Bull Riders Converge on Las Vegas for World Finals
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Buck it up Bull riders converge on Las Vegas for world finals BY JAMIE HELMICK Vegas.com ll that’s standing between you and $1.5 million is eight seconds A and a bull with a bone to pick. Could you do it? Could you stay on an animal weighing in around 1 ton while it bucked and jumped five or six feet in the air? If you answered yes, you’re either kidding yourself or you’re one of the 45 professional bull riders that PBR will descend upon When: 6 p.m., Las Vegas at the Oct. 31 - Nov. 1 end of October to and Nov. 6 - 8, 2008; 3 p.m., compete for the Nov. 2, 2008; title of PBR World 11:30 a.m. Nov. Champion (and a 9, 2008 sizeable chunk of Where: Thomas prize money). & Mack Center Tak ing place Tickets: www. over two weekends vegas.com – Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 and Nov. 6 – 9, the 2008 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough World Finals presented by Wrangler (PBR for short) rolls into Sin City to remind everyone that it’s not the ability to jump to the front of a nightclub line or swing VIP status that’s the only measure of a man – sometimes it’s just brute strength and more than a Photo by Andy Watson/Professional Bull Riders little questionable judgment. Tony Mendes attempts to ride Humps and Hornz’s Mr. Universe during the first round of the 2008 Anaheim Built Ford Tough Series PBR. PBR’s roots stretch back to 1992 when 20 of the top bull riders in the of parts of bulls being strapped to Moraes said. world broke away from the rodeo make them buck with the efficiency of During his time riding bulls Cowboy 24/7 circuit to create their own tour and someone who’s answered the question “It’s a huge professionally, Moraes has endured PLAY make the spotlight for bull riders a a million times. 25 broken bones and nine major Complete with a mechanical bull where little bigger, said Randy Bernard, “It’s all genetics, just like horses,” production. It’s surgeries, as well as all the “minor” you can get a little taste of just what your favorite bull rider goes through, Stoney’s CEO of the PBR. he said. “You can’t make a horse run cuts and bruises. It wasn’t until 1994 that they held Rockin’ Country (9151 S. Las Vegas Blvd.); fast and you can’t make a bull buck like going to a The worst was the time he dislo- (702) 435-2855) is pretty much the last an event, Bernard said. Each rider if it’s not in their genes.” cated his left elbow, Moraes said. word in Western fun in Sin City. There are put up $1,000 of his own money, Bernard said millions of dollars are “My elbow had come out of its line-dancing classes, beer specials and with three so broke that they had to Rolling Stones plenty of opportunities to show off your put into the stock of these bulls and socket, pushing through, it almost 10-gallon hat. borrow the sum, and the PBR was some of them are owned by celebrities concert or a exposed the bone,” he said. off and bucking. like Larry the Cable Guy and Ron All this is catching up with Moraes DINE Vegas has it covered when it comes to the The eight events held in 1994 pale White. Bulls usually last about nine now, which is what led the 38-year- in comparison to today’s bull riding U2 show.” nutritional needs of bull riders, people or 10 years on the circuit, beginning — Randy Bernard, old to choose retirement. watching bull riders and people who just world, with 225 official events in the breeding at age 3 and bucking at 4. “I’m old and beat up,” he said. “I want some good barbeque. There’s RUB BBQ CEO of the PBR United States and 150 outside of the Riders in the finals have a draw ache twenty-four hours a day, every (inside the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd.; (702) 777-7777) near the Strip and The Salt Lick U.S. in places like Brazil, Australia, for the bulls initially and then once day.” Canada and Mexico, all culminating Barbecue (inside Red Rock Resort, 11011 a winner is declared for a night, he’ll Although it’s hard to pin down W. Charleston Blvd.; (702) 797-7777) and in the championships in Vegas. get to pick his bull the next day. doing for money,” he said. “I saw an just what makes every individual Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que (in The And while Bernard says it’s always So just who is getting on the bulls? opportunity to step out of poverty rider want