CBR Awards Average Win in Jackson, but purse grows to almost $100,000 for next event

Askey Gets the Win but the Largest Purse in CBR History Continues to Grows

2018 Championship Bull Riding Bud Light Classic Jackson

University of Tennessee - Martin graduate Jeff Askey battled 27 bull riders that included three World Champions and a red hot rookie, through three rounds of competition for the chance to thank the Tennessee crowd for their hometown support as he accepted the check and prize package for the second consecutive year at the 2018 CBR Bud Light Classic, the sixth stop on the CBR's Road to Cheyenne professional bull riding tour. 

 “I went to college near here and it’s nice to have a home town vibe going,” said Askey.

Askey packed away 178 total points in Jackson during the course of three rounds and11 qualified rides, but for the third time CBR bull riders failed to ride a bull in the final four man Shoot Out round and the prize purse now estimated at $98,000 rolls over to the next event in Hobbs, New Mexico on January 20.

“I am disappointed a little for not capitalizing on the opportunity I was presented, but you have to think next week is another chance and you will have just as much chance next week as this week,” said Askey regarding leaving over $78,000 in the CBR bank when no rider made the 8 second whistle in Hedeman’s handpicked pen of bulls for the Shoot Out round.

Askey, a National Finals Rodeo qualifier and former College National Finals champion, spent eight years living just 30 miles from Jackson while representing UT Martin rodeo team in the bull riding category.

Photo By: Todd Brewer

Askey challenged the roster and the tight CBR World Standings race to finish with 178 on two bulls. Facing him in the final four were red hot rookie Matt Palmer, CBR’s 2017 #2 Eli Vastbinder, the new number 1 Cody Jesus,  NFR round winners Joe Frost, Boudreaux Campbell and Trey Benton who won night one including the bounty bull bonus check of $10,000 riding Chaos’ Ghost.

Saturday night’s performance featured the CBR three round tournament style action competition worth over $78,000 to the 24 bull riders competing and $45,000 to the bulls performing alongside in the CBR’s Bull Team competition.

“The fast pace is challenging of the three round format, you don’t get much time and as soon as you ride you have to get your rope and your mind ready for the next bull,” said Askey.

Round One

Collegiate Wrestling Champion Ruger Piva took the early lead thrilling the crowd on the first out with 88.5 on 222x High Stakes (Williams/Pepper/Freeman) but Cody Jesus would earn the only 90 point score in round one in section two and eventually hang on to the round win. 

Jesus’s 90 points ride on 1 Arkansas Flash (Barrett, Gawley, Willis) won the round but more importantly put him ahead of Campbell in the World Standings. Vastbinder and Benton would strike with a pair of 89’s. NFR qualifier Guthrie Murray would find his CBR groove with 88.5 on Louisville Slugger (Rawson) and red hot rookie Matt Palmer would earn 86 as did Tyler Taylor for their efforts. Askey who’s style is jump for jump had this to say about his first ride aboard 411 How Bout It (Sellers).

“I never know the bulls and I never know which ones do what -  my first was around to the right and solid in the long round and he got me back, one of the riders told me he would go right and he did,” said Askey.

Semifinal Round

Four riders, JW Harris, Koby Radley, Cody Rostockyj, and Josh Frost came back on time to join the 8 that advanced with qualified rides from the long go.

Rookie Matt Palmer split the second round with Askey, both earning 90.5 points aboard 210 Chaos’ Ghost and 251 Scooby (Hat Brand). The young Frost brother, Josh, was the third ride score at 87 points. “I had never seen this one either, the guys told me he was good and he bucks and that is exactly what he did, turned back into my hand to the right and were 90.5 to get me to the money round,” said Askey.

Shoot Out Round

Askey and Palmer were the only riders to survive two bulls in the Oman Arena. CBR advanced Cody Jesus and Trey Benton back on their single scores of 90 and 89 from early rounds.  After discussing his options with the four time World Champion and Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer, Tuff Hedeman, Askey made a decision.

Askey took 404 Red Harvest (Universal Pro Rodeo), Matt Palmer selected 31 Rising Sun, Jesus was set with 10 Damn Frustrating, and that left Trey Benton with 1472 Crime Boss.

“I let Tuff pick my bull, he said this one is newer and supposed to really buck, it didn’t play out tonight but that’s part of the game,” said a relaxed Askey who faces three cities and many more bulls before he arrives in Hobbs on Saturday to try and win the ever growing purse.

“I won’t pick him again,” added Askey. “He was more of an eliminator and hard to ride.”

World Title Race

The big winner in Jackson besides Trey Benton riding the bounty bull for ten grand was Cody Jesus. He entered Jackson 78 points behind Boudreaux Campbell and after one 90 point thriller aboard 151 Arkansas Flash (Gawley/Barrett/Willis) he is the new leader in the CBR World Standings with 631.50 points. Campbell bucked off NFR bull 3728 Yellowhair in 4.01 seconds in round one, bumping him down to the number two man just 12 points behind Jesus with 619.50. Matt Palmer made a big move with 176.5 points on two which moved him into the number three with position in the world.  Trey Holston and Koby Radley round out the top five with 442 and 438.50 respectively.   

CBR Bull Team Challenge

The Bull team winners were Gawley/Barrett/Willis with two qualified rides in round one. Jesus on 151 and Matt Palmer was paired with 304 Chop Hou. With two of the hottest young guns on tour, this team was poised for success on the day sheet.

Anchoring the team was 151 Arkansas Flash who packed Jeff Askey to a 90 point round one score while producing an 88.5 bull score. This was 151’s fourth CBR appearance and has now been ridden three of the four times on the Road to Cheyenne. 313 Trump Train was the semifinal bull entry and he ended Tyler Taylor’s night at 5.18 seconds in the semifinal round but posted a bull score that when added to the total scores was the number needed for this team to win the Hy O Silver buckle, Fenoglio Boots, American Hat and a check for $20,0000.

1.41 points behind Brett Barrett’s team was Hat Brand Rodeo. Colten Sullivan and Dalton Bates finished second with two qualified rides and 279.57 points. This team of young contractors powered Askey to his average win with 90 points on 251 Scooby in round two and Vastbinder who was 89 on Seeing Red in Round one.

Champion Bull and Bull of the Event were from the Melton Bull Company. Chaos’ Ghost enjoyed the spotlight again in the Oman by advancing Matt Palmer to the Shoot Out round after one of only three qualified rides in the Semifinal round. He shared the Champion Bull Award with 251 Scooby (Hat Brand Rodeo) who powered Jeff Askey’s average win with a 90.5 ride in the Semifinal round.

The Bull of the event, rank award, went to A8 Buster (Winston and Melton) for the second time on the Road to Cheyenne. He was awarded the same title in Conroe during his CBR debut.

Bud Light Classic Average Results

1, Jeff Aksey, Athens, Texas 178 points on 3, $2250. 2, Matt Palmer, 176.5, $2,250, 3, Cody Jesus, 90 pts, $1,500. 4, Eli Vastbinder, 89, $1,500.

CBR Jackson Bull Team Challenge Results

1, Gawley, Barrett, Willis, 280.98 points, $20,000. 2, Hat Brand Rodeo, 279.57, $12,000, 3, Rawson Probst, 279.18, $8,000, 4, JC Knapp, 278.50, $5,000.

Round by round scoring available on Cbrbull.com  ~ CBR Media