Portland Invitational Results Are In

Marchi is seeing Double after capturing the Portland Invitational event title!

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 15, 2008) – It was deja’ vu for one Brazilian bull rider when stop No. 12 on the Professional Bull Riders’ (PBR) Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler (BFTS) hit Portland’s Rose Garden on March 14. Fans were treated to the best 45 bull riders in the world challenging the fiercest bucking bulls in the game for a shot at the PBR tour’s million dollar world championship title.

 A who’s who in the world of bucking bulls greeted the top 15 qualifiers to the Built Ford Tough Championship round, and it was once again two-time reserve world champion and current world standings leader, Guilherme Marchi (Leme, Sao Paulo, Brazil), who rode to victory. Marchi faced Chad Berger/Ryken/Larson’s Copperhead Slinger in the championship round earning 92.25 points and a cumulative score on two bulls of 183 points. He pocketed $40,320 in PBR bucks for his efforts.

 Most importantly, however, Marchi further distanced himself in the BFTS World Standings from Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, N.M.) who sits in second place. Marchi leads Briscoe by 934.75 points thanks to his win streak and maintains an outstanding 84.85 riding percentage to boot. Briscoe encountered some difficulty in Portland, failing to make a qualified ride. Meanwhile, Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) is hot on his heels in third place and trailing by just 238.25 points.

 “The PBR has the best bulls in the world—and they’re a little dangerous too. Right now I feel great and I’m riding really strong and staying focused,” Marchi said. Following his victory of the Cabela’s Classic last weekend in Kansas City, he stated, “I’ve experienced what can happen to a lead in the world standings at the PBR World Finals, so I’m taking it one event at a time and will let the chips fall where they may.”

 Aside from spending more time at the gym lately, Marchi is as focused and confident as ever thanks to tremendous support from his family and friends. Marchi not only won the Portland Invitational, he won the preliminary go round as well, with a 90.75 point score that put him in the lead going into the finals. It was Lostroh who stole the show during final round action, however, with a masterful 93.5 point effort against Julio Moreno Bucking Bulls’ 2007 American Bucking Bull, Inc. (ABBI) Classic champion, the “unridden” Troubadour. Lostroh won the final round to move from seventh in the overall event standings to second in the aggregate, and beat Troubadour’s intimidating average buck-off time of 3.69 seconds to make the requisite eight. Following Lostroh’s spectacular ride, the pressure was on for Marchi to be at least 89.75 points to tie Lostroh. Riding last in the line up, Marchi handled the situation with a veteran’s poise to notch his second tour win of the season.

 The ever popular PBR Bull Team Challenge was a hit again in Portland. Twenty-two teams have been formed, each providing $50,000 for the opportunity to win their share of the $1.1 million total competition purse throughout the 2008 season. The team known as Northern Exposure won first place honors with 222 points and pocketed $20,000, while Diamond “G” and Moreno/ExclusiveGenetics.com tied for second place with 221 points. Each team took home $7,500.

 Injury Report:

 Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, Sao Paulo BZ) aggravated a chronic back injury. He is questionable for the Tacoma Invitational.

 BEHIND THE CHUTES:

Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s “Ride with the Best” Bonus:

By virtue of his round two win in Kansas City, Mo. last weekend, Mike White (De Kalb, Texas) was eligible to compete for the $5,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car “Ride with the Best” bonus during Friday night’s first round of competition in Portland. White covered Julio Moreno Bucking Bulls’ Hooligan for 87.5 points to earn the $5,000 bonus.

 As the Portland Invitational first round winner, Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil) will be eligible for the bonus during the first round of the Tacoma Invitational on March 15.

 Ford Truck Moment of Truth Bonus:
Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil) was in the lead going into the Built Ford Tough Championship Round and succeeded in winning the Portland Invitational event title; therefore he claimed the $10,000 Ford Truck Moment of Truth bonus. The bonus will be $5,000 at the Tacoma Invitational in Tacoma, Wash., March 15-16. The bonus grows by $5,000 each week if it is not claimed. Once claimed, it returns to $5,000.

