Silvano Alves, a Brazilian who lives in Decatur, is attempting to become the first cowboy to win three consecutive world titles on the Professional Bull Riders’ circuit.
But he’s facing some stiff competition from an American and from a fellow Brazilian.The American is Shane Proctor. Proctor is ranked No. 1 in the Built Ford Tough Series world standings after finishing eighth at last weekend’s tour stop in Tacoma, Wash.. and has earned 4,319.87 points during the regular season.The Brazilian is Marco Eguchi, who won the Tacoma show. He is ranked No. 2 in the world standings with 3,970.Eguchi has won two of the past three Ford Series tour stops. He also won in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 24. In Tacoma, Eguchi finished as the only cowboy who stayed on all three bulls and he earned $39,380.Alves, who made only one qualified ride in Tacoma and finished in 23rd place, is ranked No. 3 in the world race with 3,531 points.But it’s still fairly early in the season and Alves has plenty of catch-up time. The Tacoma show was the 10th of 25 Ford Series regular-season tour stops scheduled in 2013. This weekend, the tour stops in Fresno, Calif. The 20th World Finals is scheduled for Oct. 23-27 in Las Vegas.Teel injuredCody Teel, the defending Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association bull riding champion, dislocated and shattered his left elbow and might be sidelined for three months.According to the PRCA, Teel underwent a four-hour surgery on March 7 in which doctors inserted two plates and 10 screws. In the short term, Teel will wear a soft cast and will start very light rehabilitation work soon in Beaumont.Teel, who sustained the injury at the Houston Livestock Show Rodeo, was released from the hospital on March 10 and returned to his home in Kountze.In January, Teel clinched the title at the Fort Worth Stock Show’s Bulls Night Out at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum. He also won the Tuff Hedeman Championship Challenge at Cowtown Coliseum in April 2012.Teel is the second defending PRCA champion to undergo surgery recently. World champion team roping header Chad Masters blew out his knee March 1 at the Timed Event Championship in Guthrie, Okla., and might be sidelined for 6-8 months.In first placeThe PRCA’s run of larger winter stock show rodeos (such as Fort Worth and San Antonio) has concluded and two Fort Worth-area competitors are ranked No. 1 in the world standings. Trevor Brazile of Decatur, who is attempting to earn a record 11th world all-around title, leads the world 2013 all-around race with $25,445, $2,857 ahead of Utah cowboy Rhen Richard.Sterling Smith of Stephenville, who is attempting to qualify for his first National Finals Rodeo, is ranked No. 1 in tie-down roping with $31,021, $2,531 ahead of Texan Justin Maass.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
