News

In the bull pen: Round 4

Zorro and Splat Kat say goodbye; Black Pearl just getting started

LAS VEGAS (November 5, 2009) - Round 4 of the 2009 PBR World Finals is a crossroads, where the past and future merge for one present moment.

Tonight’s bull pen features the Top 20 Classic bulls, including Black Pearl, who has a chance to be the top Classic bull as well as World Champion Bull. The other half of the pen is made of up veteran bulls who have consistently proven themselves over the past few years.

Among the veterans will be Zorro and Splat Kat, both of whom will retire after tonight’s out.

This is the sixth time Zorro has been at the Finals. His first time in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center he bucked off Michael Gaffney, who won a world title in 1997. Splat Kat has been competing in the PBR for five years. This is his fourth time at the Finals.

“Those two old-timers will be there and they’re just as good as the young guys are,” Lambert said, “but it’s the end of their career, and I want to honor them with a little recognition for being as good as they have for as many years as they have.”

It is not a coincidence that Zorro and his son Derringer will compete in the same round.

Cody Ford is slated to be the second man out of the chute tonight, and he’ll be on Zorro, while later in the round Dustin Elliott will be the 27th man out, on Derringer.

“I thought it would be really cool to see the future and the history of the PBR at the same time,” Lambert said.
 
Lambert's entire interview can be heard by selecting the "event center" tab on the left hand-column and then choosing the most recent audio file labeled "In the Bull Pen with Cody Lambert."

All eyes will be on Kody Lostroh and J.B. Mauney as the two continue battling one another for the world title, while defending World Champion Guilherme Marchi tries to reestablish himself as a viable contender after bucking off three bulls in three rounds.

Mauney has Fire Plug, a small bull known for getting up in the air, kicking and typically spinning fast. His smaller frame gives Mauney less area in which to stay in the middle of his back.

Lambert said Mauney might have “less room for error, but, at the same time, sometimes the smaller bulls aren’t as strong as the bigger bulls.”

In today’s Podcast, Lambert also said that Mission Accomplished is “a really good bull, but I think Kody Lostroh is better at his job than Mission Accomplished is at his job.”

Tonight’s round gets underway at 9 p.m. ET and can be seen live on Versus.

Immediately following Round 4, the Top 40 riders will make their way to The Joint, which is located at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, for the Round 5 bull draft. Friday’s pen will again feature the rankest bulls at the Finals, including the top contenders for the World Champion Bull.

HIGHLIGHTS

Skeeter Kingsolver and Black Pearl: “He’s a really, really good bull. Robson rode him the other night and won the go round on him. He’s bucking harder at 4 seconds than he was at 2 and he’s bucking harder at 8 seconds than he was at 4. He gets stronger and stronger. He’s bucked off Chris Shivers, Kody Lostroh – the Champions – spinning into their hands. It takes a really good bull rider to ride him, and he has to have a good day. He’s got an incredible amount of heart.”

Brian Canter and Deja Blu: “I think it should be really good. I picked Brian to win the round the other night on Chicken on a Chain and it lasted 1 second. … I think he’ll ride Deja Blu and I think he’ll be in the 90s – in the low 90s on him – but if he makes the slightest mistake, all these bulls are so good that you’re not allowed to make a mistake and still make the whistle.”

PREDICTION

“I’m going to go for Elliott Jacoby on Bushwhacker.”

—by Keith Ryan Cartwright