Champions rise to top at National Western Stock Show PBR Bull Riding

By Susan Kanode

National Western Stock Show Rodeo 2023

DENVER, Colo. (Jan. 11, 2023) — The action at the PBR Bull Riding at the National Western Stock Show presented by Centura Health came to a close in the Denver Coliseum on Wednesday night.

What started on Monday and Tuesday with 90 riders was narrowed down with two riders finishing the event with successful rides on all three of their bulls. At the top of the leaderboard by one point was Chase Dougherty who makes his home at Decatur, Texas.

Originally from Oregon, Dougherty started competing as a youngster. He qualified for the National Junior High School Finals Rodeo, then went on to compete at the National High School Finals Rodeo for four years. After graduating, he furthered his career at Montana State University in Bozeman and finished third at the College National Finals Rodeo.

 He had success in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and competed at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2018. That was also the year that he won the bull riding championship at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo.

He started focusing on the PBR and qualified for the World Finals in 2020 and finished 38^th in the standings. He has been on the injured reserve but showed the fans in Denver that he is back full force and ready to be back on the Unleash the Beast Tour where the elite compete.  The Denver win will give him a boost in that department as he earned 120.5 Velocity Tour points with his win.

Right behind Dougherty was Josh Frost who won the rodeo in Denver a year ago. Frost, from Randlett, Utah had the highest marked ride of the entire event in the final round. When the judges added up their scores, he had earned a 92 after riding Montana Jacket from Berg/Coleman/Ogden/Hart.

Frost had a total of 251.5 points to earn $15,444. He also got 94 Velocity Tour points and is hoping that will help him qualify for his second consecutive World Finals. His name is on the short list of bull riders that have competed at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and the World Finals in the same year. He will be competing at the rodeo in the Denver Coliseum on Thursday and Friday and is hoping that his 2023 is even better than his 2022.

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association action gets underway on Thursday at 7 p.m.

The following are unofficial results from the PBR Bull Riding at the National Western Stock Show, Jan. 9 – 11, 2022.

First Round:  1, Luciano De Castro, GUzolandia, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 89.5 points on Berg/Coleman/Ogen/Hart’s Montana Jacket. 2, Grayson Cole, New Ringold, Pen., 89. 3, (tie) Robbie Taylor Jr., Chinle, Ariz., and Braden Richardson, Jasper, Texas, 86.5 each. 5, Marcelo Procopio Pereira, Rinopolis, Sau Paulo, Brazil, 86. 6, (tie) Austin Richardson, Dallas, Texas; Caden Bunch, Tahlequah, Okla.; and Vinell Mariano, Church Rock, N.M., 85.5 each.

Second Round: 1, Elijah Mora, Wiggins, Colo., 88 points on Jenkin’s Cattle’s Juice. 2, Rafael Joe de Brito, Potirendaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 86.5. 3, Flavio Zivieri, Balsamo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 86. 4, Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 84.5. 5, Chase Dougherty, Decatur, Texas, 81.5. 6, Marcelo Procopio Pereira, Rinopolis, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 56.5.

Finals: 1, Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 92 points on Berg/Coleman/Ogden/Hart’s Montana Jacket. 2, Chase Dougherty, Decatur, Texas, 88. 3, Luciano De Castro, Guzolandia, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 86.

Total on three followed by total money: 1, Dougherty, 252.5, $19,979. 2, Frost, 251.5, $15,444. (on two)3, De Castro, 175.5, $11,665. 4, Mora, 170.5, $7,785. 5, de Brito, 168.5, $5,125. 6, Flavio Zivieri, Balsamo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 165, $3,401.

About the National Western Stock Show — The National Western Stock Show is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides college and graduate-level scholarships in agricultural science, business, and rural medicine. It is our mission to serve producers and consumers throughout the world by being the premier livestock show, horse show, and center for year-round events. The 16-day show in January also serves as an entertainment arena, hosting one of the world’s richest regular season professional rodeos, world-class horse events, family educational events, and Colorado’s largest western trade show. For more information, visit nationalwestern.com.

Next Stop: Various National Western Stock Show & Rodeo Contestants will head to Steamboat Springs for Cowboy Downhill