The twenty-first stop on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler represented a true clash of the titans as the toughest athletes on dirt faced off in the ultimate test of skill and determination. The compelling sport of bull riding PBR style provided electrifying entertainment and a nail biting finish for the Kemper Arena audience on Sunday afternoon as Dave Samsel (Stephenville, Texas) captured the Cabela's Classic event title and $27,939 in the process.

'It's about time isn't it?' Exclaimed Samsel immediately following his Cabela's Classic event championship. Samsel, thirty-three, has been uncharacteristically absent from the BFTS winner's circle in 2004 until now. A spectacular 91 point trip aboard D & H Cattle Company's Western Wishes changed all that as Samsel cinched the prestigious BFTS event crown edging out fellow Stephenville, Texas resident Gilbert Carrillo in a half point upset.

Samsel, who is a Kansas native, had three prior meetings with Western Wishes and maintains a two and two record against the bull. 'He really kicks right out of the chute and then normally flattens out, but he can also be really welly. It helps to have had him before because once you know about his different tactics the trick is to just stay square and focus on the basics, which worked today,' explained Samsel.

Despite failing to cover his first go round draw, Bo Time of Page and Teague Bucking Bulls', Samsel rebounded with determination and recovered confidently with an 87.5 point second go round performance aboard Roy Carter Bucking Bulls' Public Enemy to comfortably qualify for the Built Ford Tough Championship go round. Final round competition sizzled as Samsel and Carrillo each turned up the heat to post 91 point scores aboard Western Wishes and Salt River Rodeo Bulls' Honkey Cat respectively. In his half point upset over Carrillo, Samsel secured the second coveted BFTS title of his career and propelled his lifetime PBR earnings to an impressive $633,066.

To round out the top three finishers it was Carrillo followed by Cory Rasch with 177.5 points on two head. Of the PBR's current top three contenders for the million dollar PBR world championship crown, Mike Lee was the only man to qualify for the Cabela's Classic event finals, leaving Adriano Moraes (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Justin McBride (Elk City, Okla.) watching from the sidelines. Lee's hopes for the first event championship of 2004 were dashed by Paradise Farms' Slim Shady in final round action.

As selected by the event judges, the top bull honors were awarded to Painted Desert owned by Berger and Ryken Bucking Bulls, while second place went to Crossfire Hurricane owned in partnership by Page and Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC.

The Cabela's Classic also featured the ultimate in American freestyle bullfighting action as bullfighters attempted to qualify for the World Bullfighting Championships to be held in conjunction with the PBR World Finals. The top freestyle bullfighter of the weekend was Andy Burelle.

PBR commentary during the Outdoor Life Network's (OLN) broadcast of the Cabela's Classic is brought to fans by the capable team of Leah Garcia, Brett Haber, Tuff Hedeman, and Justin McKee. Over 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on NBC, OLN and in Spanish on Telemundo. With over 235 hours of prime time programming annually PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air, in addition to attracting over one million live event attendees each year with its multi-tiered event structure which includes the marquee Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler, the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Challenger Tour, and the Humps N Horns Tour, designed specifically for entry level contestants. The PBR's founding members and governing board of directors is comprised of celebrated bull riders of the past and present who have developed bull riding into a stand alone sport which is experiencing unprecedented growth in global popularity. The PBR is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., and has over 600 athletes competing in more than 100 PBR sanctioned competitions.

BEHIND THE CHUTES:

Mossy Oak Shoot Out: The prestigious Mossy Oak Shoot Out went unclaimed when Mark Ward failed in his attempt to cover High Tide owned by Paradise Farms during the Mossy Oak Shoot Out bonus round, and consequently the bonus money increases to $25,000 during Bullnanza-Nashville on June 25-26.

Enterprise Ride with the Best Bonus: As the Pennzoil Invitational event champion, Adriano Moraes (Sao Paulo, Brazil) was eligible for the "Enterprise Ride with the Best" $5,000 first round bonus which he earned when he scored 84.5 points on Nelson, Beeler, and Mundorf's bull White Line Fever. Moraes failed in his attempt at the additional $5,000 bonus during the second go round of action.

