Teg
09-07-2009, 08:54 AM
U.S. bull riders rally to defend World Cup title in Brazil
By Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY
After young Team USA rallied to beat host Brazil in the third World Cup of bull riding, captain J.W. Hart made reference to the mammas who let them grow up to be cowboys.
"Their mothers aren't as proud of them as I am right now," said Hart, whose five-member team included four riders age 22 or under. "For the inexperience these guys carried down here, it's unbelievable how they stood up to the challenge and won."
Five nations competed in the event put on by the U.S.-based Professional Bull Riders. The U.S. riders wore shirts and chaps with a red-white-and-blue, stars and stripes theme.
Team USA trailed Brazil going into Sunday night, the last of three consecutive nights of competition before standing-room-only crowds estimated at 70,000-80,000 in an outdoor stadium in Barretos, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
But the USA won the title for the second year in a row by totaling 1,387.75 points, followed by Brazil (1,217.5), Canada (1,027), Australia (685) and Mexico (173).
Team scoring was based on individual rider scores in each of six rounds. Teams could only count three riders from each round.
Sunday night's big scorers for the USA: J.B. Mauney, 22, of Mooresville, N.C. (88 points), Ryan McConnel, 22, of Colgate, Okla. (88), and Zack Brown, 30, of Sante Fe, Tex., (87.25).
Other members of the U.S. team were Ryan Dirteater, 20, of Hubert, Okla., and Austin Meier, 22, of Kinta, Okla.
Mauney led all riders in the competition with 439.5 points, followed by McConnel with 431.57 and Brazil's Valdiron Oliveira with 428.
Brazil won the first World Cup in Australia in 2007. The USA won last year in Mexico.
Watched the final last night, some really nice Bulls down in Brazil and some good rides by the U.S. team.
By Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY
After young Team USA rallied to beat host Brazil in the third World Cup of bull riding, captain J.W. Hart made reference to the mammas who let them grow up to be cowboys.
"Their mothers aren't as proud of them as I am right now," said Hart, whose five-member team included four riders age 22 or under. "For the inexperience these guys carried down here, it's unbelievable how they stood up to the challenge and won."
Five nations competed in the event put on by the U.S.-based Professional Bull Riders. The U.S. riders wore shirts and chaps with a red-white-and-blue, stars and stripes theme.
Team USA trailed Brazil going into Sunday night, the last of three consecutive nights of competition before standing-room-only crowds estimated at 70,000-80,000 in an outdoor stadium in Barretos, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
But the USA won the title for the second year in a row by totaling 1,387.75 points, followed by Brazil (1,217.5), Canada (1,027), Australia (685) and Mexico (173).
Team scoring was based on individual rider scores in each of six rounds. Teams could only count three riders from each round.
Sunday night's big scorers for the USA: J.B. Mauney, 22, of Mooresville, N.C. (88 points), Ryan McConnel, 22, of Colgate, Okla. (88), and Zack Brown, 30, of Sante Fe, Tex., (87.25).
Other members of the U.S. team were Ryan Dirteater, 20, of Hubert, Okla., and Austin Meier, 22, of Kinta, Okla.
Mauney led all riders in the competition with 439.5 points, followed by McConnel with 431.57 and Brazil's Valdiron Oliveira with 428.
Brazil won the first World Cup in Australia in 2007. The USA won last year in Mexico.
Watched the final last night, some really nice Bulls down in Brazil and some good rides by the U.S. team.