 Ford Super Duty Challenge:
As the Portland Invitational event winner, Guilherme Marchi (Leme, Sao Paulo, Brazil) has qualified for a chance to compete at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals, against all other 2008 Built Ford Tough Series event winners, for $50,000 toward the purchase of a 2009 Ford Super Duty Truck. The Ford Super Duty Challenge contestant who finishes the highest in the event aggregate during the 2008 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals will win the Ford Super Duty Challenge.

Salem NationaLease Bull of the Event:
Diamond G Rodeos’ White Magic earned Bull of the Event honors with a score of 47.5 points. This honor is acknowledged by an award of $1,250 going to the top bull of the event as determined by the PBR judges’ bull scores.

 Cabela’s World’s Foremost Ride:
Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) recorded the highest marked ride of the event when he topped Julio Moreno Bucking Bulls’ previously unridden bull Troubadour for 93.5 points during the championship round of the Portland Invitational. In doing so, he earned a $1,000 bonus.

 The rider who achieves the highest score at each BFTS regular season event, excluding the PBR World Finals receives a bonus of $1,000 for the accomplishment. The PBR athlete who achieves the highest marked qualifying ride during the entire 2008 BFTS regular season, excluding the PBR World Finals event will receive $25,000, while second and third place finishers will be awarded $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. The bull rider who achieves the highest marked ride through the course of the entire 2008 PBR BFTS World Finals will earn an additional $10,000.

Portland Invitational event results:

ROUND ONE: 1) Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil) 90.75 points on Flying U/Moreno Bucking Bulls’ Hawaiian Ivory, $2,730; 2/3) Clayton Foltyn (El Campo, Texas) 88.25 points on Chad Berger/Clay Struve’s Almost Famous, $1,560; 2/3) McKennon Wimberly (Cool, Texas) 88.25 points on John and Lacey Berger/Clay Struve’s Frank The Tank, $1,560; 4/5) Austin Meier (Kinta, Okla.) 87.75 points on 4C’s/Sills/Barker’s Little Bo, $624; 4/5) Dusty LaBeth (Louisburg, Kan.) 87.75 points on Priest Creek Ranch’s Mr. Deeds, $624;

BUILT FORD TOUGH CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND: 1) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 93.5 points on Julio Moreno Bucking Bulls’ Troubadour, $2,730; 2) Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil) 92.25 points on Chad Berger/Ryken/Larson’s Copperhead Slinger, $1,950; 3) Jarrod Craig (Hillsboro, Texas) 90.5 points on Naccarato Bucking Bulls’ All In, $1,170; 4) Valdiron de Oliveira (Aparecida de Goiania, GO, Brazil) 89.5 points on Don Kish Bucking Bulls’ Wolf Can II, $780;

 OVERALL EVENT STANDINGS: 1) Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP,

Brazil) 183 points, $40,320; 2) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 180.5 points, $16,948; 3) Jarrod Craig (Hillsboro, Texas) 177.5 points, $9,888; 4) Austin Meier (Kinta, Okla.) 174.5 points, $6,632;

 BUILT FORD TOUGH WORLD STANDINGS: (The PBR World Champion is based on total Built Ford Tough Series points earned through the season)

1) Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil) 5,295.75 points, $116,615; 2) Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, N.M.) 4,361, $223,945; 3) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 4,122.75 points, $92,472; 4) Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil) 3,866.75 points, $172,965; 5) Valdiron de Oliveira (Aparecida de Goiania, GO, Brazil) 3,755.25 points, $52,035; 6) J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, N.C.) 3,548.75 points, $83,274; 7) Paulo Crimber (Olimpia, Sao Paulo, Brazil) 3,266.5 points, $86,036; 8 ) Mike White (De Kalb, Texas) 3,148.25 points, $55,266; 9) Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) 3,021.25 points, $45,896; 10) L.J. Jenkins (Texico, N.M.) 2,914.5 points, $57,023.