Monthly Archives: December 2018

LAS VEGAS – Clayton Biglow is riding a hot streak, and this is the best time in the world for it. Biglow, a 23-year-old bareback rider from Clements, Calif., has placed in the first two rounds at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and has earned more than $31,000 in just two nights of work inside the Thomas & Mack Center. “I’m probably riding better right now with my head,” he said Friday after posting an 86.5-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Tip Off to finish third in the second round and add $13,654 to his pockets. “I’m just going into it as more of a business. I’m still having fun, but I’m more intense now. I’m more serious this year.” It’s showing. He remains third in the world standings with $166,320 but he’s closing in on world standings leader Tim O’Connell – he’s now just $31,000 behind the Iowa cowboy and can catch O’Connell by Sunday night if everything goes Biglow’s way. “Everyone has come to ride, and that’s how it should be,” he said. “The match-ups are good, and everyone is riding good. It’s going to be like this all week. “My game plan on every horse is to ride them jump for jump. I like to come into it with a game plan, obviously, but certain horses are different and are going to buck different, so you are going to have to change a little bit.” That’s why sticking to a game plan might not be the best plan. That’s why he allows his feel for the animal to come into play s he can make the adjustments necessary throughout the ride. Now he and the other bareback riders will test their talents – and grit – during Friday’s third go-round, which will feature the toughest-to-ride horses in bareback riding. The “eliminator” pen tends to be a showcase of overpowering bucking horses. But Biglow is confident in what this group of 15 bareback riders brings to the table. “You have to buckle your chin strap and bear down every time,” Biglow said. “It’s bareback riding, so bear down no matter what. You have to go into it with that same mindset. Just because it’s the ‘E’ pen doesn’t mean you change anything.” That’s why he prepares every ride as if he’s getting on the rankest horse in the world. “I like to have that aspect and that grit and determination on every horse I get on,” he said. “If you think you’re getting on one of those eliminator horses, you should be good. Then when the come around, you’ll have that edge; it will kick in without you even knowing it.”

LAS VEGAS – It’s said that familiarity breeds success, and steer wrestler Blake Mindemann experienced that first-hand Friday night during the second go-round of the National Finals Rodeo. “I had actually run that steer in the short round at Salinas (Calif.),” said Mindemann, a first-time NFR qualifier from Blanchard, Okla. “I won the short round and finished second in the average on him, so I knew he was good. It’s a little different setup here, but we knew he was a good chance, and it worked out good.” Now he’s broken the ice, which is oftentimes difficult for newcomers to ProRodeo’s grand championship. The jitters playing on the biggest stage in the game can come back to haunt contestants who can’t make adjustments. “I wasn’t really nervous, but it was cool,” he said. “I think I blacked out for the whole round. It was a big blur, but it felt better tonight. The nerves were pretty clam, and everything felt a lot better. The horse felt better, the run felt better, so that was good.” That horse is Django, a 16-year-old gray gelding owned by Johnny and Jessica Asher. “He fired tonight,” Mindemann said of his mount. “He felt better, more flat. I appreciate Johnny and Jessica for letting me use him and treat him as if he’s my own. I couldn’t be more fortunate to have those guys on my team.” It was a bit different than the night before, where Mindemann finished the opening round in 6.4 seconds, well off the pace to earn a round paycheck. By improving his time by more than two seconds, he finished in a tie for fifth in the second round and pocketed $5,500. “It feels good to finally place,” he said. “I was a little bit behind the barrier, and I ran one to the back end of the arena. Tonight, I got out good and had a good steer. It feels good to win something.” It helped push his season earnings to $93,592 and settles him in 12th place in the world standings. Part of his success comes with having a solid mentor, two-time world champion Hunter Cure, and an experienced hazer, Matt Reeves. Both have been instrumental in putting Mindemann in position to make a substantial living in 10 Vegas nights. “Matt knows what to do, and that’s get out there and put that steer where I need him,” Mindemann said. “That’s what he did tonight. I don’t even worry about what he’s doing over there because I know where he’s going to be. “I’ve been following Hunter around like a puppy dog all week because I don’t know what’s going on. I’m fortunate enough to have those guys that know lead me in the right direction.” Right now, that direction is up. He trails world standings leader Tyler Pearson by $40,000, but that ground can be made up in just two nights in Sin City.

