World Champion Performance

Guilherme Marchi has been having a good season. However, when one compares it to his previous performances, in the years he finished second, and his last season race to the title, he is doing below par. Marchi is still riding over 60% of his total bulls this season, but up until last night he hadn't put up an event win. Last year he put up 5 total wins en route to the World Finals. This weekend in Kansas City he showed everyone he is still the rider he was. Round one found him putting up a third place score of 87.50 on Diamond S Bucking Bulls Velvet Elvis. That ride alone would have gotten him into the short go, but he put up a second place score on Stiffler from Boyd/Floyd Bull Company of 89.50. He had just faced this bull in St Louis for a buck off, so it is nice to see him even the score. Those two scores put him in perfect position to pick in the short go, where he selected another Diamond S bull Big Iron. He had also faced this bull during the last few weeks, taking him on in Oklahoma City for a 91.50. This weekend his 90.00 was enough to push him into first ahead of Oregon's Ross Coleman, and with the win Marchi is now sitting third in the world.

Coleman is currently ranked 9th in the world. His first round bull Eeyore (DD Dibbet Rodeo Bulls) got him an 86.25 and eighth place finish Saturday night. Then Splat Kat, from Danny Lemmons, gave him a sweet trip for 87.25 and sixth. Coleman picked Pearl Snap (Boyd/Floyd) for his short go bull. The 89.50 score that got him into second place ahead of another Brazilian, Robson Palermo.

Palermo is a phenomenal rider. He's covering nearly 60% of his bulls. This weekend he covered Buffalo Hump (Herbert Bucking Bulls/ Barry and Aliceson Bales), Rocket Launcher (Diamond S), and Hot Stuff (D&H Cattle Company). He's now sitting sixth in the world.

Then there were the bumps, bruises, and broken bones that plauged many of the top riders.

Young gun Cody Ford got into trouble after covering the bull Monkey Bones (H&D Bucking Bulls). His head and shoulder got stomped on. He suffered from lacerations and a concussion, but chose to ride again on Sunday anyways. He was obviously sore and stiff, but is hopefully not suffering any other issues.

The Mighty One Mike White also got slammed in the first go round. As a result of the plethora of concussions he has suffered in recent years, he chose to sit out the rest of the weekend.

Hot shot and controversial rider (at least this year) Kasey Hayes suffered a probably ankle fracture on his first round bull and is out for an indetermined lenghth of time if that is the case.

Luke Snyder, the man who took over the most events ridden in streak for JW Hart last year may be facing the end of that streak. He has suffered some shoulder injury that resulted in torn cartilage and may have to sit out next weekend as a result.

Ednei Caminhas is likely out anyways because of where he is in the standings. However he too was knocked out this weekend in the second go round and had to be helped from the arena.

Sean Willingham has suffered a possible leg fracture after getting stomped on in the short go this weekend. He is unlikely to compete in Birmingham but that is yet to be determined.

In other news, Cord McCoy is likely to be cut from tour. He picked up a much needed ride in the first go round. And then had to face off with a bull that he has never been successful with in the second round. Once again Blizzard was able to ditch McCoy in a very short time. While I am extremely sad to see him cut, I hope he will come ride in Glens Falls. That is the ONLY way I could possibly be accepting of his not being on tour. He is such a treasure to the PBR fans and family that his absence from competition will be felt across the board.