Bull riding fans will get the best of all worlds at the National Western Stock Show this week: The chance to see some of the best bull riders in the world alongside the sport’s up-and-coming cowboys, all taking on some of the toughest bucking bulls.
The Pueblo-based Professional Bull Riders’ Touring Pro Division Finale begins tonight and continues through Wednesday, when the top riders from tonight and Tuesday will compete in the finals for $80,000 in prize money.
The Touring Pro Division is the PBR’s new developmental tour, where newer riders compete alongside veterans for the chance to move up to the elite Built Ford Tough Series — home to the top 40 bull riders in the world.
After every five Built Ford Tough Series events, the top five money earners in the Touring Pro Division get to move into the Built Ford Tough Series.
That series kicked off its new season this past weekend in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Its next stop is in Anaheim this weekend. But first, many of those riders are making a stop in Denver.
Here’s a look at who you’ll see — and won’t see — in Denver this week:
– The Brazilians. Led by 2011 World Champion Silvano Alves, a group of Brazilian riders have dominated bull riding as of late, taking all five top spots last season. Alves, who won the $1 million prize in Las Vegas last fall, will ride tonight and tomorrow in Denver (though Tuesday’s ride won’t count toward points). Also riding tonight is Guilherme Marchi, the 2008 world champion who finished in fourth place in 2011. Valdiron de Oliveira, who finished second in 2011, will ride Tuesday, along with 2011 Rookie of the Year Rubens Barbosa.
– Kody Lostroh, the 2009 world champion and Longmont cowboy always gets a warm welcome from his home crowd, and Tuesday night should be no different. Lostroh finished 22nd in the world last season after suffering several injuries, but says he’s healthy now and ready for 2012.
– Cody Nance of Tennessee won the season opener at Madison Square Garden last weekend, marking the first time since just before the 2010 World Finals that an American has been in first place of the Built Ford Tough Series standings. (See The Brazilians, above).
– Colorado’s other riders this week include Josh Koschel of Nunn, Tarren Calhoun of Hot Sulpher Springs and Jory Markiss of Hygenine riding Monday and Jake Booco of Hayden (in addition to Lostroh) riding Tuesday. We’ll see how many of them get to make the return trip to the Coliseum for Wednesday’s finals.
– A few fan favorites you won’t see: Last season’s world champion bull Bushwacker, who’s recovering from surgery, and rider Pistol Robinson, who was scheduled to ride in Denver Tuesday night until he got stomped on over the weekend by a bull named Carillo Cartel, smashing Robinson’s legs abd taking him out of commission for the rest of the season — a good reminder of just how dangerous this sport can be.
Sara Burnett: 303-954-1661 or sburnett@denverpost.com
