Valdiron de Oliveira is trying to maintain his lead going into the summer break.

Despite fracturing his left eye socket in Connecticut, he missed only one BFTS event in Billings, Mont.,  and escaped another serious injury last week in Nampa, Idaho, where he extended his lead in the world standings over Silvano Alves to 654 points.

Alves is attempting to become the first back-to-back World Champion in PBR history, and has employed a conservative approach, declining four re-ride opportunities so far.

Last year, he didn't claim the top spot in the standings until after the summer break, and is in position to do so again in 2012. He and J.B. Mauney are the only two riders with two event wins, and his 38 qualified rides are the most among the top contenders.

L.J. Jenkins is also making a sustained run at the title.

L.J. Jenkins could potentially ride into the lead this weekend.

He's recorded seven consecutive Top 10 finishes - his most prolific two-month period since making his BFTS debut in 2005 -including one event win and six other Top 5 finishes.

He's ranked third, only 740.75 points behind Oliveira.

Jenkins finished last year ranked eighth. His best finish came in 2006 when he wound up seventh.

Guilherme Marchi, who claimed the 2008 title after three consecutive years of finishing second, has quietly ridden his way into fourth place in the world standings.

The veteran has one event win, and his six Top 5 finishes tie him with Oliveira for the third most behind Jenkins (7) and Marcho Eguche (8).

Mauney is out of competition this week because of issues with his hip and left arm. The 25-year-old is in search of his first world title, and for the past three weeks he has been riding with his right hand in the bull rope while recovering from surgery on a broken bone in his left hand.

No rider until Mauney has consistently had success switching riding hands at the BFTS level.

He's ridden three bulls, including two in the 15/15 Bucking Battle, and while he's slipped from the top spot in the standings to fifth in the world, his three scores have kept him from falling far.

Mauney is the only other rider to have been ranked No. 1 for multiple weeks. Cody Nance, who has fallen to 23rd and is virtually a non-contender, was the top-ranked rider after winning the first BFTS event of the season in New York.

There are 1,500 points available in Pueblo this weekend.

The 15/15 Bucking Battle, which takes place Saturday night following Round 2 of the event, is worth a maximum of 300 points, while the Pueblo Invitational is worth 1,200 points.

Any one of the Top 4 riders could take the lead.

And with the number of points available at the three-day event, the entire order of the Top 25 could change going into the break.

Upon the return of the BFTS in Tulsa, Okla., there will be nine more events on the road to the World Finals in Las Vegas.

NEWS & NOTES

TV GUIDE: Friday's opening round can be viewed at the PBR Live Center beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Round 2 can be seen Saturday night on CBS Sports Network at 10 p.m. ET. On Sunday, the 15/15 Bucking Battle will be aired on CBS at 2 p.m. ET., and followed by the final two rounds, which will air on CBS Sports Network at 6 p.m. ET.

DEBUT: "Dangerous Game: Inside PBR," an hour-long roundtable discussion, will premiere on CBS Sports Network on Sunday, May 20, at 3 p.m. ET. The discussion features nine-time World Champion Ty Murray, Luke Snyder, Shorty Gorham and two-time Stock Contractor of the Year Jeff Robinson. Craig Hummer moderates topics such as the growth of the sport, its danger factor, safety issues and the popularity of bucking bulls.

Asteroid, shown here with Stormy wing in Des Moines, Iowa, returns to action this weekend in Pueblo, Colo.

CBS will broadcast the special event in its entirety at 2 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 20 (please check local listings). The PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle will be held immediately following Round 2 on Saturday. Tickets for Saturday begin at $10, and include Round 2 of the Built Ford Tough Series event featuring the Top 35 bull riders in the world, and the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle. Bull riding begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Southwest Motors Events Center box office, www.Ticketmaster.com, and by telephone at (800) 745-3000.

Asteroid has bucked off 14 riders in a row, including 2010 PBR World Champion Renato Nunes in 2.86 seconds in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Uncasville, Conn., and 2011 PBR World Champion Silvano Alves in 1.81 seconds in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Sacramento, Calif. The Circle T Ranch & Rodeo bull received a score of 47.5 points out of a possible 50 for the buckoff of Alves, which is the highest bull score of the year. Asteroid bucked off top-ranked Valdiron de Oliveira in 5.29 seconds in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle at Indianapolis. Snyder won the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in front of a sellout crowd at Albuquerque, N.M.

The PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle features the Top 15 riders in the world competing against the 15 highest-ranked bulls at the event for an additional purse of $21,000. The bulls were each randomly assigned a position from 1-15. The riders were then matched with their bulls based upon their own current rankings in the Built Ford Tough Series standings.

Built Ford Tough Series points are doubled in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle, with the winner receiving 200 points and second place receiving 180 points, continuing on a graduated scale to 20 points for 10th place. The rider also receives his ride score (1-100 points), which means that 300 points are possible for the winner. Points earned in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle will count toward the season standings, and money earned counts towards qualification for the Built Ford Tough World Finals. If a rider fails to make a qualified ride, he does not receive any points or money. Points earned in the special round do not count toward the results of the Idaho event, but they do count toward the overall season standings.

Competing for the second week in a row with a fractured eye socket suffered two weeks ago at Uncasville, Conn., Oliveira has drawn Smackdown, who bucked him off in 2.56 seconds at Arlington, Texas, in March. Smackdown has been the high-marked bull at four BFTS events this year, and he posted the highest score of the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle a week ago with 46.75 points out of a possible 50. Two weeks ago, he bucked off Austin Meier in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle before being ridden for 91 points by Stormy Wing in the championship round two days later. Oliveira, who is also competing with a broken foot suffered five weeks ago at Indianapolis, finished seventh at the BFTS event and tied for third in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Idaho last weekend.

Stormy Wing puts up an event-best 91 points on Smackdown in the championship round at the 2012 PBR Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

Oliveira won the first PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Sacramento in January, with 94 points on Buckey. The 94 points stands as the highest-marked ride of the season, and a career best for the No. 1 rider in the world. Oliveira has been ranked first in the BFTS standings the past five weeks in a row, and nine of the first 17 weeks this season. He has not been ranked lower than second all season, and leads Alves by 654 points, and L.J. Jenkins by 740.75 points.

Second-ranked Alves is matched up with Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, and third-ranked Jenkins is paired with Palm Springs. Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey has bucked off seven riders in a row, a streak that began when he bucked off Alves in 3.99 seconds at Houston in February. In his very first BFTS appearance in September 2011, he bucked off Alves in 7.28 seconds. Alves has five Top 10 finishes in a row, and posted back-to-back wins at Detroit and Glendale, Ariz., in March. Jenkins has finished in the Top 10 in the past seven events, including a win at Kansas City, Mo., and four third-place finishes. In his only BFTS out, Palm Springs bucked off 2009 PBR World Champion Kody Lostroh in 6.20 seconds at Arlington.

2008 PBR World Champion Guilherme Marchi, who is ranked fourth in the world, has drawn Rock & Roll, while sixth-ranked Marco Eguche will be on Quiet Riot. Marchi won the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle two weeks ago in Billings, Mont. Rock & Roll has not been ridden for 8 seconds in 15 outs. He bucked off Marchi last season, and this season has bucked off Nunes twice and Alves once. Quiet Riot has not been ridden for more than 3 seconds in five BFTS outs.

Meier, who is ranked seventh, has been matched up with Buckey, and eighth-ranked Fabiano Vieira has been paired with Mulligan Man. Meier won the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle three weeks ago at Uncasville, and finished first in the BFTS event at Billings two weeks ago. Buckey has been the high-marked bull at BFTS events two times this year, and bucked off Nunes in PBR 15/15 Bucking Battles at Billings and Albuquerque. Vieira has seven Top 10 finishes in his past 10 events, including first place at Indianapolis and second place at Kansas City, Mo. Mulligan Man bucked off Vieira in 2.00 at Detroit in March, and is 6-0 in BFTS events.

Nunes, who is ranked ninth, has drawn High Octane Hurricane, and 10th-ranked Ryan Dirteater will be on Train Wreck. Nunes and Wing tied for first place with 92 points in last week's PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Idaho. Nunes rode Bucking Machine while Wing became only the second rider in 13 outs to reach 8 seconds on Train Wreck. Alves is the only rider in eight BFTS outs to successfully ride High Octane Hurricane, scoring 89.75 points to finish second in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle at Albuquerque. Last week in Idaho, Dirteater tied for third with Oliveira in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle, and finished fifth in the BFTS event.

Renato Nunes notches 92 points on Bucking Machine in the 15/15 Bucking Battle in Nampa, Idaho.

Twelfth-ranked Wing is paired with Rango, and 13th-ranked Justin Koon will be on Meat Hook. In addition to his PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle win a week ago, Wing has posted three Top 5 finishes in his past five events. Rango has bucked off the last three riders to improve to 20-2 in BFTS events. Meat Hook bucked off Koon, who is returning after sitting out last week with an injured hand, in 2.85 seconds at Arlington in March.

