ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Joe Frost was standing on the back of the bucking chutes at the beginning of the Ty Murray Invitational Friday night when he saw fellow rookie Mason Taylor notch the first ride of the evening.

Immediately, the Albuquerque, New Mexico, bull riding faithful erupted in a vociferous ovation as Taylor picked up 88.5 points on Mr. Clean.

It was right then and there that Frost learned something.

“This is pretty neat,” Frost said. “I knew a guy wasn’t going to really hear the whistle. You just have to wait for the smoke. I was just going to try and make sure I rode one plenty long.”

Frost followed up as the next rookie to record a qualified ride inside The Pit during Round 1 of the Ty Murray Invitational, presented by Isleta Resort & Casino, when he rode Husker for 84.25 points.

The five-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier made sure to look for the celebratory smoke that is set off in-arena before grabbing for his bull rope and disembarking with a qualified ride.

“That is just a really good bull that comes from Owen Washburn,” he said. “He was just out there and around to the right. He had a little bit of suck back to him and he kind of wanted to pull me forward. He is one a guy should want to ride every time.”

Frost finished Round 1 in 10^th place.

There were 11 qualified rides Friday night.

Frost said he had heard stories about The Pit, how loud it becomes and the size of the arena, but it wasn’t until he stepped inside the home of the University of New Mexico Lobos that he really grasped how different this bull riding arena is compared to standard ones.

“It is loud and that arena is little,” Frost said. “I walked in and seen that and said, ‘Holy cow.’ I counted them panels and I called my wife, I said, ‘This arena is not even as big as the garden we just planted.”

Taylor admitted he was not prepared for how loud The Pit can get.

“They said we are all in a hole down here and I didn’t believe them,” he said. “Yeah, it is loud. It is 10 times louder than any event I have been to this year.”

Taylor finished Round 1 in third-place behind Jess Lockwood (89.5 points on Legit) and Chase Outlaw (89.5 points on Stunt Man Ray).

The 19-year-old gained 50 points toward the world standings and cut the gap between himself and Rookie of the Year leader Cody Jesus, who was bucked off by Thunderstruck, to 46.67 points.

Taylor said he benefitted from being the second rider out on the night.

“I really don’t like being far down the list,” Taylor said. “I get to thinking and my mind works against me. You see what happens when I go early.”

Taylor and Frost were joined by Ezekiel Mitchell as the three rookies to find 8-second success on Friday night.

Mitchell rode Safe Bet for 82.75 points to finish Round 1 in 11^th place.

The 22-year-old got to meet Murray two weeks ago during the grand opening of the PBR Sport Performance Center in Pueblo, Colorado.

Mitchell said winning the Ty Murray Invitational has always been a bucket list goal.

Round 2 continues on Saturday night at The Pit at 8:30 p.m. ET on RidePass.

“This is an event I have dreamed coming to since I started looking into bull riding,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know. I always heard about how prestigious it is to win this event and when I started moving up, they all said how small it was and how the energy is.

“I am a guy that really feeds off great crowds. The Navajo nation is here and it is awesome. They know their bull riding and they get behind their guys. It is a feeling like none other.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko