TACOMA, Wash. ― Professional Bull Riders rookie sensation Gage Gay tied for the top spot in Round 2 of the PBR Passport Invitational Sunday with world No. 1 Guilherme Marchi and led the Top 15 bull riders into the Built Ford Tough Championship Round, but it was a strong come-from-behind performance by Cody Nance that brought the event title to the Paris, Tenn., bull rider.
Gay, who had three Top-5 and four Top-10 finishes in just seven BFTS events this year before this weekend, was the man to beat going into the final round at the Tacoma Dome. He finished seventh in Round 1 and split Round 2 with Marchi before entering the chutes for his championship round ride on Buck Wild (Silver Creek Pro Rodeo) with the same aplomb he’s displayed throughout the season. However, just 2.65 seconds after he nodded his head he was in the dirt and Nance celebrated as the winner. Gay finished the event in fifth place and is now ninth in the PBR world standings.
Nance was one of four riders to make qualified rides in the championship round and also one of the same four men to go 3-for-3 on the event. His 89.75 points on New Holland PowerStar (Jeff Robinson/Bar 3D Bucking Bulls) was the high-marked ride of the PBR Passport Invitational and not only helped him capture the event title, but it also helped move him from 23rd to 16th in the world standings.
“It’s been a long time. It’s good to be back,†said Nance. “It’s been a rocky season – injuries, buckoffs, just one thing after another. But, I have a new rope this weekend and I feel good – I’m ready.â€
There was a three-way tie for second place with Marchi, Fabiano Vieira and rookie Tanner Byrne each earning 251.25 points on three bulls.
This is the second week in a row that Byrne has placed second; he claimed the spot solely last weekend in Phoenix. Byrne was offered a re-ride after his 82.25-point ride on Buck Off (Wentz Bucking Bulls) in the championship round, but declined the opportunity and opted to keep the points and the event standing.
The Salem National Lease High-Marked Bull of the Event was also a three-way tie. Fire Rock (Jeff Robinson/TNT Bucking Bulls), Rock River Red (Dakota Rodeo /Chad Berger/J.R. Scott/Dallas Schott) and Percolator (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls) each earned bull scores of 44.50 points and will split the $1,000 prize.
Tacoma was the 11th stop of 27 on the 2014 PBR Built Ford Tough Series schedule. The season kicked off Jan. 3-5 at Madison Square Garden in New York and will conclude at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 22-26 when the 2014 PBR World Champion, the bull rider who earns the most points during the 2014 season, will receive the coveted World Championship belt buckle and a $1 million bonus.
Next weekend the Built Ford Tough Series travels to Albuquerque, N.M. for the 18th consecutive Ty Murray Invitational, presented by Sandia Resort and Casino. The Top 35 men in the world will be in the house on Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22 at The Pit. They will be joined on Sunday, March 23, by reigning World Champion Bull Bushwacker. The event begins at 8 p.m. Friday, 7:50 p.m. Saturday and 1:50 p.m. Sunday. It will air live on Saturday and Sunday on CBS Sports Network at 11 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET, respectively.
The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network and networks around the world. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer.
Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series
PBR Passport Invitational
Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash.
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Total Points, Money Earned) ...
1. Cody Nance, 83.5-84.25-89.75-257.50 points, $35,550.00
2/4. Fabiano Vieira, 83.25-83-85-251.25 points, $12,500.00
2/4. Guilherme Marchi, 81.25-89-81-251.25 points, $13,265.00
2/4. Tanner Byrne, 85.75-83.25-82.25-251.25 points, $13,320.00
5. Gage Gay, 85-89-0-174.00 points, $7,515.00
6. Stormy Wing, 86.25-85.75-0-172.00 points, $6,500.00
7. Matt Triplett, 87-84.5-0-171.50 points, $6,580.00
