 2009, now account for 8 of 30 wins this season. Nance and Cody Ford have so twice, while Ryan Dirtearter, Ryan McConnel, Michael Manes and Shane Proctor each have done it once.

*Four of the past nine events have been won by riders who hadn’t won a BFS event prior to 2009: Nance (2), Ford and Proctor. Who are the other five event winners in that span? The Top 3 riders in the world. Kody Lostroh and J.B. Mauney have two wins apiece and Guilherme Marchi has one.

*There have been 17 different riders to win the short go round this season, and four of them – Lostroh, Marchi, Zack Brown and Robson Palermo – have won it three times. Mauney has won the championship round four times. However, in three of those cases he split the win with another rider.

*In only 17 of the 30 events has the winner of the short go won the overall event. Four riders – Lostroh, Marchi, Mauney and Brown – have done it twice, while Brian Canter did it all three times he’s won a BFTS event.

*Canter was expected back in the draw this week, but is out after tearing his ACL and meniscus in a dirt bike mishap. The Carolina cowboy is expected to compete in the World Finals before undergoing surgery that requires up to six months’ recovery. Canter is being replaced in the draw by Travis Sellers.

*Speaking of injuries, two-time World Champion Chris Shivers is also on the injured list because of his shoulder. However, like Canter, he is expected to compete in Las Vegas.

*Only seven times this season has the winner of Round 1 gone on to win the event, and twice – Lostroh in Tulsa and Mauney in Reno – it has happened at a three-day event.

*The most qualified rides at a three-day event in 2009 were the 84 scores registered in New York City. The fewest qualified rides for a three-day event came in Tulsa when the Top 40 riders accounted for only 33 rides in 135 outs. However, it should be noted that the draw in NYC featured 45 riders, so the most scores since pairing back to 40 riders would be 62 in Billings.

*There have been a total of 1,241 qualified rides in 2009.

*There have been 1,090 qualified rides in the long rounds for a cumulative average of 16.5 per round. The highest average per long round is the opening round, where riders are averaging 17.37 qualified scores.

*Three-day events feature a draft for Round 2. The most successful second round of 2009 was in New York City, when riders covered 29 of 45 bulls. The least successful were the 13 of 40 in Nampa, Idaho, and again in Reno, Nev.

*There have been five different winners in all five previous BFTS events that have taken place at Mohegan Sun: Shivers (2003), Mike White (2005), Adriano Moraes (2006), Wiley Petersen (2007) and Lostroh (2008).

*There are seven riders in Uncasville who have yet to qualify for Las Vegas: Reese Cates, 43; White, 45; Sellers, 46; Dusty Ephrom, 47; Brendon Clark, 48; Matt Werries, 50 and Matt Bohon, 58.

*Bohon, who has won $24,462.79, needs to more than double his 2009 earnings in order to equal Billy Robinson, who is currently the 40th and final qualifier with $50,959.05.

*If Lostroh, Marchi and Mauney finish the weekend as the Top 3 riders in the world, they will have owned those top spots for 18 of 31 BFTS events in 2009.

*Marchi and Mauney have exchanged positions in the world standings five times in the past 12 BFTS events. By comparison, there have only been two lead changes atop the standings all season: Mauney passed Lostroh following the Dallas event before Lostroh reclaimed the lead following the event in St. Louis.

*The upcoming PBR World Finals will likely parallel the World Series. MLB hasn’t had a back-to-back World Champion since the New York Yankees won the title in 1998, 1999 and 2000. By comparison, the PBR has never had back-to-back World Champions in 16 previous seasons.

NEWS and NOTES

Live from Mohegan Sun: Be sure to log onto www.pbrnow.com next weekend and select the “Event Center” tab on the left-hand side of the Uncasville event page, so you can follow along with real-time stats, live commentary and event-related Podcasts.

Road to Vegas: All roads are leading to Las Vegas! At this time of the season, the PBR is all about the World Finals, which is Oct. 30 through Nov. 8. Call  for ticket information or log onto www.unlvtickets.com to order your tickets for what will be one of the tightest finishes for the world title.

Winter reading program: The PBR has released a new 176-page hardcover coffee table book, “The Official Guide to the Toughest Sport on Earth,” this month through Triumph Books.

The book is available online through www.triumphbooks.com, www.amazon.com, www.borders.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and is also available wherever books are sold. The book, which retails for $29.95, will available at all PBR merchandise stands throughout the upcoming World Finals.

In fact, plans are in place for an official book launch signing featuring Flint Rasmussen. Other signings are also in the works with various bull riders competing at this year’s Finals. The book, which is illustrated with 211 full-color photos, was authored by Jeff Johnstone and Keith Ryan Cartwright. Ty Murray wrote the forward.

Tweet, tweet: Be sure to follow the PBR on Twitter at www.twitter.com/teampbr.

—by Keith Ryan Cartwright