PUEBLO, Colo. – Laramie Wilson admitted on Saturday night in Oklahoma City before the 15/15 Bucking Battle that he was curious how his bull Woopaa would respond to being ridden in back-to-back outs for 94.75 points or higher.

Would the judges still be impressed with the rising bovine star if he had a quick buckoff? Or was it paramount that Woopaa buck for a full 8 seconds seeing as he continuously gets stronger throughout each second of a ride?

Well, Woopaa gave Wilson a big reason to let out an exhale this weekend.

Woopaa erupted for a 47.25-point bull score when he bucked off 2018 Rookie of the Year Keyshawn Whitehorse in 2.14 seconds during the 15/15 Bucking Battle. All he needed was two leaps, and Whitehorse was sent crashing to the dirt.

“I want him to get a win and not get ridden every time,” Wilson said before the out. “Seeing that he is bucking harder at 8 seconds than he is at one or two seconds, I am not quite as scared about him being ridden. If he was starting to slow down or something, he would make me a little nervous, but he is finishing stronger than when he starts. I am not too concerned yet.

“When they ride him, he finishes stronger than he starts, so they are getting to see him do better, and he is getting those big scores. I was curious if he throws them off in two or three seconds what they would mark him. If he will be a 46 or 47, or like in Del Rio when he was 45.5, which isn’t bad, but to be in world title contention, you need those 46s or 47s.”

Woopaa’s career-high score propelled him ahead of Chiseled into the No. 1 ranking in the 2021 YETI World Champion Bull standings. Woopaa will not be bucking in this coming weekend’s PBR Nampa Invitational, but Chiseled will be competing in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.

2021 YETI World Champion Bull Standings 
1. Woopaa (46.56 points on four outs)
2. Chiseled (46.06 points on four outs)
3. Ridin Solo (45.5 points on best eight outs)
4. Marquis Metal Works Red Clark (45.41 on best eight outs)
5. Smooth Wreck (45.17 points on three outs)

Whitehorse rode Chiseled for 93.75 points last year at the World Finals.

“Woopaa is the real deal,” Whitehorse said. “(They are) two of the same. Just one goes left and the other goes right.”

This season, Woopaa is 2-0 against right-handed riders – Whitehorse and Colten Fritzlan (3.14 seconds in Del Rio, Texas), and 0-2 against lefties – Jose Vitor Leme (94.75 points in Fort Worth, Texas) and Boudreaux Campbell (95.5 points in Kansas City, Missouri).

“This was his first right-handed rider since both Jose and Boudreaux both rode him,” Wilson said. “He threw Colten off earlier in the year, and he was right-handed. We will see if left-handed guys really have an advantage, or maybe it is just a guy that is on top of his game that weekend picking him first in the draft.”

Two-time World Champion Justin McBride told Craig Hummer during the CBS national broadcast that he even wondered at first glance what the judges would do with such a quick buckoff until they saw the score flash onto the screen.

“It is the way he finishes Keyshawn is back right there, and it’s over,” McBride said. “But giving him that little kick; that is the last thing they see. That is a huge score. A monster score.”

Woopaa began 2021 with high expectations after winning the 2020 ABBI Classic title, and one of the early-season World Champion Bull favorites has certainly lived up to expectations through the first four months of the season.

Whether it was producing a massive bull score this past weekend in Oklahoma City or teaming up with Campbell for one of the greatest rides in PBR history, Wilson said the Barker Bulls/Hookin W Ranch team is thrilled with Woopaa’s start to 2021.

“We are super happy,” Wilson concluded. “This season has started better than we ever could have dreamed of. We just need to keep the ball rolling.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media