Greeley Stampede: Wesley Silcox earns first place in Xtreme Bulls
Greeley, Colo.
Introduced as the star of the night, Wesley Silcox walked into the Greeley Stampede only hoping to point his year in the right direction.
Silcox, the defending Xtreme Bulls champion, entered Monday’s Xtreme Bulls stop at 27th in the standings. The prime culprits for the slow start were hip and groin injuries, which kept him off bulls from March until May.
Count Monday as that positive step. Silcox, despite lasting about half of the required time in the finals, departed Island Grove Arena with a first-place cash. None of the 13 riders succeeded in the finals – flying, tumbling or flipping off his ride in less than the 8 seconds, meaning Silcox’s 85.5 stood as the top mark.
“I’ll take it,” he said moments after being tossed by Classic Red in the finals. “That final round of bulls were really tough and got the best of us.
“I’ve seen that bull 20, 30 times, and I knew exactly what he was going to do. He just kind of got my right foot back a little bit and threw me to the outside.”
Silcox, 26 of Santaquin, Utah, turned pro at 18. Following the lead of his bull riding father and brothers, it made sense for Wilcox to join the club. A five-time qualifier for the NFR, Silcox won’t put any pressure on himself to regain his top form. Like most cowboys, he has targeted this week as a chance to start rolling.
Silcox has at least six rodeos planned this week.
“We still got a long season,” he said. “You put pressure on yourself, you’re probably never going to win. Just have to relax and have fun.”
His winning ride, perhaps, showed the results of the relaxed approach. Operating with a scouting report that Bad Economy would exit the chute then turn right, Silcox hung on when his bull went left and was rewarded the top score.
Although the scoreless finale also was a disappointment for Seth Glause, a 22-year-old from Cheyenne, Wyo., he, like Silcox, will leave Greeley with a hearty check and some confidence under his hat.
“I’ve kind of been in, not quite a slump, but haven’t been riding as good as I can here lately,” said Glause, who ranks 15th in the PRCA standings. “Going into this week, it dang sure makes a guy want have some confidence.”
A two-time NFR qualifier, Glause seized the opportunity to set the mood of the night as the first rider of the night. On Curious George, Glause described his ride as “kind of fight” but was rewarded with an 84, the second-highest score.
“We were running a little late, so my motor was already running pretty good,” he said.
Introduced as the star of the night, Wesley Silcox walked into the Greeley Stampede only hoping to point his year in the right direction.
Silcox, the defending Xtreme Bulls champion, entered Monday’s Xtreme Bulls stop at 27th in the standings. The prime culprits for the slow start were hip and groin injuries, which kept him off bulls from March until May.
Count Monday as that positive step. Silcox, despite lasting about half of the required time in the finals, departed Island Grove Arena with a first-place cash. None of the 13 riders succeeded in the finals – flying, tumbling or flipping off his ride in less than the 8 seconds, meaning Silcox’s 85.5 stood as the top mark.
“I’ll take it,” he said moments after being tossed by Classic Red in the finals. “That final round of bulls were really tough and got the best of us.
“I’ve seen that bull 20, 30 times, and I knew exactly what he was going to do. He just kind of got my right foot back a little bit and threw me to the outside.”
Silcox, 26 of Santaquin, Utah, turned pro at 18. Following the lead of his bull riding father and brothers, it made sense for Wilcox to join the club. A five-time qualifier for the NFR, Silcox won’t put any pressure on himself to regain his top form. Like most cowboys, he has targeted this week as a chance to start rolling.
Silcox has at least six rodeos planned this week.
“We still got a long season,” he said. “You put pressure on yourself, you’re probably never going to win. Just have to relax and have fun.”
His winning ride, perhaps, showed the results of the relaxed approach. Operating with a scouting report that Bad Economy would exit the chute then turn right, Silcox hung on when his bull went left and was rewarded the top score.
Although the scoreless finale also was a disappointment for Seth Glause, a 22-year-old from Cheyenne, Wyo., he, like Silcox, will leave Greeley with a hearty check and some confidence under his hat.
“I’ve kind of been in, not quite a slump, but haven’t been riding as good as I can here lately,” said Glause, who ranks 15th in the PRCA standings. “Going into this week, it dang sure makes a guy want have some confidence.”
A two-time NFR qualifier, Glause seized the opportunity to set the mood of the night as the first rider of the night. On Curious George, Glause described his ride as “kind of fight” but was rewarded with an 84, the second-highest score.
“We were running a little late, so my motor was already running pretty good,” he said.