Cort Scheer won for the second straight night, setting a Round 2 record at the National Finals Rodeo with a 92-point ride on Hi Lo ProRodeo’s Larry Culpepper. Bareback riding: 1. Tilden Hooper, 87.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Ankle Biter, $26,231; 2. Steven Dent, 87, $20,731; 3. Clayton Biglow, 86.5, $15,654; 4. (tie) Mason Clements and Kaycee Field, 85.5, $8,885 each; 6. Shane O’Connell, 84, $4,231. Steer wrestling: 1. Curtis Cassidy, 3.8 seconds, $26,231; 2. Will Lummus, 4.0, $20,731; 3. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Hunter Cure, 4.1, $13,327 each; 5. (tie) Blake Mindemann and Tyler Waguespack, 4.2, $5,500 each. Team roping: 1. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 4.0 seconds, $26,231; 2. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 4.1, $20,731; 3. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Chase Tryan and Rhen Richard/Quinn Kesler, 4.6, $13,327 each; 5. Aaron Tsinigine/Trey Yates, 4.8, $6,769; 6. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.9, $4,231. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cort Scheer, 92 points on Hi Lo ProRodeo’s Larry Culpepper, $26,231; 2. Ryder Wright, 88, $20,731; 3. Jake Wright, 87.5, $15,654; 4. Zeke Thurston, 85, $11,000; 5. (tie) Wade Sundell and Clay Elliot, 84.5, $5,500 each Tie-down roping: 1. Marty Yates, 7.6 seconds, $26,231; 2. Caleb Smidt, 7.8, $20,731; 3. (tie) Tuf Cooper and Ryle Smith, 8.0, $13,327; 5. Shane Hanchey, 8.1, $6.769; 6. Reese Riemer, 8.2, $4,231. Barrel racing: 1. Lisa Lockhart, 13.65 seconds, $26,231; 2. Amberleigh Moore, 13.67, $20,731; 3. Kylie Weast, 13.7, $15,654; 4. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Jessie Telford, 13.74, $8,885 each; 6. Jessica Routier, 13.76, $4,231. Bull riding: 1. Joe Frost, 90 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Misfire, $33,565; 2. Chase Dougherty, 84.5, $28,065; 3. Koby Radley, 84, $22,988; no other qualified rides.

1. Tyler Pearson, 3.8 seconds, $26,231; 2. Will Lummus, 4.0, $20,731; 3. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Hunter Cure, 4.1, $13,327 each; 5. (tie) Blake Mindemann and Tyler Waguespack, 4.2, $5,500 each.

1. Tilden Hooper, 87.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Ankle Biter, $26,231; 2. Steven Dent, 87, $20,731; 3. Clayton Biglow, 86.5, $15,654; 4. (tie) Mason Clements and Kaycee Field, 85.5, $8,885 each; 6. Shane O’Connell, 84, $4,231.

LAS VEGAS – Kylie Weast’s first run at the National Finals Rodeo will always be memorable. Sprinting down the alleyway and into the Thomas & Mack Center floor is an exhilarating experience for any barrel racer who has ever done it, but Weast made the most of her first experience by rounding the cloverleaf pattern in 13.86 seconds to finish sixth in Thursday’s first go-round. “I was nervous all day, but once I got in the car at the hotel, I took a deep breath and felt better,” said Weast, a first-time NFR qualifier from Comanche, Okla. “When I got to the arena, everything was fine.” Yes, it was, and so was Hell on the Red, a 6-year-old sorrel mare she calls Reddy. In fact, the speedy mount reared a little as they entered the alley, then went to work. “She took off with me a little bit in the alleyway, but I think I have her a little bit under control now,” Weast said. “I think just a tick down the pen a little bit going into the first barrel, and she didn’t burn off the first turn like I prefer. She turned her last two good enough. I was happy with her performance.” It’s not easy on horses inside that environment, either. The animals can feel the pressure that comes with the NFR, and nearly 17,000 fans were packed into the coliseum to witness ProRodeo’s grand championship. “The atmosphere is just so incredible,” she said. “I realized it was just another rodeo, and my nerves went away. “Placing is such a relief. That’s all I wanted to do, and thankfully I got the last (place) in the round. I just wanted to get in the groove of things here, so to get a check was icing on the cake.” There’s a great amount of pomp and circumstance that comes with competing on the biggest stage in the game. By getting the first round under her belt, Weast now can find time to relax and get into a rhythm. “I’m starting to get a smidge tired, but I got up pretty early this morning and rode both horses I brought,” she said, referring to Reddy and her backup, Wolfy, a 9-year-old sorrel gelding. “I can go out there and let my hair down and relax. I think that’s going to help a lot. I just need time with my orses and know that I’ve done everything I can to help Reddy perform at her best.” Weast pocketed $4,231 on Thursday night and pushed her season earnings to $114,946. She is eighth in the world standings, but she has nine more nights to improve on that – go-round winners earn more than $26,000 per night. “It’s cliché, but I’m just going to try to focus on one run at a time,” Weast said. “I can’t think about the nights ahead of me. We’ll take each run, then go from there and adjust how we need to after that.” That’s a solid game plan, one that could play huge dividends.

