Mast, Cole and Parker attempting to make late-season push in Manchester
Each of the three notched critical qualified rides to advance to Round 2 as they attempt to qualify for the World Finals.
PUEBLO, Colo. – Three alternates were able to knock down qualified rides Friday night in Round 1 of the PBR Monster Energy Invitational in Manchester, New Hampshire, as they try to rally for World Finals berths with less than three weeks until the Finals begin on Nov. 3.
Marcus Mast (86.25 points on Not Today), Grayson Cole (83.5 points on Sugar Boom Boom) and D.J. Parker (80.75 points on Carlier Cartel) were able to notch critical qualified rides to advance to Round 2 on Saturday night at SNHU Arena.
Round 1 featured 40 contestants on Friday night. As part of the 2021 UTB event structure, any rider who is not seeded based on Unleash The Beast tour event standards (Top 30 available plus any Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour invites or injury exempt riders) will need to earn a qualified ride in Round 1 to advance to compete in Round 2.
That is why the rides for Mast, Cole and Parker were also so crucial.
Mast is attempting to compete at his second World Finals after riding in Arlington, Texas, as an alternate last season. Mast finished Round 1 in fourth place for 16 world points to jump from No. 65 to No. 57 in the world standings and is still 113 points out of the Top 35 heading into his Round 2 matchup against Two Socks (12-2, UTB).
Meanwhile, Cole and Parker each notched the first premier series rides of their careers on Friday night as they try to qualify for their first PBR World Finals.
Cole, 22, had bucked off the first 15 bulls of his career until converting on Sugar Boom Boom for 83.5 points and a sixth-place finish in Round 1. He picked up 14 world points to move up two spots in the world standings to No. 52 and is 88.67 points out of the Top 35. Cole has drawn Peep Show (17-8, UTB) for Round 2.
The No. 7-ranked rider in the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour standings also will have the VT Finals on Oct. 30-31 in Las Vegas to punch his ticket to the World Finals.
Parker, 26, is competing in only his second Unleash The Beast event and is amidst his first season in the PBR. The Ronan, Montana, native’s ride on Carlier Cartel helped him place seventh in Round 1 for 13 world points. Parker, who is not qualified for the Velocity Tour Finals, jumped 14 spots in the world standings to No. 66 overall, but he is still a good 128.5 points out of the Top 35. He will take on Moultrie Quicklock (2-1, UTB) in Round 2.
Fans can watch the conclusion of the PBR Monster Energy Invitational Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Professional Bull Riders - PBR MONSTER ENERGY INVITATIONAL
Manchester, NH, 2021 - Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Kaique Pacheco, 91-0-0-91.00-29 Points.
2. Jesse Petri, 89-0-0-89.00-18 Points.
3. Eli Vastbinder, 86.5-0-0-86.50-17 Points.
4. Marcus Mast, 86.25-0-0-86.25-16 Points.
5. Andrew Alvidrez, 83.75-0-0-83.75-15 Points.
6. Grayson Cole, 83.5-0-0-83.50-14 Points.
7. D.J. Parker, 80.75-0-0-80.75-13 Points.
8. Marco Eguchi, 76-0-0-76.00-4 Points.
João Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-0-0.00
Boudreaux Campbell, 0-0-0-0.00
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0-0-0.00
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0.00
Junior Patrik Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Chase Dougherty, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Teel, 0-0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0.00
João Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Jesus, 0-0-0-0.00
Daylon Swearingen, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-0-0-0.00
Eduardo Aparecido, 0-0-0-0.00
Mason Taylor, 0-0-0-0.00
Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-0-0-0.00
Manoelito de Souza Junior, 0-0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson, 0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Adriano Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0-0.00
Fernando Henrique Novais, 0-0-0-0.00
Ramon de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Dakota Louis, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Casper, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcos Gloria, 0-0-0-0.00
Carlos Garcia, 0-0-0-0.00
Joe Hostetler, 0-0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0-0.00
Jory Markiss, 0-0-0-0.00
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media