By Kacie Albert
Nashville, Tennessee – In front of a record-setting, capacity crowd Cody Teel(Kountze, Texas) captured his first PBR (Professional Bull Riders) major win Saturday night inside Bridgestone Arena, victorious at the 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast Music City Knockout, presented by Cooper Tires.
After advancing to the event’s championship round for the second consecutive year, Teel outlasted Colten Jesse(Konawa, Oklahoma) to earn $116,300 and 905 world points.
“Glad I worked my way to the end and stuck it out,” Teel, the 2012 PRCA Champion said moments after the win. “Getting on that many bulls, and of that caliber, can mentally and physically wear you down. You have to regroup between bulls and start over. It’s a challenge for sure.”
Teel’s march to the win began after he advanced to Round 4 when his third round opponent Nathan Burtenshaw(Coonamble, New South Wales, Australia) was unable to continue due to an injury sustained when [the bull] Soup In A Group(Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Wilks Ranch) fell on him.
Capitalizing on the moment, Teel covered Big Black Cat(Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heal Pro Bulls) for 78.5 points, eliminating Valdiron de Oliveira(Piranhas, Brazil), to reach the Final Four where he then knocked out 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis(Buna, Texas) on buckoff time.
In the final faceoff of the night, Teel reached 2.46 seconds on Bottoms Up(TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.) besting Jesse’s 1.83-second effort on Livin’ Large(Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Staci Wilks/N Bar Ranch).
The 26-year-old, who entered the Volunteer State event ranked No. 12 in the world rankings, reached to the Top 10, and is now No. 6, 665.84 points behind No. 1 Kaique Pacheco(Itatiba, Brazil). Pacheco failed to record a qualified ride and earn world points in Nashville.
For Jesse, the runner-up finish is the best to date of his two-year career on the elite tour. Going a combined 1-for-6 across the two days, including an event-best 88.5 points on Hedoo(Jane Clark/Gene Owen), he earned 500 word points and a check for $41,300. He soared from No. 35 to No. 17 in the world.
Koal Livingston(Burleson, Texas) was named the Ride Score Champion after going 2-for-6 to amass 173.75 points in the aggregate. Also finishing seventh overall in the event, the 20-year-old earned $39,300 and 410 world points, catapulting him from No. 36 to No. 22 in the world standings.
After falling to Teel in the Final Four, Davis, the winner of the event’s Second Chance Bracket, finished third to net 340 world points and $11,800. Jumping one spot in the world rankings to No. 8, the Texan closed the gap on No.1 Pacheco, now 970 points off the lead.
Solidifying his No. 2 world ranking, Claudio Montanha Jr.’s(Pacaembu, Brazil) fourth place effort garnered him 280 points and allowed him to rise to within 21.67 points of the top spot in the world standings.
Smooth Operator(Dakota Rodeo/Julie Rosen/Clay Struve/Chad Berger) earned his first YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event honor of the season. The bovine was marked 45.75 points for his 2.1-second buckoff of Livingston.
Event Leaders (event points):
1. Cody Teel - 905 Points.
2. Colten Jesse - 500 Points.
3. Cooper Davis - 340 Points.
4. Claudio Montanha Jr. - 280 Points.
5. Tanner Byrne - 155 Points.
6. Valdiron de Oliveira - 155 Points.
*7. Koal Livingston - 110 Points.
*Koal Livingston earned an additional 300 world points as Ride Score Champion.
PBR comes back to the mid-south this October. On October 6, 2018 is the Sean Willingham Invitational at the McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Then Tennessee’s own Cody Nance comes to Jackson, Tennessee for the Cody Nance Invitational on October 27-28, 2018 at the Oman Arena. Find more information about the Touring Pro Division at www.pbr.com.
(photos by Andy Watson/BullStockMedia.com)
Nashville, Tennessee – In front of a record-setting, capacity crowd Cody Teel(Kountze, Texas) captured his first PBR (Professional Bull Riders) major win Saturday night inside Bridgestone Arena, victorious at the 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast Music City Knockout, presented by Cooper Tires.
After advancing to the event’s championship round for the second consecutive year, Teel outlasted Colten Jesse(Konawa, Oklahoma) to earn $116,300 and 905 world points.
“Glad I worked my way to the end and stuck it out,” Teel, the 2012 PRCA Champion said moments after the win. “Getting on that many bulls, and of that caliber, can mentally and physically wear you down. You have to regroup between bulls and start over. It’s a challenge for sure.”
Teel’s march to the win began after he advanced to Round 4 when his third round opponent Nathan Burtenshaw(Coonamble, New South Wales, Australia) was unable to continue due to an injury sustained when [the bull] Soup In A Group(Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Wilks Ranch) fell on him.
Capitalizing on the moment, Teel covered Big Black Cat(Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heal Pro Bulls) for 78.5 points, eliminating Valdiron de Oliveira(Piranhas, Brazil), to reach the Final Four where he then knocked out 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis(Buna, Texas) on buckoff time.
In the final faceoff of the night, Teel reached 2.46 seconds on Bottoms Up(TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.) besting Jesse’s 1.83-second effort on Livin’ Large(Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Staci Wilks/N Bar Ranch).
The 26-year-old, who entered the Volunteer State event ranked No. 12 in the world rankings, reached to the Top 10, and is now No. 6, 665.84 points behind No. 1 Kaique Pacheco(Itatiba, Brazil). Pacheco failed to record a qualified ride and earn world points in Nashville.
For Jesse, the runner-up finish is the best to date of his two-year career on the elite tour. Going a combined 1-for-6 across the two days, including an event-best 88.5 points on Hedoo(Jane Clark/Gene Owen), he earned 500 word points and a check for $41,300. He soared from No. 35 to No. 17 in the world.
Koal Livingston(Burleson, Texas) was named the Ride Score Champion after going 2-for-6 to amass 173.75 points in the aggregate. Also finishing seventh overall in the event, the 20-year-old earned $39,300 and 410 world points, catapulting him from No. 36 to No. 22 in the world standings.
After falling to Teel in the Final Four, Davis, the winner of the event’s Second Chance Bracket, finished third to net 340 world points and $11,800. Jumping one spot in the world rankings to No. 8, the Texan closed the gap on No.1 Pacheco, now 970 points off the lead.
Solidifying his No. 2 world ranking, Claudio Montanha Jr.’s(Pacaembu, Brazil) fourth place effort garnered him 280 points and allowed him to rise to within 21.67 points of the top spot in the world standings.
Smooth Operator(Dakota Rodeo/Julie Rosen/Clay Struve/Chad Berger) earned his first YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event honor of the season. The bovine was marked 45.75 points for his 2.1-second buckoff of Livingston.
Event Leaders (event points):
1. Cody Teel - 905 Points.
2. Colten Jesse - 500 Points.
3. Cooper Davis - 340 Points.
4. Claudio Montanha Jr. - 280 Points.
5. Tanner Byrne - 155 Points.
6. Valdiron de Oliveira - 155 Points.
*7. Koal Livingston - 110 Points.
*Koal Livingston earned an additional 300 world points as Ride Score Champion.
PBR comes back to the mid-south this October. On October 6, 2018 is the Sean Willingham Invitational at the McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Then Tennessee’s own Cody Nance comes to Jackson, Tennessee for the Cody Nance Invitational on October 27-28, 2018 at the Oman Arena. Find more information about the Touring Pro Division at www.pbr.com.
(photos by Andy Watson/BullStockMedia.com)
