February Power Rankings: The Bulls
Voodoo Child brings the pain
PUEBLO, Colo. (February 9, 2010) - Bull power rankings are something I have been messing with for a long time. To be honest, it’s difficult for pure statistics to say where a bull really ranks until his career is nearly over, because bulls just don’t compete as often as riders. It will take the average bull several years to accumulate the number of outs a rider will log in just one season. For that reason, with the monthly power rankings, I will be looking back at the previous 60 days of PBR competition (including the Touring Pro Division) and choosing the bulls that really stand out.
Some of the criteria I take into account:
-The bull’s average marking
-The bull’s buckoff percentage
-Number of times the bull has faced the PBR’s best riders (roughly the Top 30 by riding and winning percentage)
-His buckoff percentage vs. those top riders
-The percentage of his outs in the past 60 days that have been marked 44 points or more.
That’s a lot of numbers to crunch, but even with all that, many bulls will be close in the purely statistical rankings because of the small number of outs the bulls are able to log in just 60 days. So, there will be a measure of subjectivity in this as well. I am looking for bulls that have been tested and proven outstanding over the past 60 days.
Because this is called a Power Ranking, we will be looking at bulls that have power. We pretty much measure bull riders by how often they are able to make the whistle, so here we will measure bulls by how impressive they are at putting a stop to qualified rides. The bulls that appear here will be bulls that buck well and have the riders number – at least for the time being.
February 2010 – Up to and including Winston-Salem
1: +123 Voodoo Child – Jeff Robinson / Beutler / McNeely: This bull is really much more than the best bull in the past month or so. Way back in November of 2006, Voodoo Child distinguished himself at the Las Vegas ABBI Classic Finals for 3-4 year old bulls by turning in one of the weakest bull scores of the entire event. Since that day, no bull has been better. For over three years, Voodoo Child has been so dominant that by purely statistical power rankings, he would be ranked first over 18, 865 other bulls that have appeared anywhere since 2003, including the past seven PBR World Champion Bulls.
For this month’s rankings, all he really had to do was what he normally does – he’s been out four times in Baltimore, New York, Tampa and Winston-Salem. Kody Lostroh and two other former World Champions didn’t stay on him for 8 seconds combined. Beau Hill did manage to take him to 4.4 seconds. He also turned in a bull score of 46 or more all four times.
2: 404 Uncle Buck – Teague Bucking Bulls: Uncle Buck has run the gauntlet of the the PBR’s best riders in the past 60 days, and averaged 45.55 points doing it. He was ridden once, by the man who may be the most consistent rider in the PBR – Valdiron de Oliveira. However, if you saw that ride, you know it wasn’t easy. It looked like it would have been less painful to buck off. Uncle Buck is the only bull on this list that has had a legitimate solid ride made on him, but since then he has skunked four very good riders in a row and scored 46 or more each time.
3: 644 Code Blue – Walton & Wagoner / Berger & Struve: Although J.B. Mauney did get a score on Code Blue in New York, no one has yet stayed in the middle of him for 8 seconds. In Baltimore he bucked off Austin Meier, thwarted Mauney’s best effort in Winston-Salem, and turfed Fabiano Vieira in Tampa. Vieria isn’t one of the PBR’s top riders, but he probably will be soon. His riding percentage is over 76 percent in a short PBR career. Code Blue averaged 45.5 points per out during this stretch.
4: 494 Pinball Wizard – Jeff Robinson / Pinnacle Bull Group: Unlike some of the others, this bull isn’t a longtime PBR heavyweight, he isn’t big or strong, and he often plays right into his opponent’s strength by spinning into the rider’s hand. Many people may not have heard of him, yet he earns a place here, because he’s tossed five out of five recent PBR riders, including Chris Shivers, Austin Meier, and McKennon Wimberly. He’s been over 44 points each time. This is a bull that probably doesn’t strike very much fear into the hearts of riders, but still….they can’t ride him lately.
5: 532 Paycheck – Hyland Cattle Company: This is another bull that many may not have seen or heard of. In January he appeared four times at three Touring Pro events, and once at Anaheim, where he denied Aaron Roy in the short round after Roy had successfully ridden one of the PBR’s more difficult bulls in Round 1. Every one of his outs in January was in a short round, and this bull also earned a spot in the short round at the PBR World Finals in October. He’s been a solid 44 points-or-better bull since last fall.
Top 5 Buckoff Record: 22 buckoffs and two very unstylish qualified rides.
Close But No Cigar:
05 Bones: Can certainly bring the pain, but has a habit of getting ridden occasionally by guys he is supposed to be able to throw off.
K93 Major Payne: Let himself get ridden by Marchi in Baltimore.
CC Chicken on a Chain: Would have been high on the list if he hadn’t let Beau Hill stay on.
22S Priceless: Impressive D&H bull, but hasn’t appeared at a Built Ford Tough Series event since November. He is pretty much the only PBR bull who’s been able to unseat Silvano Alves (remember that name…).
41/5 Deja Blue: Was ridden by Cody Nance in New York, or would surely be on this list.
-by Slade Long
(Slade Long, PBR Web Developer and Statistician, has been crunching the numbers on bucking bulls for 11 years.)
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okay yeah jb's ride on code blue was a little pathetic but i mean that is one of if not the rankest bull in the pbr series right noe\w and jb stayed in him. on the side under his belly however he done it he done it. and there is no reason not to credit him on that. i thimk that it will be a while before someone stays on top on of code blue and make a 90pt ride.
