Reno-Tahoe Invitational

This is the last night of competition at the event center in Reno, NV. So far this weekend the riders have dominated their bulls with twenty one men riding in the first round of competition and seventeen riding in round two last night. Interestingly enough, one Brazilian rider who has been strangely absent has returned. Ednei Caminhas disappeared a short while into the season and yet wasn't listed on any of the injury reports. He is back, covering DiMaggio from Paradise Farms in the first go round, but coming off his second round bull, High Waters, out of Julio Moreno's bucking pens. Tonight he will attempt to put up a score on Charmed Im Sure from Diamond G Rodeos, INC. Texas cowboy Cobly Yates topped this bull last night for an eighty-eight and three quarters points, and his second ride of the weekend. His first ride came courtesy of the Bad Company Rodeo bull, Bad Company, and was also for 88.75 points. He will face off with Page and Teague bull Night Moves. Ridden just 5 out of 23 trips he has an average score of just over 88 points. If Colby tops him he could well be up into the 90's giving him a shot of winning the rodeo depending on which bull he ends up taking on in the short go. Last weekend's winner, Dustin Hall, has also covered two bulls this weekend. They are Alien (Casper Baca Rodeo) for 83.50 and Chuckelucious (Moreno/ Chadwick) for 50.5. That last ride should have had the option of a reride, and with as hot as Dustin has been one has to wonder if his strained groin muscle is bothering him badly enough for him to prefer to take his chances on making it back into the short go round tonight. Of course, there is always the chance that he weighed his options and decided he definitely wanted the Enterprise Rent a Car bonus of five thousand dollars.

Tonight's short go is filled with some of the best bulls in the business. Western Wishes, from Page and Teague bucking bulls has been ridden just three out of 110 trips. With a buck off percent of 70 and an average score of 90 he could provide a go round and possibly even an event win to whichever cowboy climbs aboard him tonight. Page and Teague also have another bull pulled in for the short go tonight. He is a son of old Mossy Oak Mudslinger and carries the name Lil' Slinger. Lil' Slinger proved he is his daddy's son last night when he sent California cowboy Chad Denton flying through the air in a relatively short amount of time. Another bull to watch will be Bells Blue from McCoy Ranches. The McCoy's have another of their own at the rodeo tonight but he isn't of the bovine persuasion. Cord McCoy will take on Water Patrol from Flying U/Moreno Bucking bulls tonight. Cord topped Mossy Oak Break-Up (Page and Teaguye) last night after coming off Player (Paradise Farms) in round one. Two more bulls to keep an eye on as possible go round wins are Reindeer Dippin (Flying U/Moreno) and Camo (Paradise Farms). These bulls have both brought down some of the best riders in the business, including Mike Lee, Ross Coleman, Greg Potter, and two time world champ Chris Shivers. They could easily put their riders in the dirt, but should the cowboys cover them they will certainly have a good chance of scoring well into the 90 point range.

On a less positive note, veteran bull fighter Rob Smetts suffered a broken vertebrae in his neck Friday night. He was evaluated at a local hospital and released. He will be checked over again in Dallas on Monday. Rob will be out for a minimum of 6-12 weeks.