Harve Stewart, who is ranked 15th, will be matched up against Buck Off, and 16th-ranked Robson Palermo will be on Perfect Poison. In his past two outs, Buck Off dispatched Nunes and two-time PBR World Champion Chris Shivers to improve to 4-2 in BFTS events. Palermo won the BFTS event four weeks ago at Des Moines, Iowa, and has moved into the Top 20 despite missing the first nine events of the season while recovering from offseason surgery. Perfect Poison has only been ridden twice in his past 20 outs, by Vieira for 91.75 points to finish second in Round 5 at the 2011 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals, and by 2004 PBR World Champion Mike Lee for 91 points in Round 6 at the World Finals in 2010. In his last out, Perfect Poison bucked off Marchi in 3.91 seconds in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Albuquerque.

The final matchup will be 17th-ranked Ty Pozzobon against David's Dream. In his last out, David's Dream improved to 6-0 in BFTS events by bucking off Palermo in 1.77 seconds in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle two weeks ago in Billings.

Palermo and Pozzobon gained entry into the draw because fifth-ranked J.B. Mauney and 11th-ranked Douglas Duncan are both unable to compete due to injury.

The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, NBC Sports Network, and YouTube. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer.

PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle
Saturday, May 19
Southwest Motors Event Center in Pueblo, Colo.

No. 17    Ty Pozzobon vs. David's Dream
No. 16    Robson Palermo vs. Perfect Poison
No. 15    Harve Stewart vs. Buck Off
No. 13    Justin Koon vs. Meat Hook
No. 12    Stormy Wing vs. Rango
No. 11    Luke Snyder vs. Asteroid
No. 10    Ryan Dirteater vs. Train Wreck
No. 9    Renato Nunes vs. High Octane Hurricane
No. 8    Fabiano Vieira vs. Mulligan Man
No. 7    Austin Meier vs. Buckey
No. 6    Marco Eguche vs. Quiet Riot
No. 4    Guilherme Marchi vs. Rock & Roll
No. 3    L.J. Jenkins vs. Palm Springs
No. 2    Silvano Alves vs. Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey
No. 1    Valdiron de Oliveira vs. Smackdown

'When they came to us we thought it would be a good fit.'

The program allows fans to participate as stock contractors without having to worry about the daily work that goes into housing, raising or training bucking bulls. Instead, the training is handled by Kent Cox, former bullfighter Joe Baumgartner, and Dean Wilson.

Cox has handled championship-caliber bulls - including reigning World Champion Bushwacker - while Baumgartner and Wilson have spent the better part of their lives raising rough stock.

All three have spent most of the past month working with the young bulls, and training them to stand in the chute and leave when the gate opens.

After the first event, they'll rotate traveling from their respective homes to Colorado, where the bulls are being housed at the Centennial Correctional Facility outside Pueblo.

"People thinking out of the box are like, 'Oh my God, how did you even get that involved or get it done?'" said Simpson, who noted that the Department of Corrections is involved in the dairy industry and farming, and that ranching is a natural progression.

"When they came to us we thought it would be a good fit."

As part of a partnership, the ABBI purchased all the materials to build the new facility. In exchange, the inmates excavated the land, did all the concrete work, and built the barns, fencing and arena.

They were responsible for everything from electrical work to welding.

Cox, Baumgartner and Wilson will do all the hands-on training with the bulls, while ABBI staffer Toby Pollock will oversee the feeding and general maintenance program that will be the responsibility of the inmates.

"It's teaching them a trade and structure," said Simpson, who added that the life skills being taught to the inmates could be useful in the job market once they're released.

"It also comes down to finances. We couldn't do it anywhere else as cheap as we did it."

'The bulls are fresh and looking good.'

By housing the bulls at the prison, the ABBI avoids any appearance of favoritism that might arise if the bulls were kept on a particular contractor's ranch.

The bulls are secure, and anyone wanting to visit - including the trainers - must be approved by the ABBI and cleared through the corrections department.

"Where better than a prison to have security?" joked Simpson.

He then added, "Where else do you get to work with 100 different bulls that are owned by 100 different people?"

The bulls, which originate from various breeding programs around the country, have been at the facility for the past month.

The 2-year-olds will compete this year as futurity bulls. A futurity bull bucks for 4 seconds with a 25-pound dummy on his back.

All bulls will be judged using the five-judge system. Each judge will evaluate one out of five categories: buck, kick, spin, degree of difficulty, or intensity. Bucking order will be determined by random draw.

Chute delivery will be determined by the on-site trainer/flank man, to give the bull the best opportunity.

"The bulls are fresh," Simpson said, "and looking good."

Listen to the Ty Murray Report.

Valdiron de Oliveira returned to competition in Idaho last week after missing only one event, despite sustaining a concussion and a fractured eye socket. Upon his return, he said, "I need to have more heart."

Guilherme Marchi wanted to compete in the final two rounds on Sunday afternoon despite suffering a frightening concussion on Saturday night. He was eventually kept out after failing a post-concussion test.

After covering Midnight Mood for 87 points in Round 1, Guilherme Marchi sustains a concussion when he takes a shot from the bull at the 2012 PBR Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

And J.B. Mauney has covered three bulls, including two in the 15/15 Bucking Battle, using his right hand in the bull rope. The 25-year-old broke a bone his customary left hand in Kansas City, Mo., and made the switch instead of sitting out.

He'll miss this coming week in Pueblo, Colo., with an injured hip and a badly swollen left arm.

'It shows these guys are more afraid of being second for the World Championship than they are of the injuries that they could be facing.'

All three are in need of rest, but as Marchi put it, "I need the points."

"It shows these guys are more afraid of being second for the World Championship than they are of the injuries that they could be facing," Murray said.

Oliveira has a 654-point lead over Silvano Alves, who is attempting to become the first rider in PBR history to win back-to-back world titles. L.J. Jenkins, who has recorded seven consecutive Top 10 finishes, is 740.75 points back.

Without much fanfare, L.J. Jenkins has moved into third in the world.

The Pueblo event is worth a maximum of 1,200 points, while the seventh of nine 15/15 Bucking Battles is worth a total of 300 points.

The Top 4 riders are within 1,500 points of each other.

"These guys hate sitting at home and watching guys make up ground or pass them in the standings," Murray explained. "There's a sense of urgency. You can just feel it. It's a dogfight."

After the Pueblo event there will be an 11-week break in action from the BFTS.

'There's a sense of urgency. You can just feel it. It's a dogfight.'

Some riders will use the time to rest, relax and recover. Others will compete sparingly, whether it's at a few Touring Pro Division events in the U.S., or at international PBR events in Canada, Brazil and Australia.

There are some who will also maintain a full schedule of TPD events combined with some PRCA rodeos.

All 35 riders want to end the first portion of the 2012 season having gone out with an event win, or at the very least a Top 10 finish.

"Things usually do change between when the break starts and when the season picks back up," Murray said.

He then added, "It's still an adjustment when the season picks back up, because everything is a bigger, stronger, faster, tougher competition and that feverish desire and hunger for that gold buckle. We're feeling it now, but it's going to be even more so when it's down the stretch."

Competing for more than $140,000 in total prize money, each of the Top 35 riders in the world will ride on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Following Round 3 on Sunday, the riders with the 10 highest cumulative scores will advance to the championship round, where they will each compete with one more bull. The overall event winner will be the rider with the highest combined score from all four regular-format rounds.

Pueblo will also feature the seventh of nine PBR 15/15 Bucking Battles, which has the Top 15 riders in the world competing against the 15 highest-ranked bulls at the event. The bulls are randomly drawn prior to the event, and assigned a position from 1-15. The riders will be assigned a bull according to their current positions in the BFTS standings.

The PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle will be held immediately following Round 2 on Saturday, and will be broadcast in its entirety on CBS at 2 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 20. The special round, which has an additional purse of $21,000, replaces the usual first short round. Points and money earned in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle do not count toward the event result, but they do count toward the BFTS season standings, and qualification for the Built Ford Tough World Finals.

PBR World Champions scheduled to compete in Pueblo are Silvano Alves (2011), Renato Nunes (2010), and Guilherme Marchi (2008). The field will also include defending Pueblo champion Robson Palermo, top-ranked Valdiron de Oliveira, and Top 10 riders L.J. Jenkins, Austin Meier and Ryan Dirteater.

Robson Palermo wins the 2011 U.S. Air Force Invitational in Pueblo, Colo., with this 93.25-point effort vs. RMEF Gunpowder & Lead.

Oliveira is competing with a fractured eye socket suffered two weeks ago at Uncasville, Conn. He returned after missing one week, finishing seventh in the regular-format event and tying for third in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Idaho last weekend. He is also competing with a broken foot suffered five weeks ago at Indianapolis.