to get on top of a bucking District in Henderson; (702) 257-7427) if you venture a little further out. a nail-biter watching bull riding Bernard puts the stereotypical bull by riding bulls.” bull , Moraes sums up his own drive competitions, Vegas is special because rider somewhere between 5’8” and Moraes went on to win that first succinctly. SHOP there’s $3.2 million in total prize 5’9,” with some taller, some shorter championship in 1994 and has taken “It’s the challenge of conquering Whether you’re looking to blend in with the PBR crowd or looking for some serious gear, money up for grabs. and all built, “hard as a rock with two more world champion titles the beast,” he said. “I am a weak “You’re not going to let go because between The Boot Barn (7265 S. Las Vegas no fear.” (among other prizes) since then, but animal trying to ride a 2,200 pound Blvd.; (702) 260-1888), Cowtown Boots of how much money is on the line,” Drawing in fans at this year’s it hasn’t been an easy ride. animal. They just love to buck and I (1080 E. Flamingo Rd.; (702) 737-8469) and Bernard said. “If you don’t perform, PBR finals is Adriano Moraes, who Bernard said that one of the things need to conquer him, with my little Sheplers (inside Sam’s Town, 5111 Boulder you don’t get paid.” Highway; (702) 454-5266), there’s no reason Bernard said some consider the best that makes bull riding so exciting strength and a lot of balance and for you to be without Wranglers ever again. Performing means that you stay bull rider in the world. to watch is it’s hard to pick a sure technique.” on a bucking, snorting, hopping bull Moraes – who at 180 pounds is thing because, “it can change at any And when it’s internal motivation DRINK You can’t throw a lasso in Sin City without for eight seconds – with only one the heaviest guy on the tour – will given minute, you can get hurt at on the line, Moraes said it’s easy to hand holding on and the other up hitting a place to whet your whistle, but for be retiring after this year’s finals, any minute.” walk away a winner. watering holes with a little more yee-haw, in the air for balance. And the wilier wrapping up a fairytale story in the And get hurt they do – as Bernard “If you end up first or forty-fifth, try Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill the bull, the better for the rider, as world of bull riding. puts it – “It’s not when you get hurt, if you rode, to yourself, you are a (inside Harrah’s, 3475 S. Las Vegas Blvd.; scores are judged not only on rider (702) 369-5000) or the several Roadrunner Growing up in poverty in Brazil, it’s how bad you get hurt.” champion,” he said. Saloons scattered about town. performance, but also the athletic Moraes said he began riding bulls for For every 14 rides, one will end That’s not what the judges consider ability of the animal or, as Bernard fun at 3 years old. It wasn’t until he in injury, Bernard said. These aren’t a champion though and Moraes has puts it, “anything that makes a bull was 12 that he said he realized bull run of the mill scrapes and cuts his thoughts about what makes him hard to ride.” from the West, but from east of the riding was actually an organized though. that, too. Mississippi River. Then there are Plus, they aren’t ordinary bulls. sport. “What is minor for me is a thing “I think it’s my desire to win and Bernard quickly dismisses rumors events like the one at the Pond in “What I did for fun, people were that would put you in bed for a week,” commitment to bull-riding and my Anaheim that sell out every year. determination and my toughness and “It’s definitely not just a Western my passion,” he said. “All of those lifestyle event, it’s almost like put together.” NASCAR and the WWE,” he said. Moraes said the fans won’t just be “And there’s nothing fake about it.” cheering for him though. For this year’s PBR finals, where “Our fans are loud fans, for all the both weekends will be held at the guys,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what Thomas & Mack Center on the happens, if the guy rides or falls, it’s UNLV campus (a first for the PBR a great spectacle – two and a half – the first weekend is usually held hours of pure excitement.” at Mandalay Bay), Bernard projects Bernard echoes that sentiment, the number of tickets they’ll sell especially where the Vegas finals are as 120,000, give or take a few concerned, full of pyrotechnics, rock thousand.