First night of the Red Wilks Construction Bull Bash
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HURON — After thirty-eight outs, nine bull riders heard the whistle in front of the South Dakota State Fair grandstands, but it was Timber Lake’s Corey Maier who stole the show riding for 89 points to launch his CBR comeback season on night one of the annual Red Wilks Construction Bull Bash.
“The crowd in Huron never disappoints, it was sure a great win in front of a great crowd,” said Corey Maier, the middle child in the band of three infamous bull riding brothers from Timber Lake.
With his mentor and grandfather Bud Day enshrined in the South Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, Maier hails from a family rich in rodeo tradition – his cousins are World Champion bareback riders, Mark and Marvin Garrett, and his brothers Ardie and Rorey are both National Finals Rodeo qualifiers and multiple CBR event champions as well.
It was no surprise to the fans that their South Dakota born and raised bull rider, with a last name synonymous with great bull riding and tough character, is attempting a comeback after a devastating bull riding injury in January of 2016.
“I have been out of the game with injuries a while and I waited till I was 100 percent before attempting a comeback on the Road to Cheyenne tour,” described Maier of his 18-month absence on the CBR tour.
In an odd twist of fate, Maier won the first performance this year on the same bull that Clayton Applehans rode, with the same score, IN last year’s first round of the Huron CBR. Although eight other seasoned riders put up a fight, Maier finished the night with the top score and high praise from the field of elite bull riders who described Maier’s eight seconds as “owning” Jeff Harris perennial bucker, 277 Dirty Little Secret.
“I had not seen this bull before so I watched a video of him this afternoon and I was sure happy to have him; he was a solid bucker,” continued Maier.
The top score of round one earned Maier the right to attempt the Bounty bull, Lyndal Hurst’s unridden Breaking Bad for the $10,000 bonus check. Maier described the bucking beast as a bull that never weakens, Maier said he felt just as strong at 7.5 seconds as he did at the first blow-out jump.
“I have seen this bull several times and knew he had a big jump out of the chutes that loosens most riders up, I gave it everything but he bucked hard every second to win the battle tonight, but I am anxious to try him again and I know I can win,” said Maier who rode 243 for 7.29 seconds, the longest recorded pro out on the CBR World Finals Bounty Bull who also was selected for the 2016 NFR.
Finishing 1.5 points behind Maier was one of the CBR’s hottest products, Denton Fugate of Dixon, Missouri. Fugate, fresh off the CBR World Finals and a Reserve Champion finish in the CBR’s 2017 Year End Horizon Series battle, was 87.5 points on 939 Hazmat, representing Check and Clark bull team.
Third was Casey Kirwan with 87 points on Doc Winston and Corey Melton’s new competitor 405 Drops of Jupiter, a fitting name from this bull’s M.D. owner.
Photos:
Dylan Rice of Wessington Springs competes during the opening night of the 2017 Red Wilk Construction CBR Bull Bash at the South Dakota State Fair grandstands.
Next, Kyle Blume of Redfield competes during the opening night of the 2017 Red Wilk Construction CBR Bull Bash at the South Dakota State Fair grandstands.
Photos by Mike Carroll/Plainsman