Pueblo is the 19th stop of the 2012 BFTS season, which opened on Jan. 6-8 with capacity crowds at Madison Square Garden in New York. The BFTS will make 28 stops in 23 states before the Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 24-28, 2012. The World Finals are where the PBR World Champion will be crowned and awarded the coveted championship buckle and a $1 million bonus. The richest bull riding event in the world, the World Finals has a total purse of more than $2 million.

The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, NBC Sports Network, and YouTube. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer. 

J.B. Mauney takes a nasty shot from Push It as he bucks off the bull in Round 2 at the 2012 PBR BFTS Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

He lost his helmet in the process, and had a trickle of blood coming from a cut on his face. By the time he left the Idaho Center with his wife Lexie, two knots had developed.

Mauney has defied the odds and ridden three bulls using his right hand since breaking a bone in his left in Kansas City, Mo.

He was the No. 1 ranked rider in the world at the time of his injury, and his efforts have kept him in the Top 5.

Oliveira, who is atop the world standings with a 654-point lead over Silvano Alves, looked like he was in rare form and had positioned himself for a Built Ford Tough Series event win until he was stepped on in the Built Ford Tough Championship Round.

Rockie Smooth steps on Valdiron de Oliveira after bucking off the world leader in the championship round of the 2012 PBR BFTS Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

It was nearly a mirror image of the wreck that took place two weeks earlier in Uncasville, Conn.

Afterward, the 33-year-old said he felt fine. Oliveira is traveling to Texas on Monday and is expected to be reexamined by Dr. Tandy Freeman on Tuesday.

With one BFTS event remaining until the summer break, the Top 6 riders - Oliveira, Alves, L.J. Jenkins, Guilherme Marchi, Mauney and Marco Eguche - are within 2,000 points of each other, while Austin Meier is 2,109.5 points off the pace.

NEWS & NOTES

SNYDER BACK IN FORM: Luke Snyder was 3-for-3, including a pair of 90-point rides in the final two rounds on Sunday, and won the Idaho event for the second time in his career. He is the second rider in PBR history to win the longstanding event twice.

It was his fifth Top 10 finish of the year, and his first Top 5 finish since finishing third in New York to open the 2012 season.

"I got it figured out," said Snyder, who said the facemask on his new helmet is not the cause of his recent troubles. However, he did joke that he's glad Ty Murray indirectly associated the slump with the new helmet during PBR broadcasts, and didn't blame it directly blame it on Snyder's skills.

"I think in any sport a guy might step up to the plate and miss a few balls he should smoke out of the park," Snyder explained. "When you find that sweet spot, you're like, 'Yeah, there it is.'"

In an interview on CBS Sports Network, Snyder said his matchup with Charlie Bullware was "two old-timers going at it."

Luke Snyder puts up 90 points on Charlie Bullware in the championship round to win the 2012 PBR BFTS Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

He earned 90 points on Dark Shadow in Round 2 and 90 points on Charlie Bullware in the championship round. Neither of his rides were easy, and either one could have ended early.

Luke Snyder scores 90 points on his reride bull, Dark Shadow, in Round 2 at the 2012 PBR BFTS Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

Snyder made a series of countermoves in both rounds to keep himself from coming down short of the whistle.

"They were moves I had to make to make those 90-point caliber bulls," Snyder explained. "You don't just get lucky and ride them. You have to pour it all out there, and on both those bulls there was a time when I was out of position big-time, and I just had to trust that if I threw the Hail Mary I was confident in my ability to get there."

'You don't just get lucky and ride them. You have to pour it all out there, and on both those bulls there was a time when I was out of position big-time, and I just had to trust that if I threw the Hail Mary I was confident in my ability to get there.'

Afterward he said he had been frustrated in recent weeks, but didn't think he had been doing anything differently than he had when he was qualifying for championship rounds regularly.

He added that no great athlete "gets complacent with mediocrity."

While he loves being at the events, it has been difficult to leave home this year. He and his fiancée Jen Manna, who surprised him by traveling to Idaho, have been planning their wedding and building a house in Missouri.

Snyder, who is now 11th in the world standings, said he plans to "take the (upcoming) break for what it is - relax and enjoy my time at home."

He and his future in-laws are taking a trip to Africa in early June.

Unlike past years, he is not competing in Australia this summer, but will compete at the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede before returning to the BFTS in Tulsa, Okla.

SCARY MOMENT: Guilherme Marchi was injured Saturday night when he was hit in the head twice by Midnight Mood in the opening round. Marchi, who does not wear a protective helmet, covered the bull for 87 points.

He was knocked unconscious and required a few stitches to close a cut on the bottom of his chin.

After covering Midnight Mood for 87 points in Round 1, Guilherme Marchi sustains a concussion when he takes a shot from the bull at the 2012 PBR Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

Marchi missed the 15/15 Bucking Battle because of concussion-like symptoms, but had planned to compete in the final two rounds of the BFTS event on Sunday. "I need the points," said Marchi, who is fourth in the world standings.

After being examined in the sports medicine room prior to Sunday's competition, he failed a post-concussion test. He is expected to return to competition this week in Pueblo.

Seconds after lying on the arena floor unconscious, Guilherme Marchi is up and smiling.

DISARMED: For the first time in his career, Nathan Schapper covered the first two bulls of a BFTS event and qualified for the championship round. As friends and fellow riders congratulated him, the 21-year-old from North Dakota said, "I tore my (left) biceps."

Despite the injury, he competed in the final round. He was unsuccessful in his attempt to ride Prince Albert, and finished eighth in the average.

According to Dr. Tandy Freeman, Schapper tore the tendon from the bone at the elbow and will require surgery. Recovery is expected to take six months. The biceps is completely torn and cannot be injured any further, so there is a chance he could try competing once again in Pueblo before undergoing the procedure.

Freeman said Schapper could have the surgery as soon as Wednesday in Dallas.

RE-RIDE RESULTS: Harve Stewart finished the Idaho event fourth in the average and had a chance to win had he been able to cover Double Clutch. When asked about three riders declining their re-ride options in the opening round, he said, "Yeah, that worked out for me."

Stewart was the first of four riders given a re-ride option to accept it Saturday.

Austin Meier declined his option and kept 68.5 points on the board because of a rib injury. He subsequently missed the final round by one spot in the average. Meier needed treatment in the sports medicine room for what he called a dislocation of his floating rib before competing in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.

Sevi Torturo declined his option and elected to keep 71.75 points, while Cody Nance did the same with the 75 points he earned on Buck Naked. Referring to the first re-ride bull - Another One - Nance said, "I just don't get along with those clones, so I went with my gut." Another One is a clone of the legendary Panhandle Slim.

Nance rode his second bull and finished 10th in the average, while Stewart covered Another One for 87.25 points. He finished second in Round 1 and scored 86.75 points in Round 2 to earn the first pick in the bull draft.

PROCTOR CUT: "We're done with what-ifs and looking for the future," said Shane Proctor Sunday afternoon. Despite covering Merlot Man for 88 points and winning third place in the second round, Proctor will have to ride his way back onto the BFTS through the Touring Pro Division.

Shane Proctor rides Merlot Man for 88 points in Round 2 at the 2012 PBR BFTS Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

Proctor, who missed the first nine events of the season recovering from a broken arm, used his final injury exemption and is ranked 41st in the world standings. He needed to be in the Top 25 in order to avoid being cut.

He said his schedule is about to fill up with TPD events and PRCA rodeos throughout the summer. He'll next be in Paris, Texas, on May 25, and Decatur, Texas, on May 26, followed by a two-day event in Asheville, N.C. "I'm hitting everything I can to make myself better," he said. "I'm going to keep the gas in the van and just keep trucking."

'I'm going to keep the gas in the van and just keep trucking.'

Like last summer, Proctor will travel with Stormy Wing. However, Wing will miss the first three weeks to give the tendons in the wrist of his riding hand a chance to recover. Proctor said his goal is to qualify for both the World Finals and the National Finals Rodeo.

"I don't have to make first," he said, "but it's just going to be a lot of fun along the way. It's all about the journey, not the destination."

THANKS, WILEY: Home-state favorite Wiley Petersen, who announced his retirement earlier this year, was honored during the intermission between the opening round and the 15/15 Bucking Battle on Saturday night. The Idaho native said his career in the PBR was "a dream come true," but that it was time to retire because "it became a job."

Petersen went on to explain he was "trying to play it safe too much" and that the riders have to be willing to "lay it on the line every time."

PBR co-founder Cody Custer also addressed the crowd and said that Petersen's character goes "beyond the arena." He said he sees the impact Petersen has had on newcomers.

TESTED, PASSED: As expected, Shepherd Hills Tested won the ABBI Classic bull competition that was held in conjunction with Round 1 on Saturday. Judges marked him 88.75 points. Tribal Tuff.com finished second with 87.25 points, while Woody and Skatman Hou split third and fourth with 87 points each.

It was the first ABBI event in which Woody competed, and he is believed to be a formidable contender for this year's Classic title. Emilio Resende covered Skatman Hou for 88.5 points to win the opening round and earn the first pick in the bull draft for Round 2 of the BFTS event.

Emilio Resende takes the round win win an 88.50-point effort on Skatman Hou in Round 1 at the 2012 PBR Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

Three other bulls - Midnight Mood, Spaz Hou and Wolf Addiction - each earned 86 points from the judges to split fifth, sixth and seventh place.

ABBI Classic competitions use six judges and discard the highest and lowest scores in calculating the bull score.

DEBUT: "Dangerous Game: Inside PBR," an hour-long round table discussion, will premiere on CBS Sports Network on Sunday, May 20, at 3 p.m. ET. The discussion features nine-time World Champion Ty Murray, Snyder, Shorty Gorham and two-time reigning Stock Contractor of the Year Jeff Robinson. Craig Hummer moderates topics such as the growth of the sport, its danger factor, safety issues and the popularity of bucking bulls.

***CORRECTION: This story has been corrected to indicate that Luke Snyder is the second rider to win in Idaho twice. Tater Porter won in 2000 and 2005. Thanks to roberto_tobar for the catch. -Ed.

"I want to win every time I put my hand in the rope. I've gotten settled in and I belong here now.'

Wing, who came into the weekend ranked 12th in the world standings, continues to close in on the Top 10.

In addition to his 92 points, he and Nunes each received 190 points for splitting first and second.

After calling for the gate, Wing bobbled slightly coming out of the chute, but recovered and sat in the middle of Train Wreck's back in complete control.

According to Wing, the bull backed up and put his head down. On bulls away from his left hand, he typically holds onto the gate to come out in time with the bulls.

Saturday night, he said he nearly held on too long.

"That's what pulled me down underneath there," he said, "but once I sat up and got my hips underneath me, it worked out good."

He's now ridden nine of his past 17 bulls, including four of the past five.

Wing continues to look calm, comfortable and confident.

In the past, he said, he not only wanted to perform well at the events, but that he also made a conscious effort to impress the top riders he had watched on television prior to arriving on the Built Ford Tough Series.

"You expect a lot of yourself once you get to this level," Wing explained, "and it almost causes a guy who hasn't been here, or me anyway, to fight my head.

"Then it looks like you're not even riding at all."

'You expect a lot of yourself once you get to this level, and it almost causes a guy who hasn't been here, or me anyway, to fight my head. Then it looks like you're not even riding at all.'

"If you ride good enough to get here, you ride good enough to be here," he continued, "therefore you just have to believe in yourself."

Ryan Dirteater and Valdiron de Oliveira split third and fourth behind Wing and Nunes.

Oliveira is competing after missing last week's event, in Billings, Mont., with concussion-like symptoms. Despite riding with a fractured left orbital bone, he went without a helmet, and made the whistle for 91.25 points on Cowboy Casanova.

Afterward he said the bull was not easy for him to get out of the chute on, but he needed to earn as many points as he could with the rest of the Top 5 riders closing in on him.

"I need to have more heart," Oliveira said.

Silvano Alves, who is trying to become the first rider in PBR history to win back-to-back world titles, covered Mega Ton for 88 points, while J.B. Mauney continues to awe audiences.

A week after covering two bulls with his right hand down while his customary left hand heals from a broken bone, the 25-year-old stayed on Bad Blake for a full 8 seconds.

The ride was reviewed, and Mauney was awarded 89 points.
 
This week's 15/15 Bucking Battle can be seen on CBS beginning at 4 p.m. ET this afternoon.

'He's one of the all-time greats. He's right up there with the all-time greats that never won it or won it one time. He's right up there with Red Wolf or Blueberry Wine, and even pushed Dillinger and Little Yellow Jacket to be as great as they were.'

"And most of (the qualified rides) were in the short go, not just competing against the best bull riders of that time, but the best bull riders of that weekend," said PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert, "so those are really impressive stats."

In addition to winning the 2006 title, he was the high-money bull of the regular season in 2005, earning the most money for the riders who managed to the make the whistle on him.

In 2004, Mike Lee tied for the highest marked ride of the year with 93.75 points on him. The highest score on Mossy Oak Mudslinger ever came three years earlier, when Cory McFadden covered him for 95.5 points at the World Finals in Las Vegas.

"He's one of the all-time greats," Lambert said. "He's right up there with the all-time greats that never won it or won it one time. He's right up there with Red Wolf or Blueberry Wine, and even pushed Dillinger and Little Yellow Jacket to be as great as they were."

Lambert compared him Lou Gehrig - one of the greatest baseball players ever to play for the New York Yankees. As great as his career was, he's always listed behind the legendary Babe Ruth.

In the years before finally winning the World Champion Bull title, Mossy Oak Mudslinger finished second to Dillinger and then finished second to Little Yellow Jacket.

"There were four years in a row he was nearly the World Champion," Lambert said, "and he was finally (the World Champion Bull) the last time.

'The Pages handled him his whole career the very best anyone could handle him, and they retired him when he still had it. That's such a cool thing. They didn't bring him around when everybody could ride him. No one made the whistle on him who wasn't a great rider.'

"It was like he knocked a home run in his final at-bat."

In his last out, Mossy Oak Mudslinger bucked off Guilherme Marchi in 5.1 seconds and was marked 46.5 points in Round 6 of the 2006 World Finals.

He was a six-time World Finals qualifier and big reason D&H Cattle Co. was named Stock Contractor of the Year for five years running from 2001 through 2005. Page & Teague Bucking Bulls won in 2006.

"The Pages handled him his whole career the very best anyone could handle him, and they retired him when he still had it," Lambert said. "That's such a cool thing. They didn't bring him around when everybody could ride him. No one made the whistle on him who wasn't a great rider."

Lambert said he has great memories of Mossy Oak Mudslinger.

One particular out he remembers happens to be the first time he saw him ridden. Lambert recalled the 3-year-old looking spectacular in Columbus, Ga., when Adam Carrillo rode him for 94.5 points in his third outing on the Built Ford Tough Series in 2001.

Lambert proclaimed, "He was just an amazing bull."

In an email, H.D.'s sister Johna said that in spite of the sadness of his passing, "Mudslinger was out breeding cows the day he died. His genetics will impact the industry for years to come. … Mudslinger left some great offspring to carry on his legacy."

Among his calves are Velvet Slinger, Copperhead Slinger, Double Oak, Little Snake and Hot Stuff.

"I haven't really even taken time to stop and reflect on how special he was," said H.D.

The father-son team of Dillon and H.D. hauled Mossy Oak Mudslinger together during his entire career.

While watching Saturday night's ABBI Classic competition, H.D. said, "I was thinking about how good he was as a calf and how good these calves are today, and it reminded me of just how special he was.

"I think he would dominate a futurity or a classic today."

Red Man vs. Mike Lee, Baltimore, 2012.

Harve Stewart on 100 New Face:
New Face has only six career outs on record, but two of them were against  Stewart. They paired up for 85.75 points in Albuquerque, N.M.

New Face vs. Lachlan Richardson, Billings, Mont. 2012.

Guilherme Marchi on 694 Dark Shadow:
I'm not sure if Marchi is in or out for today's round, but one thing is for sure - he is a tough son of a gun. He was hit pretty hard last night after making an outstanding ride on a difficult bull, and still got up and walked out of the arena.

After covering Midnight Mood for 87 points in Round 1, Guilherme Marchi sustains a concussion when he takes a shot from the bull at the 2012 PBR Boise Invitational in Nampa, Idaho.

He is 1-for-2 on Dark Shadow this season, but the rest of the story is that he's the only rider who has bucked off of Dark Shadow this year. The bull has been ridden eight times in his 25-out career, but seven of them have come in the past eight outs.

Nathan Schaper on 705 Shaky Waters:
Schaper went with a bull that will probably spin into his hand. Shaky Waters has been ridden in his past three appearances, and he's been ridden four times more often by left-handed riders.

Mike Lee on 88 Shock Wave:
There is almost no history on this bull. Justin Koon had him last week in Billings, Mont., in Round 2 and failed to make the whistle, but the bull earned a respectable 43.25-point bull score.

Silvano Alves on 310B Angry Bob:
We only have two outs on record for Angry Bob - he's faced Jordan Hupp and Marco Eguche, and was ridden both times. Expect Alves to make it 3-for-3.

Valdiron de Oliveira on 66S Jack Black:
Oliveira looked as sharp as he ever has last night, and rode both his bulls. He's got a tougher job today against this bull. Jack Black has one of the most impressive records of any bull at this event. He's been ridden only twice in 37 attempts, he has never been ridden by a right-handed rider, and he's 10-0 against the most talented riders in the world. He also has a tough job today, because Oliveira has made a career of having his way with impossibly difficult bulls.

Brendon Clark on 78 Night Deposit:
They met in Des Moines, Iowa, earlier this year, where Clark made it 7.68 seconds before coming down. Robson Palermo rode Night Deposit in Round 2 last week in Billings for 86.25 points.

Aaron Roy on 132 Boss Hog:
Boss Hog hasn't been ridden in his two outs at this level, but he was ridden by Robson Aragao at a Touring Pro Division event back in January - his only other out on record.

Marco Eguche on 132B Juice:
This is another bull with very little history. He handed Chad Besplug a zero in Billings, and did the same to Billy Robinson in Kansas City, Mo.

Ty Pozzobon on 51 Night Rider 6:
This bull has an interesting buckoff record. He throws off lefties 56 percent of the time and righties 45 percent of the time. He's tossed 50 percent of the Built Ford Tough Series riders he's faced, and 60 percent overall. He's chunked 43 percent of the elite riders he's faced. What's strange about that is that most bulls are much less effective in one or another of these categories. This one seems be able to throw off every other challenger regardless of which hand they ride with, or how well they ride. The good news for Pozzobon is that Night Rider 6 bucked off the last guy he faced.

Jordan Hupp on 45 Stanley-Bostitch Hurriquake:
L.J. Jenkins was 86 points on Hurriquake in Des Moines, and since then this bull has tossed a right-handed J.B. Mauney and Clayton Baethge in Billings.

Luke Snyder on 617 Cool Hand Luke:
They met in Des Moines, where Snyder came down in 6.37 seconds. Chase Outlaw took Cool Hand Luke the distance in Billings for 86.5 points.

Ryan Dirteater on K157 Firestorm:
Firestorm is on a pace to be ridden about twice per season, and he's been ridden once already this season - by Austin Meier in Albuquerque.

L.J. Jenkins on 85 Jello:
This is a nice bull and an excellent pick for Jenkins. Jello doesn't have much history, but Billy Robinson was 86.25 points on him in Billings last week, and the bull looked nice to ride.

Cody Nance on X732 Mean Eyed Cat:
Nance is 5' 8" tall and left handed, and this bull has never been ridden by a lefty or anyone under 6 feet tall. He's 9-2 against everyone and 5-1 against Built Ford Tough Series Riders.

Sevi Torturo on K613 Whirlwind:
This bull fell a long way in the draft for a bull who is so nice to ride. He's 3-1 on the Built Ford Tough Series this season, but overall he's been ridden nine times in 13 attempts. Torturo should get a second score here.

Austin Meier on 800 Serendipity:
This bull is unridden in five outs we have on record, and has earned some high marks from the judges. Jeff Robinson bought him from 4C Bucking Bulls out of Canada, and he made his debut in Billings last week, tossing Koon in Round 3.

NEWS & NOTES

DAD'S DONATION: The PBR and DAD'S Pet Foods announced that they are donating 1,000 pounds of dog food and cat food to the Idaho Humane Society, a non-profit, private organization caring for nearly 14,000 pets annually.

The Official Pet Food of the PBR, DAD'S Pet Foods looks to donate 1,000 pounds of pet food product to a local humane society, animal rescue, or animal care center in each city the BFTS visits.

The Idaho Humane Society is the largest and oldest animal welfare organization and veterinary charity in the state of Idaho. The Idaho Humane Society advocates the welfare and responsible care of animals, protecting them from neglect and cruelty. The Idaho Humane Society promotes awareness and compassion in an effort to ensure humane treatment and responsible stewardship for domestic animals.

TUNE IN: Watch the 15/15 Bucking Battle from Nampa today at 4 p.m. ET on CBS, then watch Round 2 and the Built Ford Tough Championship Round tonight at 6 p.m. ET on CBS SPorts Network.

(Slade Long, PBR Web developer and statistician, has been crunching the numbers on bucking bulls for 13 years. In addition to his regular "Morning Line" series, published just prior to every Built Ford Tough Series performance, Long co-hosts "In the Bull Pen with Cody Lambert," a podcast recorded every Thursday prior to each BFTS event.)

Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series
Idaho Center at Nampa, Idaho
Saturday's Results
Event Leaders (Round 1-Total Points)

1. Emilio Resende, 88.5-88.5 points.
2. Harve Stewart, 87.25-87.25 points.
3. Guilherme Marchi, 87-87 points.
4. Nathan Schaper, 86.5-86.5 points.
5. Mike Lee, 86.25-86.25 points.
6. Silvano Alves, 86-86 points.
7. Valdiron de Oliveira, 85.75-85.75 points.
8. Brendon Clark, 85.5-85.5 points.
9. Aaron Roy, 84.75-84.75 points.
(tie). Marco Eguche, 84.75-84.75 points.
(tie). Ty Pozzobon, 84.75-84.75 points.
12. Jordan Hupp, 83.25-83.25 points.
(tie). Luke Snyder, 83.25-83.25 points.
14. Ryan Dirteater, 83-83 points.
15. L.J. Jenkins, 80-80 points.
16. Cody Nance, 75-75 points.
17. Sevi Torturo, 71.75-71.75 points.
18. Austin Meier, 68.5-68.5 points.
Ben Jones, 0-0 points.
Billy Robinson, 0-0 points.
Caleb Sanderson, 0-0 points.
Chad Besplug, 0-0 points.
Chase Outlaw, 0-0 points.
Dusty Ephrom, 0-0 points.
Fabiano Vieira, 0-0 points.
J.B. Mauney, 0-0 points.
Jared Farley, 0-0 points.
Jarrod Craig, 0-0 points.
Kasey Hayes, 0-0 points.
Lachlan Richardson, 0-0 points.
Markus Mariluch, 0-0 points.
Matt Bohon, 0-0 points.
Renato Nunes, 0-0 points.
Shane Proctor, 0-0 points.
Stormy Wing, 0-0 points.

'He's Catfish up one side and right down the other.'

McAllister was quite a ballplayer.

An arm injury ended his minor league pitching career after only one year. But he simply switched from pitching to shortstop - he could still hit and run the bases better than most - and he played semi-pro ball for both the Mooresville Moors and the Statesville Owls. He also played in nearby Landis, N.C., and Knoxville, Tenn.

An ankle injury in 1967 led to blood clots that cost him his leg. Less than three years and 14 major surgeries later, he had the other one amputated for the same reason.

He wasn't yet 40 years old.

In an era when the loss of one leg - let alone two - was close to a death sentence, McAllister remained active.

He was an avid fox hunter and fisherman right up to the time of his death, which is how earned the nickname "Catfish." He not only found his way around the nearby rivers and creeks, but he never lost his love of sports, or the desire to participate in baseball.

When he could no longer play, he umpired games, calling balls and strikes from his wheelchair positioned right behind home plate. He coached three little teams and never missed watching the Mooresville American Legion team. In fact, he even traveled with the team to away-games.

Shortly after McAllister's death in 1978, Len Sullivan, a sports columnist for the Mooresville Tribune, called McAllister "an inspiration to everyone." In a column published a week after his death, Sullivan wrote: "His lust for life continued until recent weeks, when his big, gentle heart began giving out."

In a profile published in The Daily Independent, two months after of his McAllister passed, Norma Howard described the man she remembered.

"He had light brown hair flecked with gray, a barrel chest and powerful sunburned arms… but no legs. His face was healthily tanned, and smile-lines etched the corners of his eyes. It was definitely not the face of an invalid."

'An inspiration to everyone.'

Mauney has read those articles.

He's heard stories shared by his mother and grandmother.

The 25-year-old has even heard McAllister's pals reminisce about games long past. McAllister would encourage his teammates to play as hard late in the game as they did when he threw the first pitch, whether the score was out of reach or not.

Mauney didn't start riding the rankest bulls in the world with his right hand after breaking his left because of the stories about his grandfather. He switched because, like his grandfather, the desire to win far outweighs the option to quit.

Just as people are captivated by what McAllister accomplished in the last eight years of his life, they are inspired by his grandson's riding a short-round-caliber bull like RMEF Gunpowder & Lead.

For the third week in a row, Mauney will compete using his right hand, as his left hand continues to heal from the moment when Ragin JT stepped on it at a Built Ford Tough Series event in Kansas City, Mo.

This week, in the 15/15 Bucking Battle, he's drawn Bad Blake.

Mauney, who is ranked fifth in the world standings, is hoping to score points, rather than sit out until after the summer break. There's a world title on the line.

The 15/15 will be broadcast on CBS at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon. The Mother's Day broadcast will feature a special profile of the comparison of a grandfather and grandson cut from the same cloth.

Robson Palermo bucks off Chocolate Thunder in the championship round at the Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

Luke Snyder on 37S Red Hot:
Red Hot's stats say he's a little better for right-handed riders, but those stats are misleading in this case. He's faced Valdiron de Oliveira four times, and was ridden in three of those outs. He's essentially only been ridden by the very best right handed riders he's faced, and he's faced a lot of them. He not really an easy bull to get a score on in any respect, but he can produce high scores for those who get it done.

Valdiron de Oliveira rides Red Hot for 90.5 points in Round 4 of the 2011 PBR BFTS Table Mountain Casino Invitational in Fresno, Calif.

