ST. LOUIS – Two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood is on the doorstep of the world No. 1 ranking once again, but his weekend in St. Louis did not end the way he would have liked.
Bezerk bucked Lockwood off in 5.17 seconds in the championship round of the U.S. Border Patrol Invitational, costing him a chance at winning his second event of 2020.
To make matters more frustrating for Lockwood, he also had to limp his way off the dirt after Bezerk clipped him on his right ankle.
The good news, though, is that Lockwood did not break his ankle and said he will be good to go for next weekend’s Caterpillar Classic in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as the WCRA’s Royal City Roundup.
The official diagnosis from Dr. Tandy Freeman is a bruised right ankle for the No. 2 bull rider in the world standings.
Lockwood heads into Kansas City 115 points behind world No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme.
Leme won his third UTB event of the 2020 season by riding Night Shift for 88.75 points two riders before Lockwood attempted to reach the 8 on Bezerk.
Lockwood entered the championship round atop the world standings following his 88.5-point ride on Soup in a Group in Round 2.
TEEL QUESTIONABLE FOR KANSAS CITY
2012 PRCA champion Cody Teel is also scheduled to ride at the Royal City Roundup in Kansas City on Friday night, but Teel said he is taking things day by day after he aggravated his right knee injury from the 2019 PBR World Finals when he was bucked off by Acting Crazy in 5.44 seconds.
Teel is also sitting 46th in the PBR world standings and is down to his final guaranteed exemption next weekend. The College Station, Texas, bull rider is only 15.91 points behind the Top 35.
If he is good to go for next weekend, Teel would have the opportunity at the WCRA event to earn Velocity level points toward the PBR world standings, as well as at the UTB event on Saturday and Sunday at the Sprint Center.
ADDITIONAL INJURY UPDATES
According to Dr. Tandy Freeman, Rubens Barbosa and Brennon Eldred are probable for next weekend. Barbosa aggravated a right knee sprain during his 3.85-second buckoff against Gambini, while Eldred bruised his left forearm after he rode Losing My Religion for 87 points in the championship round.
According to Freeman, Jake Lockwood had to receive stitches for a facial laceration inside the PBR sports medicine room after Evil Intentions bucked him off in three seconds and caught him in his face with a horn.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko