Kolbaba wins his second BlueDEF event of 2016 season

DENVER – Derek Kolbaba picked up his second PBR (Professional Bull Riders) BlueDEF Tour (BDT) event victory of the 2016 season, with a total of 258 points overall at the Denver Coliseum Wednesday night.

Kolbaba went 3-for-3 on the event and collected more than $20,000 in earnings and 80 points towards the PBR World Standings after covering Smokin’ Guns (Western Star Bucking Bulls) for 86.5 points in Round 1; Deja Voodoo (Flying S Bucking Bulls) for 86 points in Round 2; and riding his way to victory with a 85.5-point effort on Compact (Talbert Cattle Co.) in the championship round.

“This is a great event and a pretty big event.” Kolbaba said. “A lot of the Top 35 guys come to it. To be lucky enough to get in and show them what I am made of and ride all three of my bulls is, what I have been working for.”

Winners of each BDT event in 2016 also will be guaranteed a minimum of one opportunity to compete at a Built Ford Tough Series regular-season event in an attempt to win enough points to rank among the Top 35 bull riders in the world and earn a spot on the elite tour. With the win in Denver, Kolbaba qualifies to compete at the St. Louis BFTS event on Feb. 12-14. 

In second place was Shane Proctor with a total score of 255 points for just under $15,000 and 50 world points, while Fabiano Vieira placed third with 252.5 points for more than $8,000 and 30 world points.

Three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (229.5 points) amassed $5,200 and 20 world points, and Sean Willingham (175.55 points) won $6,300 and 15 world points to round out the Top 5.

Repo (Jim Bollinger) won the honor of high-marked bull on Monday after bucking off Jesse Lockwood 2.62 seconds during the first round for a bull score of 45.5 points.

The BlueDEF Tour heads to Reno, Nevada, this weekend. The event will take place at Lawlor Event Center on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. PT.

The overall winner of the BDT season will be the rider who earns the most world points at the BDT level. He will receive $50,000 and qualify to compete at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals.

Professional Bull Riders
Denver, Colorado, BlueDEF Tour
Denver Coliseum
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Total Points-Event Points)
1. Derek Kolbaba, 86.5-86-85.5-258-80 points.
2. Shane Proctor, 88.5-84-82.5-255-50 points.
3. Fabiano Vieira, 83-86-83.5-252.5 points.
4. Silvano Alves, 85.5-59-85-229.5-20 points.
5. Sean Willingham, 86-0-89.5-175.5- 15 points.
6. Cody Johnson, 87-0-85.5-172.5-10 points.
7. Bryan Titman, 86-86-0-172-0 points.
8. Kaique Pacheco, 87.5-83-0-170.5-0 points.
9. Ouncie Mitchell, 84-86-0-170-0 points.
10. Tanner Byrne, 85-85-0-170-0 points.

Courtesy PBR Communications