Harve Stewart on 103T Shepherd Hills Sod Buster:
Here's a bull who went unridden in 2011, and has only been ridden once this year. He doesn't appear to have a lot of tricks. He can spin both ways, and will move forward a little when changing direction, which adds a lot of difficulty over a bull who simply spins in one direction.

Renato Nunes bucks off Shepherd Hills Sod Buster in the inaugural PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Sacramento, Calif.

Ryan Dirteater on 404C RMEF Gunpowder & Lead:
Dirteater sat out with an injury last week, and hit the jackpot here in Boise. This is the bull everyone wants and everyone does well on - especially left-handed riders. Dirteater should be the favorite to win the round, even though there are bulls in this round who can outscore this one.

Riding with his right hand down, J.B. Mauney puts up 89 points on RMEF Gunpowder & Lead to take second in the 2012 PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Billings, Mont.

Stormy Wing on 20T Train Wreck:
This is one of the more aptly named bulls in the PBR, because some of his trips have resembled actual train wrecks. He's touchy in the chute and can get into a jam leaving it sometimes. He's been better this season, with a little more age and experience. He always bucks, and hasn't been marked under 44 points yet this year.

Kasey Hayes gets hung up on Train Wreck in the championship round at the 2012 PBR BFTS Kansas City Invitational in Kansas City, Mo.

Caleb Sanderson on -22 Party All The Time:
Fabiano Vieira was 88.25 points in the 15/15 round at Billings last week on this bull. He's only been ridden five times in 23 career outs. Sanderson has his work cut out for him.

Fabiano Vieira puts up 88.25 points on Party All The Time in the 2012 PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Billings, Mont.

Renato Nunes on TD2 Bucking Machine:
This is a bull who probably would not be in this round if Cody Lambert were able to use Shepherd Hills Tested here instead. Bucking Machine is an awesome bull, though, and fun to watch. His weapon is speed. He's probably going to spin into Renato's hand here, and the key thing to watch for is if Nunes gets around the corner in good shape. If he's a little behind at the beginning of the spin, he won't make it. This bull is relentless, and typically will not allow a rider to catch up. Other than that, he is not particularly difficult for a rider who can keep up with his pace.

Cord McCoy bucks off Bucking Machine in Round 4 of the 2012 PBR BFTS WinStar World Casino Invitational in Oklahoma City.

Fabiano Vieira on 713 Cooper Tires Grey Ghost:
Grey Ghost tossed Justin Koon in last week's 15/15 round, but was ridden by Ben Jones in the short round at Billings. Vieira should be able to get a score here.

Ben Jones rides Cooper Tires Grey Ghost for 87.75 points in the championship round to take third at the Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

Austin Meier on K55 Smackdown:
This is a rematch from last week, and this will be the third time Meier has faced Smackdown. He has had no success in the first two meetings. This is essentially a much bigger, stronger and more difficult version of the bull Renato Nunes has in this round. Bucking Machine is good at what he does, but Smackdown has perfected what Bucking Machine does. The same rule applies - it's all about position. Smackdown has zero tolerance for a rider who gets out of position, and he can put him on the ground immediately if he does.

Smackdown puts up a bull score of 45.00 in bucking off Austin Meier in the 2012 PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Billings, Mont.

Marco Eguche on W1 Buckey:
This is a rematch from Portland, Ore., where Eguche lasted 6.05 seconds before coming down. Buckey has turned in three straight outs with less-than-45-point bull scores, and that is uncharacteristic for him. He's due to have a big trip. This is the Arnold Schwarzenegger of this pen of bulls. He looks like he's made of marble.

Marco Eguche bucks off Buckey in Round 4 of the 2012 PBR BFTS Portland Invitational in Portland, Ore.

J.B. Mauney on 789 Bad Blake:
I believe that Mauney will find this bull harder to ride with his right hand than Gunpowder and Lead was, although this one is probably going to spin into his riding hand rather than away from it. He didn't really need to do much with his riding hand in last week's 15/15 round, but he will have to put it to work a little more here.

Ryan Dirteater finishes third in the 15/15 Bucking Battle with an 89-point effort on Bad Blake in Uncasville, Conn.

Guilherme Marchi on 618 Carrillo Cartel:
This is another rematch from Billings, and one that Marchi is probably looking forward to. He had his way with Carrillo Cartel in Billings, and should do the same here.

Guilherme Marchi rides Carrillo Cartel for 87.75 points in the championship round to take second at the Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

L.J. Jenkins on 857 Sue:
This is a good draw for Jenkins. Sue is ridden more often by right-handed riders, and has been ridden more often this year than the previous two. Eguche has posted two big scores on him this season.

Marco Eguche rides Sue for 90 points in Round 2 at the 2012 PBR BFTS Ariat Invitational in Sacramento, Calif.

Silvano Alves on 84 Mega Ton:
Mega Ton made his debut in Glendale in March, and has not been ridden yet. He's tossed Kody Lostroh and Dirteater, but has not faced a right-handed rider yet.

Valdiron de Oliveira on 655 Cowboy Casanova:
This should go Oliveira's way. This bull is ridden over 60 percent of the time by right-handed riders, and Oliveira rode him back in 2010 in Oklahoma City, but Alves had him in the 15/15 round last week and failed to get a score.

Cowboy Casanova bucks Silvano Alves off in 3.26 seconds in the 2012 PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Billings, Mont.

(Slade Long, PBR Web developer and statistician, has been crunching the numbers on bucking bulls for 13 years. In addition to his regular "Morning Line" series, published just prior to every Built Ford Tough Series performance, Long co-hosts "In the Bull Pen with Cody Lambert," a podcast recorded every Thursday prior to each BFTS event.)

'Helmet or not, God protects me.'

As for his decision not wear a helmet, he said he doesn't feel comfortable wearing one and that they are too heavy.

"My face is a little bit sore," Oliveira added, "but I'll be all right. Helmet or not, God protects me."

Oliveira, who missed last week's Built Ford Tough Series event in Billings, Mont., with concussion-like symptoms, said he's been icing his eye every day since he was slammed into the ground two weeks ago in Uncasville, Conn.

World leader Valdiron de Oliveira puts up 88.25 points on Main Event, before getting stepped on, in Round 3 at the 2012 Mohegan Sun Invitational in Uncasville, Conn.

He admitted that he doesn't like the idea of surgery, and is hopeful the fracture will heal on its own.

The No. 1 ranked bull rider in the world said he's excited to get on his first bull Saturday night at the Idaho Center, but he's unsure how he will perform.

"I'm going to try," Oliveira said.

He originally intended to return last week without missing any time, but failed a post-concussion test administered by Dr. Tandy Freeman, who deemed the 33-year-old unfit to compete.

"Right now it feels normal," said Oliveira.

Oliveira said he wanted to compete in Billings to keep his fellow contenders from closing in on his lead in the world standings. He now leads Silvano Alves by only 497.75 points, and any one of the Top 5 contenders could leave Idaho in the top spot.

'I'm ready to ride. I'm excited for this week'

However, he added he's glad he didn't try competing sooner.

Although he felt fine on Thursday, he said by Sunday he was experiencing what he termed "double vision" while horseback riding. He's been on horseback every day since, and said he no longer is experiencing the effects of the concussion.

Oliveira is matched up with Cowboy Casanova in the 15/15 Bucking Battle on Saturday night.

"I'm ready to ride," he said. "I'm excited for this week."

POZZ RETURNS: After taking a week off to rest his injured right knee, Ty Pozzobon returns to competition this weekend. The MCL, which has given him recurring trouble all season, was aggravated two weeks ago in Uncasville at the Mohegan Sun Invitational.

Ty Pozzobon puts up 86.5 points on New Britain - 1843 in Round 2 of the 2012 PBR Mohegan Sun Invitational in Uncasville, Conn.

Pozzobon had previously said he was intending to have it surgically repaired at the start of the summer break from the BFTS, but has since decided against the procedure.

In addition to competing on the BFTS this weekend and next, he intends to immediately return to Canada and continue to make a run at winning this year's PBR national title in his home country.

Last week he got on one practice bull prior to traveling to Idaho. He wore a protective brace, and said it didn't bother him during the ride, but that his knee was tender when he landed. This weekend, he'll have the sports medicine team tape his right knee in addition to the brace, hoping that mitigates the discomfort.

15/15: The sixth of nine 15/15 Bucking Battles will be held immediately following Round 1 on Saturday. The 15/15 Bucking Battle features the Top 15 riders in the world competing against the 15 highest-ranked bulls at the event for an additional purse of $21,000.

The bulls were each randomly assigned a position from 1 to 15. The riders were then matched with their bulls based upon their own current rankings in the BFTS standings.

BFTS points will be doubled in the 15/15 Bucking Battle, with the winner receiving 200 points and second place receiving 180 points, continuing on a graduated scale to 20 points for 10th place. Points earned count toward the BFTS standings, but do not count toward determining the event winner.

