Brody Yeary wins Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding in Las Vegas aboard Jeff Harris’s High Hopes
South Point Hotel & Casino Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding
presented by Boot Barn and Discount Tires
LAS VEGAS - Riding past eight National Finals Rodeo qualifiers and seven of the top 20 ranked bull riders in pro rodeo, 22-year-old Brody Yeary of Morgan Mill, Texas was the lone rider to deliver a three for three performance to win the thirteenth edition of the South Point Hotel & Casino Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding on Saturday night.
"On all three tonight, I called for them and walked up and went to 'em, so I was on the move more than usual and changed that up a little - I call that my slump buster,” said a smiling Brody Yeary.
South Point General Manager Ryan Growney and Tuff Hedeman present Brody Yeary with the prize check
The 2014 Texas High School Bull Riding Champion walked away with $24,000, and the THBRT prize package including a custom trophy buckle, and a $2,000 Panhandle Western Wear bonus check for winning the event wearing Rock N Roll denim jeans.
Panhandle & Rock & Roll Denim Marketing Manager Matt Cosby presents Brody Yeary with the $2,000 bonus check for winning while wearing Rock N Roll Jeans.
According to Yeary, he likes being on the road, which this week includes five days of competing, and a win like this boosts your confidence going into the next event. Yeary is currently ranked No. 14 in the PRCA with over $27,000 in earnings this year.
"It helps me stay tuned up, and then when you catch the rhythm, you just ride the wave," said Yeary of the tight schedule as he left Las Vegas Saturday night en route to Fort Worth to compete on Sunday.
Hedeman, in town for several days promoting the event and meeting fans, enjoyed his thirteenth year of producing bull ridings at the South Point Equestrian Center, and Arena had this to say about the event.
“People want to see great bull rides, and if you are not a consistent bull or bull rider you won't be invited, it’s really simple - good bulls and good “riders make a great show for the fans it’s that kind of consistency you will see at our events.” – Tuff Hedeman.
ROUND ONE
Taking advantage of the high energy in the South Point Equestrian Center, 8 NFR qualifiers and 10 of the PRCA’s top 20 produced eight qualified rides in round one.
Chase Doughtery advanced to the Semifinals on JQH’s Dirt Rich
Roscoe Jarboe was the first gunner and set the pace with 87.5 on Mike Rawson’s 2801 Speckled Chicken. Brett Custer took the lead two riders later with 88 on Mason’s Dirty Blonde. Top 5 PRCA bull rider J.T. Moore would outscore the field early in the second section with 89 points on 14 Red Cloud (Burruss). Chase Doughtery, making his debut on Hedeman’s Tour, kept pace with an 84 on JQH's Dirt Rich, followed by Jordan Spear's 88 on Top Line (Whisnant/Shaw).
JT Moore and bullfighter Beau Scheuth narrowly escape Scooby
Headed into the last section of the round one, Yeary would begin his quest with an 85 on Read Between the Lines (Richardson Land & Cattle).
"I didn't know him, but Pistol Robinson hauls him, and if he tells me he's good, he's good. I saw a video of Aaron Pass riding him, and he felt great just like he looked in the video," said Yeary.
“I didn’t know him but if Pistol says he’s good…he’s good,” said Yeary of his first round bull Read Between the Lines, Richardson Land and Cattle Co.
Playing come and get me, the field of 28 elite bull riders took shot after shot at the No. 4 man in pro rodeo, J.T. Moore. Six contenders would challenge Moore’s 89, but only one would succeed. Boudreaux Campbell who stole the round from Moore when he posted the first 90 point ride of the night aboard Halpain’s 303 Force Awakened.
SEMIFINAL ROUND
With eight qualified rides advancing on scores, Parker McCown, J.C. Mortensen, Wyatt Rogers, and Lon Danley would drawback on time.
The bulls slowed the action down to a crawl in the semifinal 12 man round, allowing only three riders to hear the whistle while still riding.
Lon Danley would be the first to ride and post a score with 89 points on the seldom ridden bull Kookaburra (Knapp). The next four would buck off.
Yeary in the No. 7 position would be the first to ride two as he claimed the lead with 89.5 points on Lil Willard (Richardson) and now led with an average of 174.5.
“Another of Pistol’s and I knew him, he threw me off last year, but he had about the same trip, but he actually felt a little better since I got buy him,” added Yeary.
Yeary gets by Lil Williard in the Semfinal round with 89.5 points-
Turning the crowd into his hand after five consecutive buck offs, Campbell would take the event lead with 181 on two when he won the Semifinal round with a 91 point ride on Blame it on the Whiskey (JQH)
Boudreaux Campbell wins Semifinal round and assists JQH Bull Team to the team win with 91 points on Blame It On the Whiskey.
SHOOT OUT ROUND
With only two with scores on two, the Shoot Out round would bring back J.T. Moore and Lon Danly on their single score of 89 in round one and two. Leading the pack with 181 on two, Campbell selected Speckled Bird (Burrus) for his winning ride attempt. Second, in line to pick was Yeary.
“I didn’t look at the final four list before the event, I am really not real bull savvy, but Jeff Harris told me to pick his and if you get the shot take High Hopes and we can win this deal.”
Moore and Danly would select and buck off Torch and Nikki Sixx both from Burruss Bucking Bulls.
Then there were two – both seasoned riders who are accustomed to the big stage for big money.
Yeary in complete control had High Hopes into his hand, almost as they left the chute. The No. 8 ranked PRCA rider looking for his first National Finals Rodeo in December, had this to say about his 90 points on High Hopes.
“He was smaller than I expected but he was darn sure gasy, but felt really good, I don’t mind the size, really try hard to be a well-rounded bull rider and be able to ride them big small and everything in between.”
Campbell was trying to claim all three rounds and defend the THBRT Las Vegas title came up a little short when Speckled Bird changed directions on him at the end of the trip.
THBRT BULL TEAM CHALLENGE
JQH Bucking Bulls of Amarillo, Texas, won their first Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour event of 2020 inside the South Point Equestrian Center in Las Vegas.
JQH Bucking Bulls wins Las Vegas Bull Team Challenge
You get to select what three bulls to enter at the THBRT bull team challenge, but you don't get to pick your riders. JQH could probably not ended up with a better line up if they had been allowed to hand-select their cowboys. As luck would have it, JQH had three NFR qualifiers on their trio of buckers to win the event with 283.01 points, 5.75 points ahead of the second-place team of Burruss/Interstate Treating Inc.
Trey Kimzey on JQH 4008 Missing After Dark a member of the winning bull team team in Las Vegas
Trey Kimzey was their first out, and he would not earn a score but took Missing After Midnight 5.51 seconds and their second out was Chase Doughtery who went 84 points on 07C Dirt Rich.
Anchoring their bull scores in the second round was Boudreaux Campbell when he won the Semifinals with 91 points on Blame it on the Whiskey, sealing the win for the husband and wife bull team of Skip and Elaine Jones.
3rd place bull team Halpain Bucking Bulls’s Painted Demon posted the highest bull score of the night with 90.5 points. Rider - Parker McCown.
The highest bull score was 90.5 points and earned by Halpain Bucking bulls with Parker’s McCowns attempt of Painted Demon in the semifinal round.
Las Vegas Results
1, Brody Yeary, Morgan Mill, Texas, 90 points on High Hopes (Harris) $22,000, 264.5 on three bulls. 2, Boudreaux Campbell, Crockett, Texas, 181 pts on 3, $2,250. 3, JT Moore, 89 Pts on 3, $2250. 4, Lon Danely 89 pts on 3, $2,250.
THBRT BULL TEAM RESULTS
1, JQH Bucking Bulls, Amarillo, Texas, 283.01 points, $24,000. 2, Burruss/Interstate, 277.26 pts, $18,000. 3, Halpain Bucking Bulls, 277.22, $12,000. 4, Mason/Smith, 277.19, $6,000.
The South Point Las Vegas Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding event is available for viewing on TuffHedemanTV.com. For more information, see www.tuffhedemanbullriding.com or contact Leigh Ann Schroeder, 940.902.1112, tuffhedemanpr@gmail.com.