WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Carolina Cowboys made their hometown debut with a bang Friday evening, registering a commanding game win as the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series’ Cowboy Days got underway in Winston-Salem, North Carolina inside LJVM Coliseum.
Going head-to-head against the Missouri Thunder, the Cowboys won their fifth consecutive game, riding three of their five bulls to hand the Thunder a scoreless 261.5-0 defeat. Improving to 9-5 on the season, the Cowboys also rose to No. 2 in the current league standings.
Following Friday evening’s games, there is a new No. 1-ranked team in the PBR Team Series. The Arizona Ridge Riders defeated the Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat, by one ride score, 258.25-169, and rose from No. 2 to No. 1 in the league rankings. Now 10-4 on the season, they overtook the Austin Gamblers, who backslid to No. 3.
The Gamblers’ fall down the standings came on the spurs of an 86.25-235.5 loss to the Kansas City Outlaws during the opening game of PBR Cowboy Days.
In a game headlined by the fifth 90-point ride in PBR Team Series history, the Oklahoma Freedom defeated the Nashville Stampede 261-0. The monstrous 90.25-point score was delivered by third-round draft pick Chase Outlaw as the team’s lead-off rider.
PBR Cowboy Days continues Saturday, September 10 at 6:45 p.m. ET. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the LJVM Coliseum Box Office or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.
The Carolina Cowboys will also hold a daily, free-to-attend, family-friendly fan festival at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds, featuring racing activations, musical performances, cowboy church, local vendors and more.
On Saturday, August 10, the festival will open at 2:00 p.m. The marquee programming will feature a classic car show as curated by American stock car racing personality and long-time Richard Childress Racing staffer Chocolate Myers, and the musical stylings of Elvie Shane.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Team Series action from Winston-Salem. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.
Oklahoma Freedom: 261
Nashville Stampede: 0.00
The Oklahoma Freedom began the PBR Team Series event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with a bang, propelled to a 261-0 defeat of the Nashville Stampede, backed by a lead-off 90-point ride from Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas).
In the opening round of the game, the Nashville Stampede began the contest with a buckoff as three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) was brought down in a hard-fought 6.03 seconds by Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage/Wetzel/Knott).
In just his second event, fan-favorite Outlaw was first out for the Freedom facing a familiar opponent in Big Black (K-C Bucking Bulls/Joe & Nina Webb). Having met five times prior, Outlaw entered the slugfest with a perfect record, marked 90 points or more in each out. Keeping the streak alive, Outlaw logged just the fifth 90-point ride in PBR Team Series history, dominating the powerful animal athlete for 90.25 points.
The score is now tied for third-best in the league and ties the Freedom with the Carolina Cowboys for most 90-point scores by one team, each with two.
In the second frame, the Stampede were again upended prior to the 8; however, the Freedom remained red hot, as Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) put the team ahead by 177 points as he covered Cooter Brown (Lucas Manning/Waller Brothers Cattle Co.) for 86.75 points.
As the game approached the mid-point, Manoelito de Souza Junior (Itamira, Brazil) was unable to right the tide for the Stampede, bucked off in 6.34 seconds by Dark Hunt (Martinez Bucking Bulls LLC).
While Casey Roberts (Munford, Alabama) also failed to reach the whistle, after the call was challenged, he was awarded a re-ride.
At the top of the fourth, newly inked Stampede rider Matt Triplett (Canton, South Dakota) was in a must-ride position as he climbed aboard Preachers Kid (K-C Bucking Bulls/RD Cattle). Triplett, however, was tossed in a decisive 1.92 seconds, clinching the win for the Freedom.
With the victory already in hand, Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) added to his team’s total as he rode Sippin Sauce (Cowtown Rodeo) for 84 points in the bottom of the fourth.
With neither team scoring in the fifth, and the Freedom failing to convert in both of their re-rides, the final scoreboard read a 261-0 Oklahoma victory.
The performance improved the Freedom to 6-8, while the Stampede fell to 3-11.
When PBR Team Series competition continues on Saturday, September 10, the Freedom will look to ride to their second-straight victory in North Carolina when they play the Austin Gamblers, while the Stampede will look to snap their five-game losing streak when they take on the Missouri Thunder.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media