Guilherme Marchi rides Carrillo Cartel for 87.75 points in the championship round to take second at the Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

This week's matchups include: Oliveira and Cowboy Casanova, Alves and Mega Ton, L.J. Jenkins and Sue, Guilherme Marchi and Carrillo Cartel, J.B. Mauney and Bad Blake, Marco Eguche and Buckey, Austin Meier and Smackdown, Fabiano Vieira and Cooper Tires Grey Ghost, Renato Nunes and Bucking Machine, Caleb Sanderson and Party All the Time, Stormy Wing and Train Wreck, Ryan Dirteater and RMEF Gunpowder & Lead, Harve Stewart and Shepherd Hills Sod Buster, Luke Snyder and Red Hot, and Ty Pozzobon and Chocolate Thunder.

OUTS: There were several late scratches from this week's competition.

Justin Koon is out with an injured hand. Sanderson will replace him in the 15/15, while Jared Farley will replace him in the regular event. Robson Palermo is out with an aggravated hip. Stewart will replace him in the 15/15 and Sevi Torturo will replace him in the regular event.

Pozzobon was originally added to the 15/15 in place of Douglas Duncan, who is recovering from hip surgery. Chris Shivers and Kody Lostroh are also out of the 15/15 due to injuries.

RETURNING TO THE SCENE: Reigning World Champion Alves won his first BFTS event in Nampa, in 2010, riding all four bulls. Alves went on to ride the first eight bulls of his career, going 4-for-4 to finish fourth at his second event the following week in Billings.

Here is a complete list of winners in Idaho: Alves (2010), Lostroh (2009), Snyder (2008), Sean Willingham (2007), Wiley Petersen (2006), Tater Porter (2005), Michael Gaffney (2004), Chad Lucas (2003), Reuben Geleynse (2002), Ty Murray (2001), Tater Porter (2000), Curt Lyons (1999), Donald Owens (1998 at Boise) and Josh O'Byrne (1997 at Boise).

THANKS, WILEY: Idaho native Wiley Petersen will celebrate his recent retirement this weekend. Petersen will be on the concourse signing autographs Saturday evening from the time doors open until the rider introductions begin. He will then lead the Sunday church service held at the Idaho Center beginning at 10 a.m. on Mothers Day morning.

Wiley Petersen will be signing autographs at the Idaho Center Saturday from doors to rider introductions.

WHERE TO WATCH: The 15/15 Bucking Battle will be broadcast in its entirety on CBS at 4 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 13. Please check local listings.

Round 1 will be broadcast in its entirety live on YouTube at the Professional Bull Riders Channel this Saturday, May 12, at 9 p.m. ET.

CBS Sports Network will broadcast action from Round 2 and the Built Ford Tough Championship Round at 6 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 13. There will be encore airings at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, and at 2 a.m. ET on Monday, May 14.

Veteran broadcaster Craig Hummer will provide the play-by-play. Color commentary will be provided by nine-time World Champion and PBR co-founder Ty Murray. Chute and dirt-level interviews will be handled by Leah Garcia.

Built Ford Tough Series points are doubled in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle, with the winner receiving 200 points and second place receiving 180 points, continuing on a graduated scale to 20 points for 10th place. The rider also receives his ride score (1-100 points), which means that 300 points are possible for the winner. Points earned in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle will count toward the season standings, and money earned counts towards qualification for the Built Ford Tough World Finals. If a rider fails to make a qualified ride, he does not receive any points or money. Points earned in the special round do not count toward the results of the Idaho event, but they do count toward the overall season standings.

Oliveira sat out last weekend. Two weeks ago in Uncasville, Conn., while face-down in the dirt after a successful ride, he was stomped on in the back, mere inches from his unprotected neck and head, and pile-driven into the arena floor, suffering a fractured eye socket that will eventually require surgery.

He is also competing with a broken foot suffered three weeks ago at Indianapolis.

World leader Valdiron de Oliveira puts up 88.25 points on Main Event, before getting stepped on, in Round 3 at the 2012 Mohegan Sun Invitational in Uncasville, Conn.

Oliveira, who leads defending PBR World Champion Silvano Alves by 497.75 points, has drawn Cowboy Casanova. Cowboy Casanova bucked off Alves in 3.26 seconds in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle last weekend in Billings, Mont., but was later ridden for 87.75 points in the Built Ford Tough Championship Round to give Austin Meier the event win.

Oliveira won the first PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Sacramento, Calif., in January, with 94 points on Washington state's own Buckey. The 94 points stands as the highest-marked ride of the season, and a career best for the No. 1 rider in the world. Oliveira has been ranked first in the BFTS standings the past four weeks in a row, and eight of the first 16 weeks this season.

Valdiron de Oliveira rides Buckey for a career-high 94 points in the inaugural PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Sacramento, Calif.

Alves has been paired with Mega Ton, while third-ranked L.J. Jenkins has drawn Sue. Mega Ton is 3-0 in 2012, and bucked off 2009 PBR World Champion Kody Lostroh last weekend in Billings. Sue is 4-3 in 2012, and has been ridden twice this season by sixth-ranked Marco Eguche for 89.25 points and 90 points. Jenkins has finished in the Top 10 eight times at Built Ford Tough Series events, and in the Top 5 five times in the last 12 events.

2009 PBR World Champion Guilherme Marchi, who is ranked fourth in the world, is matched up with Carrillo Cartel, while fifth-ranked J.B. Mauney has Bad Blake. Marchi rode Carrillo Cartel for 87.75 points in the championship round at Billings en route to a second-place finish. PBR fan-favorite Mauney will be competing for the third week in a row riding with his right hand down, after breaking a bone in his customary left riding hand on March 31 at Kansas City, Mo. Mauney rode two of four bulls last weekend in Billings, including a second-place ride in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle last Friday, and is now 2-for-8 since making the switch.

Eguche has been paired with Buckey, and Meier, who is ranked seventh, has drawn Smackdown. Buckey bucked off Eguche in the BFTS event at Portland, Ore., and has twice bucked off 2010 PBR World Champion Renato Nunes in PBR 15/15 Bucking Battles at Billings and Albuquerque, N.M. Buckey was the high-marked bull at Portland, Ore., and Arlington, Texas. It is a rematch for Meier, who was bucked off by Smackdown in 4.13 seconds last week. Stormy Wing won the championship round at Billings with a career-best 91 points on Smackdown, who has been the high-marked bull at four BFTS events this year.

Smackdown puts up a bull score of 45.00 in bucking off Austin Meier in the 2012 PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Billings, Mont.

Eighth-ranked Fabiano Vieira is matched up with Cooper Tires Grey Ghost, and Nunes, who is ranked ninth, is paired with Bucking Machine. Ben Jones rode Cooper Tires Grey Ghost for 87.75 points in the championship round at Billings. Vieira rode Bucking Machine for 87.5 points at Kansas City earlier this season after bucking off him in 1.58 seconds at the 2011 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals.

Caleb Sanderson, who is ranked 20th, will be paired up with Party All The Time, and Wing, who moved up to 12th after a fourth-place finish last weekend, will be on Train Wreck. Sanderson replaces 10th-ranked Justin Koon, who is unable to compete because of an injured hand. In addition to Koon, 11th-ranked Douglas Duncan, 14th-ranked Robson Palermo, 18th-ranked Lostroh, and 19th-ranked Chris Shivers are all unable to compete due to injury. Vieira rode Party All The Time for 88.25 points to finish third in the last week's PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle, while Luke Snyder scored 90 points on the bull to win the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in front of a sellout crowd at Albuquerque. Train Wreck has bucked off five riders in a row to improve to 7-1 in 2012 and 11-1 overall. The only rider to reach 8 seconds has been Mauney, who scored 89.5 points at Portland.

Thirteenth-ranked Ryan Dirteater, who returns after missing last week due to injury, is paired up with RMEF Gunpowder & Lead, and 17th-ranked Harve Stewart will get on Shepherd Hills Sod Buster, replacing Palermo. Mauney finished second in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle at Billings with 89.5 points on RMEF Gunpowder & Lead, who was ridden for 92 points by Palermo in the championship round at Des Moines, Iowa.

Riding with his right hand down, J.B. Mauney puts up 89 points on RMEF Gunpowder & Lead to take second in the 2012 PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Billings, Mont.

Shepherd Hills Sod Buster has bucked off six consecutive riders, including Nunes twice, to improve to 7-1 in BFTS events this season.

Luke Snyder, who is ranked 15th, has drawn Red Hot, while 16th-ranked Ty Pozzobon is matched up with Chocolate Thunder. Pozzobon, who missed last week due to injury, gained entry into the draw because 11th-ranked Duncan is out after undergoing surgery last week. Chocolate Thunder bucked off Eguche in 2.32 seconds in last week's PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle.

