Woopaa erupts for 46.5 points keep pace in YETI World Champion Bull race
Woopaa is ranked No. 2, behind No. 1 Ridin Solo, as he pursues a second world title.
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Laramie Wilson knows he may have a problem on his hands coming up. Still, he isn’t going to complain too much if reigning YETI World Champion Bull Woopaa bucks as he did on Sunday at the U.S. Border Patrol Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires.
Woopaa has had a few trips this season where he has surprisingly gone to the right or eventually turned back to the right, but his out with Derek Kolbaba inside Gila River Arena was arguably the best trip he has ever had going to the right.
The 6-year-old bovine drifted with power and speed across the arena dirt with a fearless Kolbaba refusing to give in. Woopaa finally dislodged the Walla Walla, Washington, native off his back at the 6.99-second mark.
Woopaa was marked 46.5 points. A series of riders on the back of the chutes, including 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco and three-time World Champion Silvano Alves, openly expressed shock that Woopaa bucked so strongly to the right.
Wilson was all smiles regardless.
“That’s a successful trip,” Wilson said with a laugh. “I don’t mean his trip (because of the stumble), but I mean it was worth me coming to Glendale, Arizona. Now I’ve got to worry about how you get Silvano and right-handed guys.”
Woopaa had not been marked more than 46 points in his previous two outs. His Glendale performance helps him stay within striking distance (45.83 points per out) of No. 1 Ridin Solo (46.13 points) in the 2022 YETI World Champion Bull race.
The 2022 YETI World Champion Bull will be the animal with the highest average bull score from their top-six regular-season outs and two outs at the PBR World Finals.
Ridin Solo was bucking for the seventh time this season. He was able to drop a lower score from earlier this season after being marked a respectable 45.75 points on Sunday afternoon as Kyler Oliver gritted his way to a 90.75-point ride in the championship round.
Oliver had to be helped to the PBR sports medicine room for treatment on his free arm, but the No. 4-ranked bull rider in the world told PBR.com on Sunday evening that he believes he escaped serious injury.
“Yeah, I don’t think anything is broke,” Oliver said via text message. “He just stomped on my arm real good.”
Wilson next expects to buck Woopaa twice at the Ty Murray Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in two weeks. Woopaa is getting closer and closer to the weight he was at when he won the 2021 YETI World Championship, and Wilson believes Woopaa has lost about 150 or so pounds and will be ready for two outs at The Pit in Albuquerque.
“I finally got him about the weight I want him at, so I think right now, we’re just going to go get better and better from here on out,” Wilson concluded. “He was about 1,500 last year when Jose got on him (at the Finals), and today he looks pretty dang close to the same. He is probably in the high 1,400s or low 1,500s.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media