LAS VEGAS – The National Finals Rodeo arena set up inside the Thomas & Mack Center is roughly the size of a hockey rink, so things get fast in a hurry in Sin City. Nobody understands that any more than Kyle Irwin, a four-time NFR qualifier from Robertsdale, Ala. He’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly that comes with ProRodeo’s grand championship; that’s why starting the 10-day finale on a good note was important. “The first-round jitters are always there, but I feel like I was a little more prepared for it,” said Irwin, who wrestled his steer to the ground in 4.0 seconds Thursday night to finish in a tie for third place in the opening round. “I like that set of steers; we’ve got to run them three more times. “There were some things that went wrong for some guys, but that’s rodeo. It went good for me, so I was glad for that.” With his run, he added $13,327 to his annual earnings and moved up five spots to ninth in the all-important world standings. “I like the momentum that it can create,” he said. Momentum is key, especially in Las Vegas. Go-round winners earn more than $26,000 per day for 10 rounds. Irwin has pushed his 2018 earnings to just shy of $100,000. “When you get on the right side of momentum here, it’s huge,” said Irwin, who attended Western Oklahoma State College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University on rodeo scholarships. “It’s a good start; now I’ve just got to go at it nine more days.” A big key is the horsepower. Irwin is co-owner of Scooter, the two-time reigning Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year. The powerful sorrel gelding was an important factor to getting off to a hot start. In addition, he and his partner in the horse business, defending world champion Tyler Pearson, earn a percentage of money other cowboys earn while riding Scooter. On Thursday, Tyler Waguespack won the round, and Ty Erickson placed sixth. Both credit their success to Scooter. “My wife, Randa, is pretty good about keeping books on that, and she said Scooter won $43,000 tonight,” Irwin said. “The horse made money, and we made money, so it was a good night. “That horse means a lot, and he takes the pressure off you. Confidence is everything here. He’s the deal-breaker for us.” The deal at the NFR is to continue making good runs and finishing among the top six in each go-round so the money keeps flowing. A year ago, he pocketed more than $115,000 in 10 December nights. He still has a way to go to equal that total, but Irwin has his mind on his business and has the right tools to make it happen.

