Keeping up with the best PBR riders and bulls is fun, but my favorite part is following the three and four-year-old ABBI Classic bulls. These animal athletes are the future of the sport, and they keep getting better every year. The PBR gave the Classic bulls two rounds at the Tulsa BFTS event a few weeks ago, and it’s clear they are starting to give these young guys more attention. Still, it’s a very underrated part of the sport. For those who haven’t kept up with this in the past, do yourself a favor and visit the ABBI website.
The top-40 ABBI Classic bulls will compete in Las Vegas, and the winner will receive $250,000. Even the bulls that finish inside the top 10 will walk away with plenty of prize money for their efforts. This year’s race has a clear favorite in Bushwacker, but any bull can have an off-trip out of nowhere. And one bad trip in Vegas will instantly take a bull out of the money. With a little over two months until the Finals, here is how I see this year’s race. If you have anything to add, please comment below or email me at: [email protected]. Enjoy!
The Favorite
Bushwacker is at the top of the Classic standings, and his lead is nearly $20,000 over the second-place bull. He has won numerous events so far this season, and he has placed extremely high in a few others. Out of the entire class of young bulls, he has been the most consistent all season. Even his bad trips result in 43 or 44-point bull scores. If every bull has their best trip in Vegas, Bushwacker will come out on top. As long as this bull doesn’t hip himself or fall down, he will be the odds-on favorite to win $250,000. Either way, Julio Moreno has a present and future PBR Bull of the Year candidate.
The Next Five
Best Ever is a bull owned by D&H Cattle Co., and he has continued to get better as the season has progressed. It may be a little stretch to put him at number two on my list, but other than Bushwacker, this bull has had more “it” factor than any other Classic bull this season. He finished fifth in Tulsa a few weeks back, but he should have been higher. He had a rough out in Weatherford, TX last weekend, but he will be a serious threat in Vegas. Best Ever is currently ninth in the standings.
Moon is owned by Jackson, Holmes, and Baker, and he is coming off a win at the Tulsa Super Classic. He was definitely the best of the bunch that weekend, and he will be one of Bushwacker’s biggest competitors in the Classic Finals in October. This bull is also coming off a fifth-place finish at Weatherford, TX last weekend. If he has two good trips, he can win it all. He is currently second in the standings.
Copp Hou may not be my pick to win the $250,000 in Vegas, but he is a sure bet to finish inside the top 10. He has had more hype following him than most because he won it all as a two-year old, and he always seems to place pretty high regardless of where the event is. This bull is fourth in the season standings, and he is coming off an eighth-place finish in Tulsa and a second-place finish in Weatherford, TX. He doesn’t have enough to win it all, but he will win his owners (Lightning C Cattle Co.) plenty of money in October.
Priceless is probably the D&H bull most would put at the top, and he is undoubtedly a good one. He bucked quite a bit as a three-year old, and it was a given he would be near the top of the standings this year as a four-year old. He finished seventh in Tulsa and fourth in Weatherford, and he will be a near shoe-in to finish in the top 10 in Vegas. He can be as good as any when he has his day, but he just doesn’t look as flashy as the others above him on this list.
Judgement Day, a bull owned by Boyd-Floyd/Castle, is currently ranked 15th in the standings. That’s lower than the others on this list, but he has really come on strong late in the season. He finished fourth in Tulsa and 10th in Weatherford. This bull continues to get stronger, and by the time the Finals rolls around, he will be a contender. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t end up finishing near the top five.
The Best of the Rest
Minor Incident is owned by Larry Cunningham and hauled by Boyd/Floyd, and he has had his fair share of ups-and-downs. He was great when he won the Oklahoma City Classic and finished third in the Tulsa Classic. On the other hand, he was so-so in Kansas City and really bad last weekend in Weatherford. This bull could sneak up and finish inside the top two or three, or he could finish near the bottom. That’s why he is placed here on the list and not higher.
Mad Max, owned by Tino Martinez, is currently seventh in the season standings. Some would say he should be placed higher on this list after finishing third in Weatherford, but he just hasn’t ever impressed me much. He is definitely an above-average bull, but he doesn’t seem to have what it takes to place high when it matters most. It won’t surprise me if he finishes inside the top 10 or 15, but I doubt he will be a serious contender in Vegas.
Jed Clampett, a bull owned by Jerry Nelson and a host of others, has snuck under the radar a little. He is only 12th in the standings, but he is coming off an impressive sixth-place finish in Tulsa. Nelson usually has a couple solid young bulls, and Jed Clampett is his best right now. This bull probably won’t challenge Bushwacker and others for the $250,000, but he should cash a decent check in Vegas.
Wine Hu has been hauled to a lot of Classic events this season, and he is currently sixth in the season standings. He isn’t as good as his running mate Copp Hou, but he always seems to finish inside the top 15. His last two finishes include a 10th in Tulsa and 14th in Weatherford. Regardless of how well he performs in Vegas, this bull will be a good one for years to come. Lightning C Cattle Co. has done a great job as of late.
Lil’ Red Cat, owned by Boyd-Floyd/LaRue, is another bull that has come on late in the season. He won’t be a serious threat to win it all, but he is bucking better right now than the others left off this list. He tied for 11th in Tulsa, and he tied for sixth last weekend in Weatherford. Boyd and Floyd have a great class of young bulls this year, and this is another one that could get them a solid check in Vegas.
Thank God you are not a judge? How long have you been in the bull buiness or around it. Have you ever rode bulls? Id like to see you get on Mad Max! Some underdogs were left off your life
list I do believe
First off, thanks for reading. I appreciate it!
Second, of course some underdogs and good bulls were left off. I only listed 11 bulls out of the hundreds of classic bulls being hauled down the road. I’ve been around the business long enough to know a good bull when I see it. I’ll be interested to see how things finish in Vegas.
Just out of curiosity, which bulls should have been included? I’d like to know your opinion on the matter as well.
It looks like you have a good list of contenders,I have to say I think the Jed Clampett bull will be ready when its show time!
Sorry Cody,I almost forgot…in regards to the other poster on the subject.
More and more people are following bull riding everyday who have not rode bulls or may not even have livestock of any kind.If people want the sport to continue to grow and move forward, they would be well advised to embrace these folks instead of alienating them in my opinion.