By Kacie Albert
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Competing inside the iconic Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Lexington Invitational, Coy Robbins (Camrose, Alberta) logged his career-best performance on the PBR’s expansion series, finishing fourth Saturday evening.
The fast-rising Canuck was unrivaled in Round 1, delivering the top score when he rode Neon Street (Triple T Bucking Bulls/Burnt Chimney Bulls) for 87.5 points.
Robbins’s hopes of victory, however, came to a quick end in the championship round when he was unseated by Keep’em Guessin (UTC/Sellers Bucking Bulls) in 2.35 seconds.
Continuing on his path to qualify for his career-first PBR World Finals at season’s end, Robbins earned 13 world points. In the standings, he rose 42 positions from No. 119 to No. 77.
Mexican sensation Francisco Morales (Irapuato, Mexico) reached a career milestone in the Bluegrass State. Going a perfect 2-for-2, Morales won the first Velocity Tour event of his career.
As action got underway in Round 1, Morales was quick to strike, registering the sixth-best score when he covered War Dog (JQH Bucking Bulls-Skip & Elaine Jones) for 85 points.
Morales then brought the capacity crowd to its feet in the championship round, clinching the victory when he outlasted White Lightning (H&D Bucking Bulls/Dickie Williams) for 84.5 points.
For his efforts, Morales earned a critical 38 world points. After beginning the Bluegrass State tour stop ranked No. 63 in the world, the 39-year-old veteran of the sport climbed 29 positions to No. 34. He now trails the Top 30 and a seeded position on the elite Unleash The Beast by a mere 7.42 world points.
Second was Casey Coulter (Kirksville, Missouri), netting 24 world points.
The 31-year-old earned his second consecutive Top-5 finish on the Velocity Tour compliments of an 84-point score on Zacchaeus (Rafter J Cattle/Forman) in Round 1 and an 81.5-point effort aboard Reign Hills Wedding Crasher (Rafter JML Cattle/Broke 4 Bucking Bulls) in the championship round.
Coulter’s silver showing elevated him 30 positions in the world standings from No. 79 to No. 49.
Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Brazil) parlayed two 73.5-point ride scores into a third-place finish.
Earning matching scores in Round 1 and the championship round, Lima rode Lucas Oil’s Dirt Track Dirty (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Lucas Oil) and PM (Wildwind Bucking Bulls), respectively.
Lima left the home of the Kentucky Wildcats having earned 13 world points. The four-time PBR World Finals qualifier gained four positions in the early 2022 PBR World Championship race, climbing from No. 40 to No. 36. Eager to return to the premier series, Lima is now within 10.25 points of the Top 30 threshold.
Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was Marcus Mast (Middlebury, Indiana).
He earned eight world points for his 87-point ride aboard Lil Boy Blue (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Bierema Rodeo Inc.) in Round 1.
The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Lexington Invitational was also a stop on the 2022 Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge.
H&D Bucking Bulls/Dickie Williams won the performance with 272.25 points courtesy of the trips notched by Apple Butter, Flash and White Lightning.
Second place was Team Wyatt with 271.63 points, while Triple T Bulls/Burnt Chimney Bulls was third with 268.18 points. Team Wyatt’s roster included White Squirrel, Last Chance and Contusion, while the bronze effort from Triple T Bulls/Burnt Chimney Bulls was earned courtesy of outs recorded by Neon Street, War Pig and Boot Daddy.
The 2022 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour season continues on February 11-12 in Youngstown, Ohio, and on February 12 in Memphis, Tennessee. The PBR Bad Boy Mowers Youngstown Invitational at Covelli Centre begins at 8 p.m. EST on Friday, February 11, and at 7 p.m. EST on Saturday, February 12. The PBR Bluff City Classic at FedExForum begins on Saturday, February 12 at 7 p.m. CST.
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
PBR Lexington Invitational
Rupp Arena – Lexington, Kentucky
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2- Event Aggregate-Event Points)
- Francisco Morales, 85-84.5-169.50-38 Points.
- Casey Coulter, 84-81.5-165.50-24 Points.
- Ramon de Lima, 73.5-73.5-147.00-13 Points.
- Coy Robbins, 87.5-0-87.50-13 Points.
- Marcus Mast, 87-0-87.00-8 Points.
- Alvaro Alvarez Aguilar, 86-0-86.00-5 Points.
(tie). Josh Norman, 86-0-86.00-5 Points.
- Dalton Rudman, 85.5-0-85.50-1 Points.
- Jorge Valdiviezo, 84.5-0-84.50-0.5 Points.
(tie). Ueberson Duarte, 84.5-0-84.50-0.5 Points.
- Brandon Davis, 82.5-0-82.50
(tie). Elijah Mora, 82.5-0-82.50
- Cladson Rodolfo, 80-0-80.00
(tie). Matt Oliver, 80-0-80.00
(tie). Jason Landing, 80-0-80.00
- Lucas Divino, 79.5-0-79.50
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0.00
Lane Nobles, 0-0-0.00
Jesse Petri, 0-0-0.00
Adriano Salgado, 0-0-0.00
Alex Marcilio, 0-0-0.00
Kade Alberty, 0-0-0.00
Ky Hamilton, 0-0-0.00
Mason Moody, 0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0.00
Ashton Sahli, 0-0-0.00
Dakota Eagleburger, 0-0-0.00
Fernando Henrique Novais, 0-0-0.00
Quentin Vaught, 0-0-0.00
Matt Allgood, 0-0-0.00
Carlos Garcia, 0-0-0.00
Luis Blanco, 0-0-0.00
Eli Byler, 0-0-0.00
Alex Guzman, 0-0-0.00
Bryan Titman, 0-0-0.00
Junio Quaresima, 0-0-0.00
Romildo Rodrigues, 0-0-0.00
Joseph Petersheim, 0-0-0.00
Brandon Ballard, 0-0-0.00
Brandon Ferguson, 0-0-0.00