Coveted Wrangler Bullfight Tour title heading to Nebraska LAS VEGAS – Beau Schueth has had some big wins in his bullfighting career, but none bigger than his Bullfighters Only Roughy Cup victory on Thursday afternoon at the Tropicana Las Vegas. “Every win holds a special place, but this one is huge,” said Schueth of O’Neill, Neb. “I’ve been out here for four years since the BFO started and slowly kept getting better.” With his victory, he became the first man in 18 years to win the Wrangler Bullfight Tour championship. The tour, which initially wrapped after the 2001 season, returned with the BFO in 2018. “When I started fighting bulls, all I’d do was watch the old Wrangler Bullfight Tour,” he said. “To say I’m the Wrangler Bullfight champion is definitely a humbling feeling I will hold pretty proudly.” Schueth won his opening round, getting the better of Costa Fighting Bulls’ Stone Cold for 83 points to kick off the 10-day Las Vegas Championship. That earned him the right to compete in the Hooey Championship Round, where he was bested Justin Josey of Apache, Okla., and Weston Rutkowski, the two-time defending world champion from Haskell, Texas. “Words can’t describe it,” said Schueth, who missed the competition in Sin City a year ago because of injury. “It just means that much more to come back this year and win the first event. “This whole year, just coming back off the injury, it was about getting my mind right. Having to sit out last year and watch everybody make good bullfights was hard. To come in and win this is huge.” In the final round, he matched moves with Costa’s Little Foot, a stout, little one-horned bull that has been considered one of the best in the BFO for two years. By the time their dance and the dirt came to an end, Schueth walked out with an 89.5-point fight and the victory. “That’s the first time I’ve had him,” he said of Little Foot. “I’ve had his brothers, but I’d drawn around him before today. To get a chance to win on him is dang sure a good feeling.” Josey, who was pushed around by Costa’s Spitfire, finished second with 85, while Rutkowski was forced to disqualify after taking a shot from Costa’s Sid Vicious, the 2017 BFO Bull of the Year. “It feels good to just put down some solid, fundamental bullfights against some top-caliber bulls,” Schueth said. “None of the bulls out today were days off. To get two solid bullfights in this early in the week means a lot.” With the victory, he pocketed $6,000 and moved up to second in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings. He is just $6,300 behind the leader, Rutkowski. “Manuel Costa brought his whole A team today, so to get out of here with the win and get past two tough bulls helps my confidence a lot,” Schueth said.  

SPRINGVILLE, Utah – Mason Clements liked what he saw in J Bar J Rodeo’s Colorado Bulldog, his dance partner Thursday during the opening night of the National Finals Rodeo. “You know when you look down a list of horses that they put out, and there are always one or two horses that stand out,” said Clements, 26, of Springville, Utah. “I had that feeling when I looked at that list; that horse was one of those that stood out. I was pleased to get on him. It turned out well, and I finished strong.” Yes, he did. He and Colorado Bulldog matched moves across the Thomas & Mack Arena dirt for 86.5 points, good enough for second place in the first round; that was worth $20,731 and pushed Clements’ 2018 earnings to $130,267. He also moved up four spots to sixth in the world standings. In rodeo, dollars equal points, and the contestants in each event who finish out the season with the most money will be crowned world champions. For Clements, who was born in Las Vegas, he likes the idea of having 10 nights to shoot for as much money as possible while in the City of Lights. “It’s a great start, and I’m excited to hold that momentum and continue through all 10 nights,” he said. “Each night is a brand-new night. No matter the outcome, I learn what happens tonight to capitalize better for the next night. “I was very happy and very pleased with the way I performed, but there were obviously things that I could have done better and implemented into my ride to be first. Tomorrow is a new night. I want to capitalize on what you made mistakes on and come out on top.” This season marks just the second time in his young bareback riding career that Clements has earned the right to compete for the biggest pay in the game. A year ago, he qualified for the NFR for the first time and left Las Vegas with more than $80,000 in earnings. He’d like to surpass that this year. He’ll have his next opportunity in Friday’s second round. “Every horse we had out tonight was kind of a warm up,” Clements said, referring to the horsepower on opening night. “(Friday’s) horses will have a little more kick, a little more juice. Tomorrow night I have Yippee Kibitz of the Calgary Stampede. Two years ago, I was 87 or 87.5 on that horse in the short round in Ellensburg (Wash.). “I’m so happy to have a rematch with it. It should be fun. Everybody said she performed really well at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, so I’m excited to see what she’s going to do in the Thomas & Mack.” Not only does the NFR feature only the top 15 contestants in each event, but it also is host to the top 300 bucking animals in the game. Each bareback horse was selected by the bareback riders who will compete on them over the 10-night championship. “This is our chance to shine,” he said. “I’m excited for it.” He should be.

