CALGARY, Alberta ―  When the final whistle blew at the 2009 Calgary Stampede, J.B. Mauney was so excited, he forgot to open his hand as the bull riding champion jumped off Wrangler Rock Star following his 92.5-point ride.

His $100,000 celebration was put on hold for a brief moment though.

"I tried to jump off and ended up dragging up underneath him," Mauney said. "The best feeling I had was when I heard that whistle blow."

It was an unforgettable moment for the eight-year Built Ford Tough Series veteran, who will attempt to win his second Calgary Stampede bull riding title starting Tuesday when Pool B gets underway at the Stampede grounds.

Mauney highlights the 10-man pool, which will jockey for position through Friday, and also features Aaron Roy, Austin Meier, Beau Schroeder, Mike Lee, L.J. Jenkins, Luke Snyder, Valdiron de Oliveira, Seth Glause and Jody Turner.

"You set goals and stuff, and you want to be there, but it really don't set in - or sink in - that I'm going to be there.  Then when you do get there, it's a pretty cool feeling."

The Top 4 money earners in Pool B will advance to face off with the Top 4 earners from Pool A, as well as two wild card winners, on Sunday.

The Mooresville, N.C., native knew on that day in 2009 that as long as he rode the star Canadian bull he would certainly win the title ― a surreal moment for any bull rider.

Mauney still remembers looking around the locker room in Calgary and seeing all of the photos of past Calgary Stampede winners that he grew up watching on TV.

"It's kind of weird, because when you're that young, you never expect yourself to be there," Mauney said. "You set goals and stuff, and you want to be there, but it really don't set in ― or sink in ― that I'm going to be there.  Then when you do get there, it's a pretty cool feeling."

RELATED: J.B. Mauney wins the 2009 Calgary Stampede

What also has been unusual is not seeing Mauney's name this summer at bull riding events across the U.S. Mauney has been known for his toughness on the BFTS ― he broke all of his ribs on his right side in 2005 ― and has competed with his fair share of injuries.

Yet, Mauney chose to take the last month off after suffering two broken ribs on a practice bull the week before Last Cowboy Standing. The 2009 World Finals event winner was able to fight through the pain and compete in Las Vegas, but then suffered another broken rib ― this time one of his floating ribs ― during the final competition of the first half of the BFTS season.

Battered and beaten from the tough rigors of the BFTS schedule, Mauney decided to pull out of some Touring Pro Division events to take some time to recover. The injuries had gotten to the point where Mauney was losing the itch to climb aboard the fierce bovines.

"Going every weekend for three months straight will wear you down," he said. "Getting on those caliber of bulls every night, I was getting beat all to hell.

"After that Vegas deal, I called them guys and told them 'I hate to do it to you, but I have to draw out.' I said, 'I'm beat. I need to spend some time at home and make me crave it again and want to go. Because right now, the way I feel, it's like, damn, I have to get on another.'"

The itch is back though. And so is Mauney.

After winning the Farmington, N.M., TPD event on June 28-29 in his return to action, Mauney rode some bulls for Wolf Creek Cattle Company at a non-bull riding event in Oklahoma last weekend and is now slated to make a run at the Calgary Stampede title.

It's a task that sounds much enjoyable to the 5-foot-10 rider after spending a month at home and working on the farm.

"The (itch) is back where it needs to be," Mauney said. "A month at home - that's as long as I have ever sat, unless I was hurt and couldn't go. I told somebody when we got done (farming), 'I think I'm going to go back to bull riding and hang on, because it's a lot easier to ride bulls then it is to farm.'"

Mauney, who arrived in Calgary on Monday, joked he wasn't sure if he would have to rent a car or a boat in Calgary after the Canadian province was hit with serious flooding last month. However, he was excited to hear the Stampede would go on through "hell or high water."

Now, Mauney is focused on making a run for the title after failing to qualify for the championship round last year despite riding four bulls in pool play.

Much has changed since the current 26-year-old picked up the $100,000 check in 2009.

After admitting he blew through his 2009 winnings, Mauney would love to take this year's potential $100,000 and make a wise investment.

"It would mean a lot," Mauney said. "A lot of things changed since 2009. I am married and have a family now. We've been looking at some bigger houses and $100,000 is a pretty good down payment on a house."

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko.