By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
On a night when former world champions, $7 million earners, and former George Paul champions were scheduled to ride, it was a cowboy with one career Wrangler NFR appearance, and one of the most stylish mustaches you’ll ever see, that joined the ranks of bull riding champions in Del Rio.
Brady Portneier, of Caldwell, Idaho, scored 176.5 points on two bulls to claim the champion’s buckle Saturday night on the final day of the 44th Annual George Paul Memorial Xtreme Bull Riding at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds.
Portneier became an instant celebrity, signing autographs and taking photos with a throng of people following the event. When asked if the fact he’d just won the oldest stand-alone bull riding in the world had hit him yet, Portneier said, “It will as soon as we hit that road on the way home, but it feels good to put my name next to some legends in my opinion.”
Friday night, Josh Frost, second cousin to former world champion and two-time George Paul champion Lane Frost, notched the ride to beat with an 87.5 mark. His place atop the leaderboard was match less than 10 rides into Saturday night’s performance when Jeff Askey, of Athens, Texas, scored 87.5 points on 4L/Diamond S Rodeos’ Lawless Frontier.
In all, nine riders had successful rides in the long go round Saturday, three times as many as Friday night. Jackson Carter Ward, of Goddard, Kansas, was the first rider to reach eight seconds and scored 82 points on Three Days. It was the third ride of the night and helped set the tone for the riders to come.
Trevor Reiste, of Linden, Iowa, scored 86 points on Last Cigarette to earn his place in the short go. Reiste was the 2019 George Paul champion.
Dustin Donovan Bouquet, of Bourg, La., went for 85.5 points on Big R. A few riders later, Ky John Hamilton, of Mackay, Australia, notched the weekend’s highest-point ride with a 90.5 on the previously unridden Deplorabull. That ride assured this year’s George Paul champion would come from Saturday night’s performance and kept Frost from adding to the family’s George Paul haul.
Portneier soon followed with an 89.5-point ride, putting him in second place overall.
“My first bull I thought for sure I was going to get it done. They ended up giving me a re-ride and that bull I knew fairly well. He’s been to the finals before and I knew I just had to do my job on him and he was going to take care of my score. I just needed to stay on him,” Portneier said.
Defending Wrangler NFR champion Stetson Wright, of Milford, Utah, scored 89 points on Dos Amigos; Colton Kelly, of Rhome, Texas, scored 88.5 points on Train Station; and seven-time world champion Sage Steele Kimzey rounded out the successful rides with an 83 on Crazy Doc.
Notable names who rode and didn’t earn a qualified ride included J.B. Mauney, who has won nearly $8 million as a bull rider, but who was making just his second ride following surgery after being severely injured at the 2021 Wrangler NFR; and 2021 George Paul champion T.J. Gray, who was bucked off by Megalomaniac.
The short go round was just as tough as five riders posted qualified rides.
Kimzey was the first, going for 89 points on Goin’ Brandon and taking the overall lead with 171 points on two bulls. He was on his way to winning his first George Paul buckle, but Rieste staked his claim for a second buckle with 88 points on Rafter G’s Gritty for a two-bull score of 174.
Askey took the overall lead with 87.5 points on Just Another Gangster, which bumped his score to 175 points on two bulls.
Then came Portneier. He was matched up against Diamond S Rodeos’ Space Unicorn, which had bucked off Colt Rohrig in the short go round Friday night, but Portneir said he knew what to expect.
“I dang sure knew that bull was gonna buck. I’ve seen that bull a handful of times now and I know that if you make a mistake on him he’s gonna put you in the dirt. Anytime I nod my head I know that I’m liable to stay on through some bucks and he’s just as liable to throw me off but I got a good fighting chance,” Portneier said.
He scored 87 on Space Unicorn to give him 176.5 points and move him into first place with just Hamilton left to ride.
“I was half way to a dream come true around here. That’s what I strive for every weekend we show up – to get that number one spot. I just watched guy after guy ride a bunch of bulls so I knew that I just needed to keep my hand shut and let the chips fall where they would and fortunately they fell my way,” Portneier said in regards to his second ride of the night.
Hamilton gave it his all against Johnny Thunder, but it wasn’t meant to be as Thunder bested the Australian cowboy and helped Portneier claim the title of George Paul champion.
“I’ve been very fortunate and have won some bigger rodeos, but I’m probably gonna wear this buckle for a while before it goes on the trophy mantle,” Portneier said.
—
Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