As the Cabela's Classic event champion, Dave Samsel (Stephenville, Texas) is eligible for the "Enterprise Ride with the Best" bonus at Bullnanza-Nashville on June 25-26. If Samsel successfully covers either of his preliminary go round bulls, he will earn an additional $5,000 per ride sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Ford Truck Moment of Truth Bonus: Mike Lee (Paradise, Texas) led the event going into the Built Ford Tough Championship Round however did not successfully capture the over-all event championship and consequently the Ford Truck Moment of Truth bonus escalates to $25,000.

Bud Light Short Go Top Qualifiers Bonus: Mike Lee (Paradise, Texas) was awarded the $2,500 Bud Light Short Go Top Qualifier Bonus since he advanced to the Built Ford Tough Championship Round in the top spot and participates in the program by wearing the Bud Light patch.

INJURY REPORT:

Dan Henricks (Logan, Okla.) ' Stepped on and suffered partial avulsion of right ear, competing.

Corey Navarre (Weatherford, Okla.) ' Broken rib and sprained knee, out for 2-4 weeks.

Cabela's Classic Event Results:

FIRST ROUND: 1) Mark Ward (North Platte, Neb.) 88 points on D & H Cattle Company's Rubberband Man, $2,730; 2/3) Gilbert Carrillo (Stephenville, Texas) 87 points on Frontier Rodeo Company's Good Vibrations, 1,560; 2/3) Ross Johnson (Alvord, Texas) 87 points on Corey Check's Captain Crook, $1,560; 4) Mike Lee (Paradise, Texas) 86.5 points on Paul Mendell's Bobby, $780;

SECOND ROUND: 1) Mike Lee (Paradise, Texas) 89.5 points on C & C Rodeo Company's Jack Daniel's Happy Hour, $2,730; 2/3) Mike Collins (Haskell, Okla.) 88 points on Salt River Rodeo Bulls' Iceman, $1,560; 2/3) Brandon Berry (Winnfield, La.) 88 points on Gene Owen Bucking Bulls' Iceman, $1,560; 4/7) Ned Cross (Dolores, Calif.) 87.5 points on David Wesson's Vanilla Ice, $449; 4/7) Dave Samsel (Stephenville, Texas) 87.5 points on Roy Carter Bucking Bulls' Public Enemy, $449; 4/7) B.J. Kramps (Crooked Creek, Alberta Canada) 87.5 points on Gene Owen Bucking Bulls' Spinner Bait, $449; 4/7) Cory Rasch (Clarksville, Tenn.) 87.5 points on D & H Cattle Company's Sauce, $449;

BUILT FORD TOUGH CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND: 1/2) Gilbert Carrillo (Stephenville, Texas) 91 points Salt River Rodeo Bulls' Honkey Cat, $2,340; 1/2) Dave Samsel (Stephenville, Texas) 91 points on D & H Cattle Company's Western Wishes, $2,340; 3) Cory Rasch (Clarksville, Tenn.) 90 points on Curtis Mendell's Rotten Cotton, $1,170;

OVERALL EVENT STANDINGS: 1) Dave Samsel (Stephenville, Texas) 178.5 points, $27,939; 2) Gilbert Carrillo (Stephenville, Texas) 178 points, $16,550; 3) Cory Rasch (Clarksville, Tenn.) 177.5 points, $9,769; 4) Mike Lee (Paradise, Texas) 176 points, $10,410;

BUILT FORD TOUGH SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1) Adriano Moraes (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 7,948.5 points; 2) Justin McBride (Elk City, Okla.) 6,354 points; 3) Mike Lee (Alvord, Texas) 6,075.5 points; 4) Mike White (Dekalb, Texas) 4,541.5 points; 5) Ross Coleman (Redmond, Ore.) 4,323 points; 6) Mike Collins (Haskell, Okla.) 4,285 points; 7) Jody Newberry (Ada, Okla.) 4,244 points; 8) Brendon Clark (Morpeth, NSW Australia), 3,998 points; 9) Greg Potter (Queensland, Australia) 3,437 points; 10) Brian Herman (Inez, Texas) 3,326 points.