Fans wow bull riders, 92 points wins at Wild Thing
By Quentin Jodie
Navajo Times
CHURCH ROCK, N.M., July 17, 2014
(Courtesy photo – Nakai’s Professional Rodeo Photography)
Professional bull rider Joseph McConnel received an 87-point ride during the 21st Wild Thing Championship Bullriding on Saturday. McConnel finished in second place behind event winner Lane Nobles of Waco, Tex.
The Farmington native stuck to his bull and capped his eight-second ride with an 87-point score on Saturday night at Red Rock Park.
His score seemed to spark the other contestants as five more bull riders covered their draws. More so for Waco, Texas, bull rider Lane Nobles as he topped McConnel’s score with a 92-point ride.
“Joseph is a good friend of mine and he’s a really good bull rider,” Nobles said. “So when he goes out there and straps it on from the very beginning it pushes you that much more."
With some of the bull riders struggling to find their footing on the opening night, Wild Thing promoter Larry Peterson said it’s not unusual to see his event have a dry spell like they did on Friday night where 41 bull riders failed to make the whistle.
“With the best bucking bulls that’s about normal,” Peterson said.
How to get The Times: