LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (March 2, 2015) – With the lights of Las Vegas shining brightly behind the bucking chutes, the South Point Arena is undergoing a transformation to showcase a selection of the world’s most exciting bull riding action during the Tuff Hedeman Vegas Shootout, presented by Boot Barn and Discount Tire, on Saturday, March 7, at 8 p.m. Sanctioned by Championship Bull Riding (CBR) the event is the ninth stop on CBR’s Mahindra Road to Cheyenne Tour where the world’s top bull riders test their skills against dynamic four-legged animal athletes.
Arriving early in Las Vegas is CBR and Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association’s (PRCA) reigning World Champion Sage Steele Kimzey, Strong City, Oklahoma, who enters Las Vegas in the number 12 position in CBR Standings. After a record breaking year in 2014 in both Championship Bull Riding and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, twenty-one year old Kimzey has suffered a few minor injuries this season that have kept him
out of a few key events, but the odds are usually in this World Champion’s favor in Las Vegas.
Eli Vastbinder, Statesville, North Carolina, is set to return to CBR action after being absent from the tour for six weeks due to injury. Vastbinder’s first place finish in the Las Vegas Shoot Out in 2014 skyrocketed him to a top five ranking in CBR during what was a phenomenal rookie season that he finished in 5th place. Currently riding in the 25th position of the CBR World Standings, he will once again have motivation in Las Vegas as he attempts a comeback – midseason.
Championship Bull Ridings number 1 ranked rider, thirty-three year old Craig Jackson, Houston, Texas, rides into Las Vegas in the number one position for the second consecutive event. Jackson, who is enjoying his first number one world standings ranking since joining the CBR ranks in 2008, did not hear the 8 second whistle in the CBR Lufkin Bull Bash. With a narrow lead over the next competitor, it will be “game on” for the healthy Craig Jackson in Sin City.
Moving steadily towards the top of the leader board is a name familiar to the bull riding fans in Las Vegas. 2012 PRCA World Champion bull rider, Cody Teel of Kountze, Texas, has won two event titles on the 2015 Mahindra Road to Cheyenne Tour, Teel is in the number two slot positioned to take number one with one qualified ride in Las Vegas. Teel who most definitely needed the extra week to help heal an aching knee, is currently only fifteen points behind the leader, Craig Jackson.
Appearing in Las Vegas for the first time is recently retired United States Army sergeant Juan Alonzo from Weslaco, Texas. Juan, who spent five years in the military, including a tour in Afghanistan, kept in bull riding condition while overseas with the help of his platoon. Although classified as a rookie rider in his professional bull riding career, Alonzo has turned in solid performances in the first few events of the year, Alonzo has earned his top 24 ranking one bull at a time.
CBR is known for its action-packed performances that keep fans on the edge of their seats. That is largely due to the influence of four-time world champion bull rider Tuff Hedeman who coordinates every element and attends to the smallest details. From having premier bulls matched up with all-star riders, to upbeat entertainment and enthusiastic fans, the Tuff Hedeman Shootout has grown second to none.
Setting this competition apart from other bull riding events is the tournament-style format. The event’s structure appeals to new spectators and established fans alike as riders attempt to ride eight seconds and advance to the next round. Competitors may ride as many as three bulls in one night. The Tuff Hedeman Shootout starts with 24 riders competing for the opportunity to move onto the semifinals, in which 12 riders will advance. The Semifinals’ top four competitors will proceed to a Shootout round for the chance to win the bulk of the $30,000 prize package.
Bringing their best to Las Vegas, the stock contractors and bull breeders will also be competing in the CBR Championship Futurity Tour and the CBR Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge, where stock contractors enter three bulls during the first two rounds of competition. The owner whose bulls have the highest total score will receive $20,000 of a $50,000 purse in both the two year old bull division and the Shoot Out portion of the CBR event with a total purse of Kay Lee fill in this number (combine CFT, CBR (30,000) and BTC (it will really bump that number up and be impressive) being awarded on March 7th at the South Point Hotel Arena and Equestrian Center.
In addition, the Tuff Hedeman Shootout offers bull riders the advantage to accumulate significant points needed to qualify for the CBR World Finals, scheduled for July 21-22 in Wyoming, which coincides with the historical Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration. The bull rider holding the top standing position at the completion of the World Finals will be crowned the 2014 CBR World Champion and receive a $100,000 bonus.
Autograph opportunities: Friday, March 6, Tuff Hedeman at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway (7000 Las Vegas Blvd.) 3 pm to 5 pm. Saturday, March 7, Evan Williams Bourbon Bullfighters, 7 pm to 7:30 pm on the concourse of the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center. Tuff Hedeman and bull riders of the CBR, immediately following the performance on the floor of the arena.
Tickets for the Tuff Hedeman Shootout are now on sale, beginning at $20. Discount coupons are available for all military, children and senior citizens at Boot Barn, and other South Point sponsor locations. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 702-797-8055 or visit southpointcasino.com or cbrbull.com/events.
About South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa
Featuring more than 2,100 guestrooms, South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa overlooks the famous Las Vegas Strip and the serenity of the surrounding mountainscape. Each oversized guest room features state-of-the-art LED televisions as well as WiFi with high-speed internet connections. Guests visiting South Point will experience affordable luxury through a casino offering top-of-the-line gaming technology, more than 60 table games and a race and sports book area featuring separate viewing areas for both horse racing and general sporting events; a wide variety of dining options, including the award-winning Michael’s Gourmet Room; the world-class Costa Del Sur Spa and Salon; a fabulous 400-seat showroom featuring headliner entertainment; a 16-screen Cinemark movie complex; a state-of-the-art, 64-lane bowling center; and a 165,000-square foot convention center. In addition, South Point holds one of the finest event facilities in the country with the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center, which features more than 1,200 climate-controlled stalls and plays host to some of the country’s most unique events. South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa is at 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89183.
For more information or for room reservations, call (702) 796-7111 or visit the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa website. Connect with South Point on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and foursquare.
CONTACT: Leigh Ann Schroeder, leighann@theshortround.com or 940.902.1112
Photo Credit: Todd Brewer
About Championship Bull Riding
Located in the historic Stockyards of Weatherford, Texas, Championship Bull Riding (CBR) is an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the very best elements of the sport. Under the direction of bull riding icon Tuff Hedeman, CBR has grown into an organization that works to put the best riders on the best bulls, delivering world-class qualified rides. Bull riders start in the Horizon Series earning points to move onto the elite Road to Cheyenne Tour. The Road to Cheyenne Tour culminates in July in Wyoming at the legendary Cheyenne Frontier Days where the world champion earns a $100,000 bonus. The CBR Bull Team Challenge is also part of the tour events where stock contractors bring their best bulls and compete for annual cash prizes that total over $1 million. Providing opportunities for contestants, stock contractors, fans and sponsors is why CBR is the REAL COWBOY SPORTtm. CBR is featured at over 70 venues across the United States with national television programming on the Fox Sports Networks for 26 consecutive weeks in prime time. For more information visit www.cbrbull.com or call 817-626-BULL (2855).