Admission for Saturday includes Round 1 with the Top 35 bull riders competing, and the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle. Tickets begin at $10 and are available at the Idaho Center box office, www.ICTickets.com, and by telephone at (208) 442-3232. Bull riding will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are also on sale at Treasure Valley TCBY locations, Jack's Drive-In in Caldwell, and in Ontario, Ore., at Jn'J Corner Store (Ticketing and/or handling fees may apply).

The final PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle for the first half of the season will be held May 19 at Pueblo, Colo. Two more events in the second part of the season will be announced at a later date.

The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, NBC Sports Network, and YouTube. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer.

PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle
Saturday, May 12 at Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho

No. 16    Ty Pozzobon vs. Chocolate Thunder
No. 15    Luke Snyder vs. Red Hot
No. 17 Harve Stewart vs. Shepherd Hills Sod Buster
No. 13    Ryan Dirteater vs. RMEF Gunpowder & Lead
No. 12    Stormy Wing vs. Train Wreck
No. 20    Caleb Sanderson vs. Party All The Time
No. 9    Renato Nunes vs. Bucking Machine
No. 8    Fabiano Vieira vs. Cooper Tires Grey Ghost
No. 7    Austin Meier vs. Smackdown
No. 6    Marco Eguche vs. Buckey
No. 5    J.B. Mauney vs. Bad Blake
No. 4    Guilherme Marchi vs. Carrillo Cartel
No. 3    L.J. Jenkins vs. Sue
No. 2    Silvano Alves vs. Mega Ton
No. 1    Valdiron de Oliveira vs. Cowboy Cassanova

Jones is a former standout NFL player with the New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, and Philadelphia Eagles, where he was a starting linebacker in Super Bowl XXXIX.  A modern-day renaissance man, Jones has worked on environmental initiatives and started his own philanthropic endeavor, Bow Tie Cause.  He also is an accomplished author who penned a travelogue/memoir, "The Sportsman: Unexpected Lessons from an Around the World Sports Odyssey," which launched in June 2011. Jones also has served as host of The Travel Channel series "Dhani Tackles The Globe."

"Playbook 360" tapes throughout the country and wraps around Spike TV's roster of blockbuster primetime movies. Each installment follows a different theme, ranging from mainstream sports to the unconventional, with a special guest every week.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

Listen to "In the Bull Pen" with Cody Lambert.

"It's a great facility," Lambert said, "and a great place to have a bull riding."

This week's event features another in a series of 15/15 Bucking Battles, as well as an ABBI Classic competition in the opening round.

Shepherd Hills Tested is a top bull who has bucked in the 15/15 as well as the Built Ford Tough Championship Round, but he's 4 years old and will be competing in the Classic competition on Saturday night.

"He hasn't been ridden yet," Lambert said. "This bull really caught my eye at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

"At the NFR, I thought he was the best bull there."

The bull earned the highest score from the judges there. However, the bull of the finals is determined by a vote among stock contractors, "and he didn't win it."

"It was kind of an oversight, in my opinion," Lambert continued. "I think he was the best bull there."

Shepherd Hills Tested posts a bull score of 46 points in bucking off Chris Shivers in Round 2 at 2012 PBR BFTS WinStar World Casino Invitational in Houston.

He's been unridden since competing exclusively in the PBR, having bucked off the likes of J.B. Mauney, Austin Meier and two-time World Champion Chris Shivers.

Meier will be matched up with Smackdown in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.

Smackdown puts up a bull score of 45.00 in bucking off Austin Meier in the 2012 PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle in Billings, Mont.

Long, who described Smackdown as automatic, said he thinks the World Champion Bull contender gets overlooked in some conversations.

Lambert said, "He brings it every single time. It's just amazing that February of 2010 was the last time anybody was successful for less than 90 points on that bull."

Last week, Stormy Wing rode him in Billings for 91 points.

Stormy Wing puts up an event-best 91 points on Smackdown in the championship round at the 2012 PBR Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

"I heard from a couple people they felt like he should have been 93, 94." Lambert added.

Buckey will also be in the 15/15.

Silvano Alves takes a shot from Buckey after an 89.5-point ride in the championship round at the 2012 PBR Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

His scores have been comparable to Smackdown's, and he even outscored Asteroid earlier this year, but Lambert said he doesn't think Buckey is in Asteroid's or Bushwacker's class. Those are the two best bucking bulls in the world.

"But I don't think Smackdown and Buckey are that far behind them," he said.

Lambert and Long also talked about Chocolate Thunder, Sue and a rematch from last week featuring Carrillo Cartel and Guilherme Marchi.

Ben Jones rides Cooper Tires Grey Ghost for 87.75 points in the championship round to take third at the Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

"It was the best thing," said Jones of being cut after the fifth event of the year. "It's got me hungry and back where I want to be."

He said the TPD is "nothing like (the BFTS), but it makes you more of a bull rider. You haven't got the indoor arenas, you don't know what you're getting on, you have to drive 14 hours one way and then drive 16 hours the next day, so yeah, it's all there."

Jones was one of three riders to cover all four bulls in Billings. Austin Meier won the event, while Guilherme Marchi finished second in the average.

In a matter of one weekend, Jones moved up to 27th in the world standings, and is less than 500 points outside of the Top 25. As one of the Top 5 money earners from the TPD who is not already ranked in the Top 25 of the world standings, he'll have four more events in which to make up the ground.

'It makes you more of a bull rider. You haven't got the indoor arenas, you don't know what you're getting on, you have to drive 14 hours one way and then drive 16 hours the next day, so yeah, it's all there.'

One reason for his overall point total in Billings - he earned 789.75 points - was the fact that he turned down two re-ride opportunities.

He kept a 65-point ride in Round 1 after sustaining a concussion when he ran head-first in the metal fencing after dismounting Dirty Deeds. And he surprised everyone the next evening when he declined a second opportunity in Round 2 after scoring just 70 points.

"I'm traveling with the Brazilians for the first time this weekend," he explained, "and I listened to them for once, and they said I had two bulls rode, so just take the scores.

"It worked out good."

Jones and his wife, who live in Boyd, are within 10 miles of several of the Brazilian riders, most of whom live outside of nearby Decatur.

Last weekend he roomed with Marchi.

Leah Garcia speaks with Ben Jones, who finished third at the Stanley Tools and Security Invitational in Billings, Mont.

After the Pueblo, Colo., event in two weeks, Jones said he intends to have a full summer of TPD events to keep his momentum moving forward as he looks to qualify for the PBR World Finals.

He's currently 26th in the qualifier standings.

"I'm going to keep going to these (TPD) events all through the summer," he said, "and just keep being Ben Jones - just go back to riding."

NEWS & NOTES

WHERE TO WATCH: Catch the action from Idaho Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on YouTube. Then see the next 15/15 Bucking Battle Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on CBS, followed by Round 2 and the Built Ford Tough Championship Round Sunday at 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

Valdiron de Oliveira takes a shot from Main Event in Uncasville, Conn.

Oliveira is expected to wear a helmet with a protective facemask this weekend.

The injury will require surgery once the swelling subsides. However, with only two BFTS events remaining before the summer break, Oliveira is planning to compete in Idaho and again in Pueblo, Colo., before undergoing the procedure in Dallas.

The surgery will be performed by Dr. Grant Gilliland and require two to three weeks of recovery.

Last week, four of his top rivals - Silvano Alves, L.J. Jenkins, Guilherme Marchi and J.B. Mauney - all moved to within one BFTS event of claiming the No. 1 ranking.

Last week, four of his top rivals - Silvano Alves, L.J. Jenkins, Guilherme Marchi and J.B. Mauney - all moved to within one BFTS event of claiming the No. 1 ranking.

Alves closed to within 497.75 points.

Alves is the reigning World Champion, and is attempting to become the first rider in PBR history to win back-to-back titles, while Mauney is competing with his opposite hand after breaking his left riding hand at an event in Kansas City, Mo.

Jenkins has recorded Top 10 finishes in the past six events, and in seven of the past eight.

Oliveira has ridden with a helmet before, as he does here in 2008, so the experience will not be new to him.

Like Alves, Marchi has the experience of winning a gold buckle. He won the world title in 2008 after three consecutive second-place finishes.

The BFTS event in Idaho is worth a maximum of 900 points, and the 15/15 Bucking Battle is worth as much as 300 points to the winner.

In addition to Oliveira's matchup with Cowboy Casanova, Alves drew Mega Ton and Jenkins drew Sue, while Marchi has Carrillo Cartel and Mauney is paired with Bad Blake.

Other key matchups include Marco Eguche and Buckey as well as last week's event winner Austin Meier and World Champion Bull contender Smackdown.

Oliveira originally wanted to compete last week in Billings, but after failing a concussion test he was deemed "unfit for competition."

NEWS & NOTES

WHERE TO WATCH: Catch the action from Idaho Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on YouTube. Then see the next 15/15 Bucking Battle Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on CBS, followed by Round 2 and the Built Ford Tough Championship Round Sunday at 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.