From the Vault: Mauney wins three consecutive 15/15 Bucking Battles
In 2016, J.B. Mauney nearly won a third world title, winning three straight 15/15 Bucking Battles in his push up the world standings.
PUEBLO, Colo. – Two-time World Champion J.B. Mauney seemed poised to have taken over the world No. 1 ranking in the championship round at the 2016 PBR World Finals with a monster 90-plus ride on Stone Sober before a judge’s review revealed Mauney had slapped the D&H Cattle Company bull.
The slap likely cost Mauney a record-tying third world title, seeing as 2016 World Champion Cooper Davis and No. 2 Kaique Pacheco would go on to buck off in the final round of competition.
It was a tough way for Mauney to end the season after he led the premier series with a 56.34% riding average, 16 round wins, three 15/15 Bucking Battle victories and seven 90-point rides.
Mauney, who was simply dominant at times in 2016, finished third in the world standings, only 1,107.5 points behind Davis.
2016, in particular, featured two especially marquee Mauney moments.
Fans can rewatch the Sioux Falls 15/15 Bucking Battle exclusively on the PBR’s Facebook account Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET.
Nine-time stock contractor of the year Chad Berger said the ride could have been 96 points by his standards when he purchased Pearl Harbor later that season.
It was the third consecutive 15/15 Bucking Battle victory for Mauney. He had never won a 15/15 Bucking Battle in his career in 25 previous attempts.
The other memorable moment of 2016 for Mauney came in Nampa, Idaho, when he ended Stone Sober’s streak of 31 consecutive buckoffs with a memorable 92.5-point ride to pick up his first and only event win of 2016.
Mauney won Round 4 at the Finals in a last push at the world title with a 90.25-point ride on Red Dawn. He then selected Jared Allen’s Air Time for Round 5. Air Time was called for a foul during the ride attempt, partially dislocating Mauney’s left shoulder in the process. Mauney was then bucked off by Jack Shot (3.01 seconds) on his re-ride attempt.
Going beyond the Stone Sober attempt and his failed conversion on Jack Shot, Mauney was still extremely close to repeating as World Champion in 2016.
Mauney finished runner-up at three regular-formatted premier series events, and with one or two more event victories, the richest bull rider in PBR history may have been another $1 million richer.
PBR.com’s From the Vault series today takes readers back to Mauney’s three 15/15 Bucking Battles in 2016.
Mauney’s Fight Through Injury Paid Off Big Time in Sioux Falls (94.25 points on Pearl Harbor)
J.B. Mauney walked off the shark cage inside the Denny Sanford Premier Center with his left arm locked tight to the side of his body Saturday night.
Mauney, trying to keep a smile on his face, was doing all he could to not to show any sort of pain on his face following his 15/15 Bucking Battle winning 94.25-point ride on Pearl Harbor.
He then made his way to his daughter, Bella, and lifted her high into the air before posing for some photos.
PBR Director of Livestock Cody Lambert was off to the side watching Mauney’s celebration and said, “It is a big deal for a lot of guys, but J.B. rides hurt. J.B. is the best bull rider in the world for a reason because he is tough and gets it done. You watch him walking out of here. He still hasn’t let his arm drop down because his elbow is sore.
“Riding a rank one like that makes you feel better.”
J.B. Mauney shrugged after winning his first 15/15 Bucking Battle this past weekend at Scottrade Center.
The active leader in 90-point rides, event wins, and round wins had to wait until his 90.25-point ride on Sheep Creek to finally celebrate a 15/15 Bucking Battle victory.
Sheep Creek was the same bull that cost him a $100,000 victory at the 2015 Calgary Stampede.
Regardless, the accomplishment was a mute one to him for the most part.
“That gold buckle is the only thing I worry about,” Mauney said. “It is good winning events and winning them rounds, but, shoot, that is the only thing that is on my list. Winning that gold buckle. It makes you feel good when (you win) a 15/15 when that is the rankest bulls here. To win one, that means you rode a bad one to do it.”
Mauney takes over world No. 1 ranking and pads lead (89 points on Wicked in Des Moines, Iowa)
J.B. Mauney didn’t take long to pad his new No. 1 world ranking.
One hour after finishing fourth in Round 1 to take over the world lead from Paulo Lima, Mauney rode Wicked for 89 points to win his second consecutive 15/15 Bucking Battle and extend his lead to 122.5 points.
Mauney first passed Lima with an 85-point ride on Big Country in Round 1 for a fourth-place finish and 40 world points.
The defending World Champion then earned 150 world points with another 15/15 Bucking Battle victory after winning the St. Louis edition with a 90.25-point ride on Sheep Creek.
After not winning a single 15/15 Bucking Battle since the PBR first unveiled the special round of competition in 2012, Mauney has now won two in a row.
“I don’t know. I guess all of the cards are playing out right I guess,” Mauney said.
Mauney was able to stay upright aboard Wicked despite the bull stumbling within the first few seconds out of the bucking chute.
“I knew that bull and had seen him quite a bit,” Mauney said. “I never had been on him and wasn’t sure what he was going to feel like. I knew he would go either way and bucked. All I did was I just nodded my head and I didn’t turn loose. When he stumbled, it kind of helped me out and put me exactly where I kind of needed to be so when he jumped back up I kind of picked him back up and we went on with it. Once he got to whirling it was fun after that.”
Lima bucked off Valedictorian in 4.84 seconds in Round 1, but he responded with an 86-point ride on Brutus for a fourth-place finish and 60 world standings points in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.
Mauney outgained Lima, who entered the night with a 7.5-point lead, by 130 points.
Last year, Mauney took over the world lead in September in Thackerville, Oklahoma, and never let it go.
Now, he is back on top only seven events into the season.
“Bring it on because I don’t plan on letting off that gas pedal anytime soon,” Mauney concluded.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko