TULSA, Okla. – Everyone loves a flawless weekend of elite bull riding action, but some victories are a bit sweeter than others.
For Eli Vastbinder and camp, that win came Saturday evening inside Tulsa, Oklahoma’s BOK Center, as the Statesville, North Carolina, native captured his career-first Unleash The Beast event victory, courtesy of his perfect 3-for-3 showcase.
RELATED: Perfect Eli Vastbinder wins career-first PBR Unleash The Beast event in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Beginning the weekend with a Friday night matchup against Lapua in Round 1, Vastbinder got off to a quality start during the first out of the night.
Matching a few quick, vertical jumps during the beginning of the animal athlete’s effort, Vastbinder went the distance while flying to the right for the majority of the requisite 8, instantly converting in his first opportunity. Earning an 85.25-point score for his ride, he would finish the opening round of action in eighth place, but nonetheless, 1-for-1.
With his eyes on the leaderboard, Vastbinder brought some energy into his initial Round 2 showdown with Mike’s Magic, but was awarded a re-ride opportunity after the bull contacted the arena when erupting from the chutes as the out began.
This time paired against Mighty Mike, Vastbinder assumed the No. 1 spot in the competition by recording a spicy 87.75-point ride aboard his opponent. Crawling to the chutes as the crowd celebrated, he rose to his feet a bit banged up.
With his ticket to the championship round punched, he watched on as the second round concluded, becoming one of six riders to bring a 2-for-2 record into the short go.
Needing 83.5 points to take the lead, Vastbinder selected standout bovine Tulsa Time for a championship round showdown as the 31-year-old looked to stay perfect on the weekend.
As the second-from-last rider of the evening, he did just that, besting the hometown favorite to complete the flawless finish before his Oklahoma Freedom-loving audience.
“Vastbinder has been lights out all weekend long,” two-time World Champion Justin McBride offered on the CBS broadcast. “This is a guy who’s been banged up, he’s got a sore right hand, but he’s taking the pressure off of his hand with how good he’s been riding. Great job from Vastbinder all weekend.”
Between striving for good health and trying to find that success when granted the opportunity, there’s a balance of knowing when and how to strike at the right time. Thankfully for Vastbinder, he had the perfect equation this weekend in Tulsa, an old Western remedy.
“Shoot, that’s just part of life,” Vastbinder said. “It’s about not giving up. It’s part of being a cowboy. We just keep going and there’s always light at the other end of the tunnel.”
Living through much of a roller coaster in his last few years, dealing with injuries and streaks alike, it was a looser approach and a bit of antagonizing from his PBR Team Series coach Cord McCoy heading into this weekend that may have sparked something for Vastbinder.
“Honestly, I just quit caring, it’s been a long year and it just got to the point where I’m as good as I am and I’m just going to see how it works,” an exhausted Vastbinder shared with Kate Harrison following the ride. “My coach, Cord (McCoy), he owns that bull and he’s been talking a little crap here lately, so I had to pick him,” he joked as he and Harrison shared a laugh.
“It couldn’t have been better, couldn’t have happened to a better guy,” McCoy shared on the CBS broadcast. “When Tulsa Time was just born, we felt like we had been holding that name. My daughter’s name is Tulsa. I met my wife here in this town at a PBR event, so we named this bull Tulsa Time.”
“To see him (Vastbinder) get the win on Tulsa Time here this weekend, it’s better than B-O-K, it’s amazing this weekend. Thank God, for sure.”
As the two have grown their relationship over the years, a little joking can go a long way, but the appreciation is mutual, for sure.
“That’s the best thing about Cord: he owns these bulls, but he’s pulling for every single guy,” Vastbinder shared. “You’re not going to meet a better guy than that.”
“Winning here, it’s extremely special. I love Oklahoma and I love Tulsa, but after the year I’ve had, just the ups and down, this one is really special.”
Vastbinder now sits at No. 16 in the Unleash The Beast standings, 435.5 points behind No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme, in the race to be crowned the 2023 PBR World Champion. His next chance to climb the ladder comes next weekend in Eugene, Oregon, as the premier series tour bucks into Matthew Knight Arena for the PBR Kubota Emerald Chute Out Feb. 17-18.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media