OAKLAND, Calif. – As the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s (PWVT) Oakland Classicrolled to a close on Saturday night, 19-year-old Brady Turgeon (New River, Arizona) triumphantly clinched the first-ever event title of his newly-rocketing career.
Turgeon first landed on the leaderboard in Round 1 earlier in the evening, splitting first place after making the whistle aboard Mr. Priefert (Flying U / Cindy Rosser) for 82.5 points.
The young Arizonan continued the momentum into the Championship Round by conquering his muscular bovine opponent Regulator (Humpz and Hornz / Frances Dandy), recording the highest score of the night at 85.5 points.
The young gun leaves Oakland with 131 Velocity Global points.
Oklahoman Zane Cook (Fort Gibson, Oklahoma) was hot on Turgeon’s heels earlier in the night, capturing second place overall.
Cook was paired with Rougie (Walking Lazy J Bull Team) in Round 1 for a solid 81.5 points.
He then set his sights on the championship round where he was the only other man to go 2-for-2, making the 8 against Sneaky Situation (Lacey Scott / Dakota Rodeo / Chad Berger) and recording an 85-point ride.
Cook collected 84.5 Velocity Global points for his efforts.
Joe Alejos (Guatemala) launched from the chutes in Round 1 aboard Blue Boy (Pasillas Cattle Co.) for a resounding 82.5 points. His 1.53-second dance with July (Leffew Bucking Bulls) as Saturday came to a close was still met with cheers from fans.
Alejos earned 59 Velocity Global points for his third-place finish.
27-year-old Dalton Rudman (Wellington, Utah) gritted it out to finish in fourth place at Oracle Arena.
Rudman exploded from the chutes in Round 1 aboard Sky High (Rancho Sanabria Bucking Bulls / Walking Lazy J Bull Team) for a satisfactory 81.5 points.
As the exceptional animal athletes of the PBR dominated all but two matchups in the championship round, the Texan cowboy paired with Surprise Package (Clay Struve / Dakota Rodeo / Chad Berger) as the night ended. Despite the Utah cowboy’s best efforts, he was no match for the powerful bovine, being flung to the ground after a mere 4.16 seconds.
The veteran heads home with 37.5 Velocity Global points.
New Mexican rider Travis Wimberley (Las Lunas, New Mexico) rounded out the Top 5 in Oakland.
In Round 1, Wimberley was paired with Knuckles (Humpz and Hornz) for 81 points. The championship round was not the ride he had hoped for, as he was tossed to the ground by WSM’s Nasty Wishes (WSM Auctioneers / Clay Struve / Dakota Rodeo / Chad Berger) in 1.61 seconds.
The earlier ride netted him 32 Velocity Global points.
The talented bull riders of the PWVT will next head to Casper, Wyoming, for the PBR Casper Invitationalat Casper Events Center on April 1.
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media