[Editor’s Note: The PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals will be a six-round event this year after encompassing eight rounds the past six years. Before we look ahead, let’s take a peak back at some of the great moments from the 2004-09 Finals. Writer Chris McManes – who’s been covering PBR since 1996 – will feature eight achievements until the start of the showdown in Las Vegas.]

Julio and Cindy Moreno’s prized bull Troubadour was the sentimental favorite to capture PBR World Champion Bull honors at the 2008 Built Ford Tough World Championship. Five at the time, he was named by the Morenos’ late son, Mikel, who died two years earlier at 18.

Tom Teague’s prized bull, Bones, was a quarter-point better, however, in the second three-out showdown for World Champion Bull.

In the end, the 47 bull points Bones earned in Round 2 for bucking off two-time World Champion Justin McBride held up over the 46.75 points Troubadour received for helping J. B. Mauney Michael Gilliard. The two great bulls were even the rest of the way.

After posting 46.5-point performances on the their second out (Round 4), Bones and Troubadour each collected 47.25 points in the short go. Bones ended 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi’s attempt to become the first man to ride all eight bulls at the Finals, and Troubadour grounded two-time World Champion Chris Shivers in 5 seconds.

Bones finished the competition with 140.75 points to Troubadour’s 140.5. All In (Naccarato Bucking Bulls) finished third (140), Spit Fire (C&G Rodeo Livestock) was fourth (137.5) and Copperhead Slinger (Chad Berger & Clay Struve) fifth (136.75).

“I thought it came as close as it can get between those top four bulls,” PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert said shortly afterward. “Even Copperhead Slinger was good, but Spit Fire, Troubadour and All In were amazing. Bones was just a little better than they were.

“And he had to prove it with the top bull rider in the world on him.”

Bones was unridden in 11 attempts and won $20,000 and a Big Tex stock trailer for Teague at the Finals. His total score was also tops among all bulls in Las Vegas and earned him the Mikel Moreno Bull of the PBR World Finals award. Troubadour was second and All In third. Troubadour shared the honor the previous year.

Troubadour, the 2007 ABBI Bucking Bull Classic Champion, will be retired at this year’s World Finals.

Chicken on a Chain (Robinson, Tedesco & Larry the Cable Guy) won the first World Champion Bull competition in 2007. Prior to that, PBR’s World Finalists voted on the association’s No. 1 bull. Code Blue (Berger, Struve, Wagoner & Walton) earned the title of 2009 World Champion Bull.

— by Chris McManes