KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 7, 2010) - Austin Meier (Kinta, Okla.) rode Carrillo Cartel (4C’s/Sills/HD Bucking Bulls) for 91.5 points in the Built Ford Tough Championship Round to win the 2010 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Invitational on Sunday at the Sprint Center. It is the second event win of the year for Meier, who also finished first in Winston-Salem, N.C.
“Kansas City has always treated me well, but this is the best ever. It feels great. I drew great bulls and when you’re hot, you’re hot,” said Meier. “I am taking it one week at a time and one ride at a time. I just want to stay focused and keep it in perspective. If I can do that and stay healthy then I feel I can win a world title.”
The Oklahoman, who rode Kool-N-Sexy (D&H Cattle Company) for 87.25 points in Round 3, wins $31,604 for the event and moves into third place in the 2010 PBR BFTS season standings. Meier was selected on Saturday to represent the United States in the 2010 PBR World Cup presented by Dickies, the PBR’s premier international event, which comes to the United States for the first time ever on April 16-18 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
“The World Cup is a great honor,” said Meier. “It is the Olympics for bull riding and I feel that we can go to Las Vegas and win for the United States.”
There were four 90-point rides in the Built Ford Tough Championship Round beginning with J. B. Mauney (Mooresville, N.C.), who scored 90.5 on Big Tex (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Stru). Chris Shivers (Jonesville, La.) took the overall event lead after riding Crosswired (D&H Cattle Co./Clifton Wiggins) for 90.5 points.
Shivers was moved from the top of the leaderboard when Ben Jones (Sunset, Texas) rode Kabookie (Boyd/Floyd Bull Company) for 90 points. It was the second 90-point ride in a row for Jones, who finished first and won $2,730 in Round 3 with 90 points on RFD-TV (Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC/RFDTV, LLC). Jordan Hupp (Cheyenne, Wyo.) then rode Chance (Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC) for 89.5 points and briefly held the event lead before Meier’s ride.
For more information about the PBR, the Built Ford Tough Invitational in Kansas City and all upcoming events on the BFTS Tour, visitwww.pbr.com.
