A massive 90-rider field lined up to contest the PBR Chute Out Velocity Tour event at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado in midweek bull riding action this week.
Coonamble’s Nathan Burtenshaw and Atherton’s Kurt Shephard flew the Australian flag across the three-day event with Round 1 stretched over two nights and the top-30 riders returning for a Championship Wednesday night.
Round 1
24-year-old Shephard was the first of the duo to ride on the second night of Round 1 and made it 2-for-2 against House of Pain from 4L and Diamond S Rodeo. At this event in 2017, 85.5 was the score, and this was almost a carbon copy, with the bull around to the left and into Shephard’s hand. The bull reversed the spin after a couple of rotations, but Shephard never looked out of place and was awarded 84.0 points by the judges.
Burtenshaw faced Can’t Get Right from Flying V Bucking Bulls in Round 1. The bull made a dive to the left as the two left the chutes but ultimately turned back to the right. The bull scratched and scrambled his way around with the 24-year-old gritting out an 81-point ride.
Both Australian’s moved onto Round 2 of the PBR Denver Chute Out.
Round 2
Burtenshaw was first to ride on Championship Wednesday and was up against Flying S Bucking Bulls’ Skull Face. The bull was around to the left and away from Burtenshaw’s hand and he had a flat and slight sidewinding action. The ride ended at 4.79 seconds with the Aussie out the back.
Shephard closed out the opening section of Round 2 against Lonesome Fugitive from Bierema Rodeo. After some troubles with the bull wanting to leave the chutes over the top rail, the Aussie nodded and the gate cracked. The bull took some big jumps out away from the chutes. His belly rolls were enough to get Shephard out of position and off at the 4.28-second mark.
Both Shephard and Burtenshaw’s Round 1
The Winner
Cody Nance took home the buckle for the win and was the only rider to go a perfect 3-for-3 across the event. He dedicated his PBR Denver
The Bulls
The high marked bull was Rodeo Houston from 4L and Diamond S. His outstanding 47 point performance came in a 4.13-second dispatch of Scottie Knapp. Smooth Wreck also had an excellent night, putting up 46-points to end Jess Lockwood’s perfect start to the 2019 season which ended at 10 straight qualified rides.