LAS VEGAS – After starting the 2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo slowly, Clayton Biglow made a big change to kick off the 2018 championship. On Thursday, Biglow rode Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Molly Brown for 74 points to finish in a tie for fifth place on opening night of ProRodeo’s grand finale, pocketing $5,500 in the process. “I feel like that horse got a little weak at the end, but it felt good,” said Biglow, 22, of Clements, Calif. “I got a little weak at the end, too, so there’s always room for improvement. “It will be nice to start it with making money in the first round instead of waiting until the sixth round.” That’s what happened 12 months ago, but he’s already surpassed that start. He’ll have another chance during Friday’s second round, when he will be matched with Frontier Rodeo’s Tip Off, a horse Biglow has ridden before. “I got on her at Dodge City (Kan.) during the short round, and it was a really good horse,” he said. “I’m super excited for tomorrow. “This helps the confidence a ton.  It’s hard to get going in the wrong direction and turn it around. Being in the money in the first round is great for me, and I plan on being in the money every night.” That’s important. In rodeo, dollars equal points, and the contestants in each event who finish the season with the most money will be crowned world champions. “I didn’t come here to win rounds; I came here to win a gold buckle,” Biglow said. “Rounds are what’s going to get me there, but for the last 18 or 19 years, I’ve been thinking about a gold buckle. I had a shot last year, and it slipped out of my fingers. I don’t want that to happen again this year.” While he remains third in the world standings, he did edge closer to the leader, two-time reigning world champion Tim O’Connell. Biglow knows he needs to keep adding pressure to the top man in the game by catching as many checks as possible. He has nine more nights in the 2018 ProRodeo season to do it.

1. Trey Benton III, 88.5 points on Wayne Vold Rodeo’s VJV Whiskey Hand, $26,231; 2. Sage Kimzey, 88, $20,231; 3. Joe Frost, 87, $15,654; 4. Roscoe Jarboe, 86, $11,000; 5. Garrett Tribble, 85.5, $6,770; 6. Chase Dougherty, 84, $4,231.

1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.51 seconds, $26,231; 2. Amberleigh Moore, 13.65, $20,731; 3. Ivy Conrado, 13.78, $15,654; 4. Nellie Miller, 13.79, $11,000; 5. Tracy Nowlin, 13.83, $6,770; 6. Kylie Weast, 13.86, $4,231.

1. Cort Scheer, 86.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Y U R Friskey, $26,231; 2. (tie) Wade Sundell and Rusty Wright, 84.5, $18,193 each; 4. CoBurn Bradshaw, 83, $11,000; 5. (tie) Zeke Thurston and Jacobs Crawley, 82, $5,500 each

1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.2 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, Bubb Buckaloo/Chase Tryan and Luke Brown/Jake Long, 4.6, $15,795 each; 5. Erich Rogers/Clint Summers, 5.0, $6,769; 6. Rhen Richard/Quinn Kesler, 5.7, $4,231.

1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.6 seconds, $26,231; 2. Blake Knowles, 3.8, $20,731; 3. (tie) Bridger Chambers and Kyle Irwin, 4.0, $13,327 each; 5. Will Lummus, 4.3, $6,769; 6. Ty Erickson, 4.7, $4,231.

1. Wyatt Denny, 87 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler, $26,230.77; 2. Mason Clements, 86.5, $20,730.77; 3. Kaycee Field, 86, $15,653.85; 4. Will Lowe, 85, $11,000; 5. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Clayton Biglow, 84, $5,500 each.

