FORT WORTH, Texas – Cord McCoy is used to the rollercoaster of emotions and lead changes that the PBR World Finals continues to bring year after year.

McCoy competed at the PBR World Finals six times, but this year, his nerves are that much higher as a stock contractor hauling a YETI World Champion contending bull. As a bull rider, McCoy was in control of his destiny. Nowadays, McCoy’s success lies in the hands – or should we say hooves – of Ridin Solo, and on Saturday night, his heartstrings were yanked on during Round 2 of the 2022 PBR World Finals.

Current World Finals event leader Josh Frost rode Ridin Solo for 92.75 points, but the problem for McCoy was that his bovine superstar was marked 45 points.

However, the score would surprisingly still push Ridin Solo into sole possession of the world No. 1 ranking after defending World Champion Woopaa scored a season-low 43.25 points when he bucked off Dalton Kasel in 5.64 seconds.

“I had the honor to go first today (before Woopaa), and there for a minute, I felt like I wasn’t enough at all,” McCoy said. “Early in the game, Cliff Hanger put up a 46, so it kind of built me up that Solo was later, and there could be a higher score than that. Josh made a great bull ride, and so technically correct. He got him around to the left, and it almost looked like he kind of beat him out of the box, and he caught up with him, rode him both ways just as good as you ever could. And then I seen the 45, and I was kind of just thinking, ‘Oh, this score won’t even be considered. It won’t count.’ And then we watched the rest of the show, and I’ll take the 45 and move on to the next round.”

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.

The top bucking bulls competing at the Finals will receive three outs, and World Champion contenders will be able to drop their lowest score in Fort Worth. The 2022 YETI Bull of the Finals will be the top bull based on all three scores and receive a $25,000 bonus.

“It’s always nice when a plan comes together,” Frost said. “He was strong around that left. I honestly wasn’t riding him as good left as I would’ve liked, but I knew that right was coming. As soon as it did, I charged that front end and felt like I finished him super strong. That bull’s an amazing athlete. I’d like to see him win Bull of the Year. He’s as cool as they come.”

Cliff Hanger, also owned by McCoy, is the top bull at the PBR Finals through two rounds of competition with a 46-point score. Cliff Hanger bucked off Ramon de Lima in 1.69 seconds.

Ridin Solo now has a World Champion Bull average of 46.11, while Woopaa’s average dropped to 45.86. Pookie Holler (45.68), Moonlight Party (45.64) and Blue Duck (45.57) round out the Top 5 in the YETI World Champion Bull standings.

Ridin Solo, Woopaa and the rank pen bulls are next slated to buck Thursday in Round 4.

McCoy expects Woopaa, as well as Ridin Solo, to rebound on Thursday night. He knows the world title race is far from over, especially because the title contenders can drop their lower score at the Finals.

“The funny thing about it is I feel like both of the bulls drawed as good as they possibly could have,” McCoy said. “That was supposed to be our home-field advantage, best draw. Tonight was the night for those big scores.

“It’s still a race. I feel like we’ve got to base it. We’ve got somebody standing on first base right now, but it’s sure a long ways from over.”

Last year, Woopaa roared back to life to win the world title when he was scored 48.75 points during Jose Vitor Leme’s historic 98.75-point record-setting bull ride. Woopaa began the 2021 World Finals with a 45-point score when he surprisingly went to the right and bucked off Daylon Swearingen (3 seconds).

“We watched Woopaa last year at the PBR World Finals kind of be sub-Woopaa and then come back with the monster score the second time,” McCoy said. “So, until they fold up the seats Sunday (May 22), I wouldn’t count the race over. If you put a 49 with a 43, it’s still a good score.”

McCoy also believes the time off in the coming days will benefit the bulls bucking at Dickies Arena later this week.

“Solo made the big trip to Billings (two weeks ago), and he’s done nothing but rest since he’s got back,” McCoy said. “He’s kind of been no exercise, just resting. About three days before the Finals started, the biggest heatwave we’ve had all year kind of hit in there, and he’s kind of laid around a lot. He went from freezing cold Billings to 100-degree Texas weather, so either he adjusts to it, or it cools off a little bit. It’s going to help both of them as well.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media