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Joan Simpson
February 11, 2010Code Blue is definitely tops in just about everyones book.
But if you think it is a shame JB's "ride" on Code Blue counted as a "ride", then when Justin McBride rode Camo on the side for his first World Championship, do you think that was a shame it counted as a "ride"? -
Paula13820
February 10, 2010It's a shame they called that performance of JB on Code Blue a "ride"...I think it will be quite some time before anybody masters that bull!! He's still tops in MY book. -
Joan Simpson
February 10, 2010rezibd, You are so right. I have a black decal under my license plate of Adriano's signature that you see on his shirts of a bullrider and his name. I have been ask about it a lot. I have told so many people about the PBR. They just look at me funny or know what I am talking about. They just cannot believe that I would love bull riding. I encourage everyone to watch and tell them the time and channel.
We just have to educate these southerners. -
reznibd
February 10, 2010Okay, Big Tex bucked off Aaron Roy and Ben Jones in NY this year and Ryan McConnel covered him in Baltimore for 91.50. Gosh, Ryan hope you get to cover him in Dallas too!! We gotta get you some points--been missing you lately:( -
reznibd
February 10, 2010I heard the announcers say last weekend that Berger is nervous about his bulls doing the
back-to-back thing in Dallas, so maybe Big Tex is getting good and rested, but have we
seen him much at all so far this season? I don't think so, but will have to check the
stats to be sure.
Yes, we girls like to have fun and what's more fun the bulls? Not much, in my opinion!
Cactus-sue, in my part of the world in NC, few--if any--know about the PBR. If they do,
they don't talk much about it, but I'm doing my level best to change it around here.
I have a PBR decal on my left-rear car window and I do get a lot of questions at the grocery
store and other stops that I make. I drive a Ford and when I go to the dealership down the
road from my house I hear more about NASCAR, but one day the tech there said he was going
to take good care of me as he saw the decal and was pleased, so you just never know! -
bookdragon3
February 10, 2010This list is based on performances in the last 60 days. Big Tex has an impressive history,
but it's just not recent enough for this list. Consider this a "what have you done for me
lately" for bulls; something to keep in mind for those brackets and fantasy draws. -
ilikepie
February 9, 2010where's big tex???????????? -
cactus-sue
February 9, 2010Joan,
I agree! We girls DO want to have fun!!!
Funny story about your grand-daughter. I can't say that I blame her - I'd be under my seat! After the scare, I'd then want to pet the bull! ;)
How fun to "chat" with you all about this wonderful sport and these amazing animals! My friends here in CT think I'm nuts and most of them don't even know what bull riding is! What an education they've gotten! :>
We're waiting for the big nor'easter to hit tonight so tomorrow will be snuggle in the house and watch bulls! (I've still got the finals on my dvr - just can't part with it, also some videos!) -
Joan Simpson
February 9, 2010reznibd and cactus-sue, you are so right, they are great bulls. They don't dilly dally around they come out of the chute buck off rider and get out of the arena. Do their job and out they go.
When you go to the live events it just shows you how powerful those beast are. When you see it on TV it does not compare to seeing the strength of it at an event. You all know what I mean.
Something funny. We were sitting on the front row both nights and when Brittany was working, pushing two buttons, Reset and I said it wrong before the Replay buttons. A bull came at the rail and she shot back so fast you would not believe it. She said the announcer just died laughing. All of a sudden we just could not see her. It was funny. She thought it was also. It was really nice of them to offer her that job. Of course afterwards she took off to find JB. Oh, to be a teenager again.
I think we still feel that way. Don't you think so girls? It is great to have fun. -
cactus-sue
February 9, 2010Joan Simpson,
You doll! Thanks for thinking of me and mentioning me! I guess I've made a name for myself with bull-loving entries! I was soooooooooo excited to see this article and the fabulous picture of one of my favorite bulls, Voodoo Child! I was tickled in NY when I saw most of these bulls buck (much like you Joan this weekend in NC). It is quite impressive to see these guys in person! They are so much better than other bulls - BUT I LOVE THEM ALL!
Joan, I was also surprised to not see Big Tex's name mentioned. He finished second for champion bull last year. Let's show him some love too!
And how exciting for your granddaughter to be "working" at the event last weekend. She must have been so excited - especially to get photos and all behind the scenes. Sounds like you had a great time!
I hope these articles keep coming! -
reznibd
February 9, 2010Joan - was just thinking the other day that we haven't seen Big Tex for awhile. Guess he's resting up for the Iron Cowboy event!
Looked for you Saturday night on the TV, but since I didn't see a sign with your name on it. . . .
You got to see some mighty fine bulls in Winston as I did in Duluth last Nov. Gosh, wouldn't it have been awesome to see JB cover Code Blue? Better luck next time in Dallas. Ty said in his blog this week, though, that there were some bulls that he never could figure out and cover, but let's hope and pray such isn't the case for JB and Code Blue!
I love to get these kinds of articles about the bulls--they are quite something, aren't they?! -
Joan Simpson
February 9, 2010This past week-end, I saw all of these bulls buck but two, Priceless and Paycheck. It is unbelievable how hard these bulls buck. I am surprised that Big Tex is not mentioned. It seems like the more they are bucked the harder they get. I think they are going to get harder and harder to ride. I hope that JB can get Code Blue fgured out and gets in shape to ride him soon. Maybe at the Dallas Stadium it will happen. I hope so.
cactus-sue, this article is right up your alley. Great bulls! -
bullgirl104
February 9, 2010Interesting article, Go Code Blue!
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February 11, 2010