Elite animals are a big part of the mix for the Las Vegas Championship LAS VEGAS – Brett Hall isn’t one to get too excited about things, but he’s sure fired up about what’s going to happen during the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship. “This will probably be the best pen of bulls I’ve ever hauled anywhere,” said Hall, co-owner of Rockin’ B & Magnifica Fighting Bulls. He’ll see all of his top bulls in action during the marathon championship, each day at 2 p.m. Dec. 6-15 at Tropicana Las Vegas. “The atmosphere is going to be great there. For me, if it’s a bullfight, I’m enjoying it.” Rockin’ B & Magnifica is the BFO’s reigning Stock Contractor of the Year and will have more than two dozen bulls as a part of the event. That’s a lot, but still only a quarter of the bull power that will do battle in Sin City over the 10 days. “That’s the one thing that stands out when we go to Vegas,” said Weston Rutkowski, the reigning two-time world champion from Haskell, Texas. “The bulls have had substantial time off, and it shows when they get there. When they have a few months off heading into Vegas, they show up ready to fight.” The 10-day championship kicks off on Thursday afternoon with the Roughy Cup, BFO’s original event, and will be broadcast live on the Wrangler Network. “Having the best bulls is huge,” said Kris Furr, the No. 3 man in the standings from Hamptonville, N.C. “It doesn’t matter what round you’re in; there’s still a lot of pressure, and you need to be 90 points to win. I’d like to have one of the older bulls that’s seen it and been around it.” There will be a wide array of bulls that will be in the mix, so setting up each round with bulls of similar caliber ensures that the fights are as evenly matched as possible. “When we are setting up the rounds, we try to make sure that each of the three bullfighters have a chance to win,” said Aaron Ferguson, founder and CEO of Bullfighters Only. “We want it to come down to who has the best bullfight, not just the best bull.” Manuel Costa’s Sid Vicious, the reigning BFO Bull of the Year, is a contender to repeat in 2018. “There aren’t many bulls that you can fight that will just mop you up around the arena, and you can still win, but that’s the case with Sid Vicious,” Furr said. “Last year he was the second-to-last bull I fought, and I won the round on him, but we were 50-50; he would hook me, I’d stand up and put one on him until he’d hook me again.” Costa knows he has some special animals in his herd. “I’ve seen the names of the bullfighters that are coming, and they’re not afraid to fight any of these bulls,” he said, noting that he will have between 30-40 bulls in Las Vegas. “We’re very honored to have as many bulls as we have there. It means a lot that they like what we’re doing. They believe in the bulls that we have. “This is the big show. This is the end of the year, the last event, the Super Bowl.” Costa and Rockin’ B & Magnifica will be two of half a dozen contractors providing bulls for the Las Vegas Championship. The BFO has sought out the top fighting bulls in the country to showcase with the best bullfighters that the sport has ever seen. “Having great bulls means everything,” Rutkowski said. “I’m only half the battle. I need bulls that not only showcase their ability but also showcase my ability.”

The BFO’s top nine men to battle for the Roughy Cup title LAS VEGAS – When Bullfighters Only was established more than four years ago, Las Vegas Events was seeking something special to showcase during their famous “Cowboy Christmas” trade show. The Roughy Cup was born and continues to be one of the biggest stand-alone bullfights in the sport. It returns at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, to start 10 action-packed days of freestyle bullfighting with the BFO Las Vegas Championship at the Tropicana Las Vegas. “It’s just an awesome event,” said Weston Rutkowski, the two-time reigning world champion from Haskell, Texas. “It was our first event in Vegas, and now it’s become a marquee event for us. It kicks off a big week of bullfighting. “It’s a great reward for the guys that have been going all year and have a chance to make more money at that one event.” That’s quite a reward. The top nine bullfighters from the BFO’s Wrangler Bullfight Tour Standings have earned the right to compete Thursday afternoon. Athletes have been jockeying all season long to gather valuable points at the nation’s top pro rodeos. “This year’s Roughy Cup should have some really high scores,” said Manuel Costa, owner of Costa Fighting Bulls, one of the BFO’s premier stock contractors. “There will be some really high 80s, and you should see some 90s on that one day alone.” Costa has some of the fiercest bulls in the game, and he likes to see them mix it up with the greatest bullfighters in the sport. A majority of this year’s Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship will be broadcast live on BFO’s Facebook page and the Wrangler Network. The final performance will be available live on BFO All-Access. “Last year, the Roughy Cup was a bloodbath, but I think it’s going to be a little better this year,” said Kris Furr, the third-ranked bullfighter from Hamptonville, N.C. “Everybody in the Top 9 wants to get that win. It’s important to do good in that event if you want a shot to win the world title.” It’s important, because every dollar counts toward championship points. The man who finishes the Las Vegas Championship with the most money earned through the 2018 campaign will win the world title belt and the $50,000 bonus that comes with it. The first step is the lucrative Roughy Cup. “This just reverts back to how much work you’ve put in before you get to Las Vegas,” said Rutkowski, the 2015 and ’16 Roughy Cup champ. “You throw in the best fighting bulls in the world, your physical shape and your mental shape will show up. “It’s not for timid athletes. This is to see who can come out on top. This is a very grueling sport.” Rutkowski was unable to claim his third straight Roughy Cup title after getting hooked and stepped on during the first round in 2017. His body was battered, and a serious gash in the back of his head required 16 staples. But he battled back to win his second straight world title. “I want to make a statement on Thursday afternoon,” he said. “It’s always good to put your best foot forward, especially that first event. If I can win the Roughy Cup, I can win enough money to make it hard on the rest of the guys to catch me for the year-end title. “I’m not showing up for second place by any means.”