Key Match-Ups for CINCH CBR Bossier City

The CBR has a huge weekend ahead in Bossier City. Along with it being a CINCH Tour event, it’s also the site of the Horizon Series Finale as well as the Bull Team Championship. The top 15 bull teams will be competing for a total of $100,000 and rights of being named the best of the best. The CBR World Title race is also heating up, as Friday Wright still holds the top position. Nearly all the top-10 riders will be there, and they will be attempting to cut into Wright’s lead. I’ve put together some key match-ups for the first round. Also, keep in mind you can watch this event live tonight at the CBR Website. Enjoy!

Ardie Maier vs. Like Mike
Ardie Maier drew back into the short-go last weekend, and he made the most of it with an 88-point ride. Overall, he is sitting ninth in the standings. His first-round bull this weekend is Like Mike, a bull owned by Beach City Bucking Bulls/Shippy. This bull is one all the guys want to draw every time, but he will buck a rider off if he stubs his toe a little bit. In four CINCH CBR outs in 2010, Like Mike has been ridden three times for an average ride score of 89 points. Maier will have to do things right, but he should be close to winning the round on this one.
My Pick: Ardie Maier

Bonner Bolton vs. Wompus
Bonner Bolton, the 2007 CBR World Champion, has had his ups-and-downs in 2010. He started off pretty slow, but he has started coming on a little bit lately. He is currently 38th in the standings and will be looking to move up in Bossier City. His first-round draw is Wompus, a bull owned by Benny Cude. I didn’t know much about this bull going into last weekend’s event in Hobbs, but Neil Holmes split the first round on him with 90.5 points. Bolton will have to bring his A-game because it looks like the bull will. This is a toss-up, but I’m going with Wompus.
My Pick: Wompus

Friday Wright vs. Little White Out
Friday Wright is still number one in the CBR standings, but his recent struggles continued last weekend in Hobbs. If he is going to hold onto to the top spot, he is going to have to start covering bulls. His first-round draw in Bossier is Little White Out, a bull owned by Cody Ohl and Circle T Ranch. In two CINCH CBR outs in 2010, this bull has been ridden once for 87.5 points. Wright has drawn a great bull to snap out of his slump, and he is far overdue for a qualified ride.
My Pick: Friday Wright

Douglas Duncan vs. Lounge Lizard
Douglas Duncan has only ridden in one CBR CINCH event in 2010, but he has had success in multiple associations this season. On top of that, he is still one of the most talented bull riders in the world. His first-round draw this weekend is Lounge Lizard, a bull owned by Box K Cattle. This is the same bull Elliot Jacoby rode to win the Hobbs event last weekend. In four CINCH CBR outs this year, Lounge Lizard has been ridden three times for an average ride score of 90 points. If this isn’t the best match-up in round one, it’s near the top of the list. Duncan should ride this bull and be one of the favorites to win round one. It wouldn’t surprise me if he wins the entire event this weekend.
My Pick: Douglas Duncan

Steve Woolsey vs. Chrome Molly
Steve Woolsey split the first-round win in Hobbs, but he bucked off his short-go bull. Nonetheless, he has been one of the most consistent riders in the CBR this season. He is currently second in the standings and is a little less than $4,000 behind Friday Wright. His first-round draw in Bossier is Chrome Molly, a bull owned by Alan Murphy. In six CINCH CBR outs in 2010, this bull has been ridden four times for an average ride score of 88.75 points. Woolsey has been riding well, and this one should fit him perfectly. It will also set him up well for a possible event win.
My Pick: Steve Woolsey

Riggin Phillips vs. Soul Train
Riggin Phillips sits just outside the top 10 in 11th. His highlight of the season so far is a third-place finish at the George Paul Memorial. His first-round draw this weekend is Soul Train, a bull owned by Vogele/McKeller. In five CINCH CBR outs in 2010, this bull has been ridden three times for an average ride score of 88.8 points. Phillips has drawn a great bull that he can contend for the round win on, but he will have to bring his best. Soul Train has been good to right handers, so I’m picking the rider in this one.
My Pick: Riggin Phillips

Sam Wilson vs. Wired
Sam Wilson didn’t fare too well in Hobbs last weekend, but he is still fourth in the overall standings. His first-round draw in Bossier is Wired, a bull owned by Alan Murphy. In two CINCH CBR outs in 2010, this bull has been ridden once for 87.5 points. I picked Wilson to possibly win the event last weekend, and while he proved me wrong, I’m going to stick with him on this one as well. He should ride Wired and be pretty high on the leaderboard after round one.
My Pick: Sam Wilson

Clayton Foltyn vs. Too True
Clayton Foltyn didn’t ride in Hobbs last weekend, but he finished second in his last CINCH CBR event (George Paul Memorial). His first-round draw this weekend is Too True, a bull owned by D & S Bucking Bulls, LLC. In eight CINCH CBR outs this season, this bull has only been ridden once for 88.5 points. Foltyn rides with his right hand, and this bull has a 100% buckoff rate against right-handers. I’m a pretty big stat guy, and I can’t go against those numbers this time.
My Pick: Too True

Short-Round Bulls
The first round is packed full of really good bulls, but the short-go round has even more rank ones. Below is a list of the bulls scheduled to perform in the short-go tonight in Bossier City.

Cude Energy
Black Gold
Speaker of the House
Fiesty
The Mexican
Thunder Down Under
Wild Nights
Fat Jimmy
Mooseknuckle
Sports Book
White Velvet
Directory Assistance
Pray For Mercy
Hitman
Walk The Line