8. Brady Sims, 85.25-82.25-0-167.50 points, $2,625.00
9. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 85.25-81.5-0-166.75 points, $2,125.00
10. Kasey Hayes, 84-82.25-0-166.25 points, $900.00
11. Eduardo Aparecido, 83.25-81.75-0-165.00 points, $850.00
12. Sean Willingham, 77.75-86-0-163.75 points, $2,100.00
13. Derek Powell, 80.75-82-0-162.75 points, $750.00
14. Marco Eguchi, 0-88.75-0-88.75 points, $2,700.00
15. Douglas Duncan, 85.75-0-0-85.75 points, $2,300.00
16. Jordan Hupp, 84.75-0-0-84.75 points, $770.00
17. Valdiron de Oliveira, 84-0-0-84.00 points, $400.00
18. Renato Nunes, 82.75-0-0-82.75 points, $400.00
19. Ryan Dirteater, 0-82-0-82.00 points, $400.00
20. Markus Mariluch, 0-81.25-0-81.25 points, $400.00
21. Billy Robinson, 0-80.75-0-80.75 points, $400.00
22. Harve Stewart, 0-80.5-0-80.50 points, $400.00
23. Silvano Alves, 0-79.75-0-79.75 points, $400.00
24. Alex Aparecido Marcilio, 79-0-0-79.00 points, $400.00
25. David Scott Mason, 76.25-0-0-76.25 points, $400.00
Chase Outlaw, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
Emilio Resende, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
J.B. Mauney, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
Jory Markiss, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
L.J. Jenkins, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
Lachlan Richardson, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
Mike Lee, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
Pistol Robinson, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
Skeeter Kingsolver, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
Ty Pozzobon, 0-0-0-0.00 points, $400.00
2014 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series Season Standings    Â
(Place, Rider, Events, Wins, Top 5's, Points, Total Winnings)
1. Guilherme Marchi, 11, 0, 5, 5,073.680, $112,001.67
2. Mike Lee, 11, 0, 5, 4,347.060, $51,303.54
3. Valdiron de Oliveira, 11, 1, 4, 4,024.620, $86,953.28
4. J. B. Mauney, 10, 2, 4, 4,010.870, $199,463.47
5. Fabiano Vieira, 10, 2, 4, 3,991.620, $105,187.66
6. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 11, 2, 4, 3,989.310, $143,249.01
7. Sean Willingham, 11, 1, 1, 2,870.000, $61,158.20
8. Stormy Wing, 10, 0, 1, 2,864.870, $39,650.50
9. Gage Gay, 7, 0, 3, 2,807.120, $61,119.40
10. Matt Triplett, 11, 0, 1, 2,731.450, $39,119.25
11. L.J. Jenkins, 11, 0, 1, 2,705.180, $31,461.92
12. Marco Eguchi, 11, 1, 2, 2,672.000, $70,151.67
13. Robson Palermo, 8, 0, 1, 2,409.250, $29,501.67
14. Emilio Rezende, 9, 1, 2, 2,282.250, $62,370.00
15. Cláudio Crisóstomo, 9, 0, 2, 2,214.870, $34,648.33
16. Cody Nance, 11, 1, 1, 2,208.120, $59,388.26
17. Silvano Alves, 11, 0, 0, 2,083.620, $15,898.33
18. Nathan Schapper, 6, 1, 1, 2,002.250, $44,087.20
19. Tanner Byrne, 2, 0, 2, 1,961.250, $44,124.49
20. Ty Pozzobon, 11, 0, 2, 1,935.370, $28,411.19
21. Eduardo Aparecido Silva, 10, 0, 0, 1,751.500, $14,728.33
22. Ryan Dirteater, 11, 0, 1, 1,680.500, $26,406.58
23. Billy Robinson, 11, 0, 0, 1,629.250, $18,757.55
25. Kasey Hayes, 9, 0, 0, 1,625.750, $22,108.19
24. Brady Sims, 4, 0, 0, 1,625.750, $22,090.08
26. Chase Outlaw, 11, 0, 0, 1,595.870, $24,761.25
27. Markus Mariluch, 10, 0, 1, 1,503.370, $16,875.75
28. Renato Nunes, 10, 0, 1, 1,374.500, $18,620.00
29. Zane Lambert, 4, 0, 1, 1,192.910, $29,160.38
30. Harve Stewart, 5, 0, 0, 1,178.660, $20,332.49
31. Pistol Robinson, 9, 0, 0, 1,120.040, $20,519.03
32. Reese Cates, 10, 0, 1, 1,115.000, $11,428.98
33. Douglas Duncan, 11, 0, 1, 1,045.370, $11,863.33
34. Jory Markiss, 10, 0, 0, 1,035.750, $18,449.61
35. Lachlan Richardson, 11, 0, 0, 885.750, $13,962.09
36. Jordan Hupp, 6, 0, 0, 830.250, $9,564.20
37. David Mason, 2, 0, 0, 786.370, $20,423.62
38. Ben Jones, 8, 0, 0, 696.620, $9,199.56
39. Jay Miller, 0, 0, 0, 692.870, $15,302.61
40. Austin Meier, 8, 0, 0, 600.120, $5,176.07
41. Kody Lostroh, 3, 0, 0, 583.750, $5,508.33
42. Jason Malone, 1, 0, 0, 575.750, $12,369.94
43. Josh Faircloth, 1, 0, 0, 567.930, $12,533.72
44. Brant Atwood, 6, 0, 0, 535.620, $6,256.91
45. Scottie Knapp, 0, 0, 0, 523.200, $10,107.35