Two-time Midwest Swing Event Champion - Matt Palmer
Whiteside County Fair Bull Bash
MORRISON, Illinois - (August 15, 2018) – Going 2-for-2 for the second time in five days, Matt Palmer stood in front of the chute gate to accept the check, trophy buckle, and championship title of the Tuff Hedeman Breakout Series Midwest Swing Bull Riding event after posting 176.5 total points. The Whiteside County Fair Bull Bash in Morrison, Illinois was the third stop of the series known as the Wicked Rank Tour produced by Matt Noble of Next Level Bull Riding and sponsored by Wicked Rank Apparel.
“I would like to thank Matt Noble for the great events he has put on up here, I have been fortunate to draw really good bulls and riding in front of a sold-out crowd again this week just gave me the confidence I needed," said Palmer after the win.
Palmer, a nineteen-year-old bull rider from Chelsea, Oklahoma, leads the series standings after three events, but his lead is only by one bull score. Palmer, who missed the first stop of the tour sits atop the leaderboard with 356 total points. Just one bull score behind Palmer is 28-year-old Brandon Davis of Cabot, Arkansas with 266.5 points and in third place is young gun Hunter Ball who is just 5.5 points behind Davis with 260.5. Davis is the only rider competing that has covered at least one bull at all three events.
In third place, Hunter Ball who was last week’s young gun and the featured Hedeman “breakout” cowboy athlete, recently signed with Fort Scott Community College. Ball will represent the Kansas college rodeo team in the bull riding category at the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association competitions beginning this fall.
Round one saw a confident Matt Palmer on a bull he drew last week, 55 Frank the Crank, for 88 points and Caleb Ruyle and David Markham split third and fourth with a pair of 85.5 scores on 40 Smoke This and 003 Bull Dust, both from CC bucking Bulls. Bubba Greig, Estherville, Iowa, came in second with 87 points on 629 Slinger.
“I was excited to have the first bull, 55, because I had him in Belvidere last week so there were no nerves – just a good bull and that gave me confidence,” said Palmer.
Round two saw Cabot, Arkansas cowboy Brandon Davis in first place with 89 points on 416 Wolf Gun(CC Bucking Bulls). Palmer landed second just .5 points behind Greig with an 88.5 on 99 Nine-O (CC Bucking Bulls). Greig was third with 84 points on 010 Google This (CC Bucking Bulls).
Brandon Davis heads to the Wicked Tour Finals in second place as the Breakout Series Midwest Swing prepares for its final event in Waterloo on September 15.
“I saw my second bull last week in Belvidere when Hunter Ball had him and scored 90 on him, but when he had him he went right out of the chutes - with me he went left which got me off a little and I had to adjust to get him ridden,” laughed Palmer who admitted the rough start reminded him to ride them all jump for jump instead of “setting a trap”, a bull rider term that refers to thinking too much about what they are supposed to do.
“The bulls are so unpredictable and you have to be open to riding them individually,” continued Palmer.
Bounty Bull Kicks and Giggles was the other winner of the night as he got past Palmer and Grieg who attempted him after Palmer who qualified to attempt the Bounty Bull opted out. Grieg finished second with 171 points.
The Tuff Hedeman sanctioned tour is headed for Waterloo where the annual Blue Army Bull Bash is the final opportunity to earn points for the Wicked Rank Tour championship title. In addition to the lucrative prize money, the field of riders has been earning points that qualify them for the Finals to be held on September 15, at the Monroe County Fairgrounds. The bull rider with the most points will be crowned the Series Champion and receive a check, Custom trophy saddle, and engraved buckle.
“I have been impressed with Hunter who was second last week in Belvidere’s Bull Bash, he’s an up and coming bull rider with a lot of talent and he’s making big bull rides and the fans will get to see him again in action as he battles Palmer and Davis for the series win in Waterloo,” continued Noble.
The Tuff Hedeman Breakout Bull Riding Series features round by round bull riding, feature acts, entertainment from the barrel, the cowboy lifesaver bullfighters Josh Jacobs and Caleb Osternryk, and play by play and color commentary from the announcer’s stand.
Tickets are on sale for The Wicked Rank Tour finale in Waterloo are available on http://www.waterlooiloptimist.org/bullride. CONTACT: Matt Noble, a or call 815-651-6661.
Whiteside Bull Bash Results
1, Matt Palmer, Chelsea, Okla., 176.5, $1964.16. 2, Bubba Greig, 171 pts, $1277.76. 3, Brandon Davis, 89 pts, $1129.92. 4, Caleb Ruyle, $411.84.