FORT WORTH, Texas ― It was anything but just another Fridaynight.
The 1999 World Finals were the first to be held at the Thomas& Mack Center in Las Vegas and the nightbefore Jerome Robinson wasn't so surethe arena and production crews would even be set up in time for theevent to take place.
Calling it the "most stressful production experience" of hiscareer, Robinson said he arrived at the arena on Friday "trying tofigure out how to recover from the day before."
"With myself personally, it was an exhausting week and if youwould have told me that I was going to enjoy myself that much onthat particular night…" continued Robinson, who got lost in his ownthoughts remembering that famous night in 1999. "I got toexperience the greatest night of bull riding that I've everexperienced."
There were 11 scores of 90 points or better.
To put that number into perspective, there were 15 scores of 91points or more in five rounds and eight of them ― or more thanhalf ― happened Friday night, in Round 2. Five of whichthat scored 94 points or higher.
TerryDon West and two-time WorldChampion Chris Shivers were 96 pointseach. West rode Promise Land, while Shiverswas on Trick or Treat. Nine-time WorldChampion and PBR co-founder TyMurray rode Red Wolf for95.5.
Jaron Nunnemaker and JimSharp were 94 each with Nunnemaker ridingPanhandle Slim and Sharp making the whistleon Jim Jam.
Two-time World Champion Justin McBride,who has worked as a PBR broadcaster since retiring at theconclusion of the 2008 season, has often joked that he was 91points on Nitro and didn't place in theTop 5. Mike White also scored 91 pointson Skat Kat Skoal.
He and McBride split seventh and eighth in the round and weren'teven close to earning a check.
The two rides that stood out to Robinson were Nunnemaker andMurray.
Robinson admitted that never in his wildest imagination and onhis best day as a bull rider could he picture himself making thewhistle on Panhandle Slim.
While he was impressed by the unthinkable, when Nunnemaker rodePanhandle Slim, he referred to Murray's ride on Red Wolf as"unbelievably classy."
According to Robinson, Murray, who won the Finals event averagethat year, had perfect form and perfect execution in matching RedWolf move for move.
"It's one of the classic bull rides of all time and one of theprettiest ones," Robinson said.
Earlier this year, the PBR, which is celebrating its 20anniversary season, announced the 20 greatest moments in PBRhistory and the Friday night performance was among the list.
"That's what the PBR is all about," Robinson said. "Excellencepersonified.
"Nobody will ever make me believe there's been a better night ofbull riding ― PBR or otherwise ― in the history of bullriding."
That's saying a lot for a man who's been watching bull ridingsince the late '50s, early '60s.
Robinson graduated high school in 1965 and has been involved inprofessional bull riding as a rider, producer, promoter and PBRconfidante ever since ― that's 48 years at the professionallevel.
In all those years there hasn't been another night, much less anevent that is even comparable to the '99 Finals. Robinson isn't theonly one who recalls 1999, namely that Friday night performance,with such fondness.
Riders and stock contractors throughout the sport recall it withequal admiration.
He can't say with any amount of certainty if the fans understoodthe significance of the moment as it was unfolding before theireyes.
However, since then everyone has come to appreciate itsprominence as one of the greatest moments in PBR history.
Follow Keith Ryan Cartwright on Twitter @PBR_KRC