HURON, South Dakota – (August 30, 2019) – With South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem watching the action from atop the bucking chutes, 20-year-old Matt Palmer electrified the packed house at the South Dakota State Fairgrounds with an 89.5 ride aboard 505 Outer Limits in the Shoot Out round to claim the event title of the prestigious Red Wilk Construction Bull Bash.
Palmer was the lone survivor of the four-person Shoot Out round as he claimed his first Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour event win and a $2,000 bonus check from Panhandle for winning while wearing Rock N Roll Denim jeans..
“I have been trying to win one of Tuff’s events for what seems like forever and last year here in Huron, I was three seconds away from winning it and bucked off and this time I just kept telling myself just don’t let go – don’t let go,” said the determined young bull rider from Chelsea, Oklahoma.
Palmer then found his way to the winners circle to accept the custom created ring, trophy buckle and the $22,750 check from Tuff Hedeman and Red Wilk.
For two days the bucking bulls enjoyed the spotlight ruling over the 73 outs. Twenty-one riders posted qualified rides with Matt Palmer and Javier Garcia finishing at the top of the results sheet for the two nights in the crisp cool Huron weather.
Javier Garcia wins night one of the Bull Bash in Huron with a 91 point ride on C415 Rag Doll (Baker).
ROUND ONE
After Governor Noem circled the arena horseback with the American flag, the action got underway. Round one produced eight qualified rides with a pair of 90 points rides splitting the round win. Two Oklahomans shared the spotlight in round one. Caleb McCaslin, Jones, Okla., rode 334 Poke N Grit (Show Me Rodeo) and Palmer began his night with 90 points on the cowboys favorite 9100 Kojak (Rawson).
"I was excited to draw Kojak for the first time, and he felt great, and I knew I should ride him, so it was in my head…like you just don't want to buck off," laughed Palmer.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem carried the flag to open the 2019 Red Wilk Construction TH Bull Bash
Caleb McCaslin splits round one with a 90 point ride on Sho Me Rodeo’s Pok-N-Grit..
Lane Nobles finished second in the round with an 89.5 on 119 Chicken George (Burrus) followed by Cory Atwell 89.5 on 309 One Boot (Show Me), Joseph McConnel 89.5 on B7 Nightmare (Richardson Land and Cattle),Patterson Starcher, 88 pts on C415 Rag Doll, Albert Lebaron 86.5 725 Running Through The Jungle (Rockin C Harris), and Cody Rodeo Tyler 85.5 on 44 Magnum (Rockin C Harris). The heartbreak of the night was Lucas Mooningham, a rookie who was 7.5 seconds on 2801 Speckled Chicken (Rawson).
Semi-Finals
With a cool breeze blowing thru the pens, the bulls took the power back as they attempted to shut out the 24 bull riders. With eight qualified rides in round one, Hedeman would have to draw back four riders on time ridden to advance to the semi-final round. It was Garrett Jones of Devers, Texas who saved face for the cowboy athletes posting an 86 point ride on 556 Monster Mash (Tom Baker Bucking Bulls).
Shoot Out Round
The four top scores of the night and four strong Scott Burruss buckers were now on the Shoot Out roster as the cowboys huddled behind the chutes with Hedeman to select their winning ride. PRCA Extreme Bull champion Lane Nobles was the first man out, and he experienced a quick 3.38 buck off of Spin City.
Cory Atwell advances to the four-man Shoot Out round with 89.5 points on 309 One Boot
The North Carolina cowboy Cory Atwell was next up on Slapping Bo. He was also up and out in less than 3 seconds.
Matt Palmer selected 505 Outer Limits after according to Palmer, Noble took his first pick.
"I knew the two previous had bucked off, my bull felt really good, and I was just determined to stay on and win one of these events," said Palmer about his 89.5 ride.
Red and Jenny Wilk with Tuff Hedeman and Matt “Bubba” Palmer
Caleb McCaslin, the only man left who could steal the title from Palmer was next, and he was up and down in 2.98 seconds on Red Cloud.
Tuff Hedeman Bull Team Challenge Competition
Sho-Me Rodeo from Buffalo, Missouri won their first THT Bull Team competition in Huron. With two qualified rides and a total score of 280.5, the father-son flanking team of Joe and Cody Anderson took home a check for $24,000 and a custom trophy buckle from Tuff Hedeman.
Sho-Me Rodeo WIns Tuff Hedeman Bull Team Competition on night two of the Bull Bash in Huron. Show-Me is owned by Joe Anderson of Buffalo, Missouri.
"The win is great, but the crowd and the way you pay tribute to the veterans makes this event really special...and the weather,” laughed Andeson.
Anchoring the team win was Caleb McCaslin’s 90 point ride on 334 Pok-n- Grit for the round one win.
"We bought him as a two-year-old, and he has progressed to a perfect bull team bull," added Anderson.
Two of Sho-Me’s bulls came from Lonnie Austin’s pastures. 309 One Boot and semi-final bull Gambler are half brothers. Cory Atwell was 89.5 in round one on 309 and McCaslin bucked off Gambler in 2.98 seconds in the final Shoot out round.
The rank score of the night came from 831 Restraining Order as he bucked off Cason Bronson in 2.54 seconds during the semi-final round.
The Red Wilk Construction Bull Bash celebrated its 16th year as the opening show that kicked off the 136-year-old State Fair tradition in South Dakota. Four-time World Champion and Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer Tuff Hedeman and local businessman Red Wilk produced the fan-favorite two-night event featuring a passionate patriotic American Hero Ceremony celebrating the lives of 24 Veterans of War.
“We would not be in Huron without Red Wilk, we share the same ideas and values in producing great entertainment and the ceremony honoring the freedom that we all experience every day is truly amazing and honoring the service record of some of the most decorated war heroes,” said Hedeman.
Red Wilk Construction Bull Bash Results
August 29, 2019 - THT Tour
1, Matt Palmer, Chelsea, Oklahoma, 89.5 on 505 Outer Limits owned by Burruss Bucking Bulls, $22,750. 2, Caleb McCaslin, Jones, Okla., $1,500. 3, Cory Atwell, Moravian Falls, NC, $1,500. 4, Lane Nobles, Midlothian, TX, $1,500
August 28, 2019 - Breakout Series
1, Javier Garcia, 91 points on C415 Rag Doll (Tom Baker) $3,061.60. 2, Cory Atwell, 90 pts on 119 Chicken Falls, (Burruss), $2,225.60. 3, Joseph McConnel, 89 pts on 2602 Sharky (Major League), $1,369.60. 4, Matt Triplett, 88.5 pts, $941.60. 5, Lane Nobles, 88 pts on 51 Canto Tomado. 6, Matt Palmer, 88.5 pts, $470.80. 1,
Bull Team Results
August 29
1, Joe Anderson - Show Me Rodeo, 280.5 points, $24,000. 2, Rawson Bucking Bulls, 279.83 pts, $18,000. 3, Burruss, 278.09, $12,000. 4, D4/Tomaski Rodeo, 276.97 pts, $6,000.
Aug. 28
1, Tom Baker, 280.68 pts, $24,000. 2, Major League/Cantankerous LLC., 280.26 pts, $18,000. 3, Burruss, 278.52 pts, $12,000. 4, Rawson, 273.23 pts, $6,000.
Chase Foutch accepts the win for Tom Baker Bucking Bulls at the Red Wilk Construction Bull Bash. Foutch hauled and flanked the first and second place teams on night one in Huron..