CBR Cinch Tour Finale: Meet The Contenders

For the past year, CBR bull riders have all had their eyes on the same grand prize – the 2011 CBR World Champion buckle. After this Saturday's CBR Cinch Tour Finale in the Bud Events Center (tickets) this season’s competition will come to an end and only one cowboy will walk away as CBR World Champion.

Although standings leader Clayton Foltyn has a healthy lead, there are a few guys behind him ready to give him a run for his money. The CBR’s top five riders are the best in the sport and Loveland is sure to be a great show with so much at stake.

Clayton Foltyn has had a phenomenal season, capturing event wins in Tulsa, Lubbock and Huron. Foltyn’s not a newcomer to the sport and he’s got experience on his side. In 2004, he was the PRCA Resistol Overall, All-Around and Bull Riding Rookie of the Year. After suffering a shoulder injury in 2009 that sidelined him for five months, Foltyn is now riding at the top of his game. Not only has he been covering bulls, he’s been putting up big scores and he goes into Loveland with a commanding lead.

CBR young gun Chase Outlaw is the cowboy closest to veteran Foltyn in the standings. Although he’s fresh out of High School, Outlaw’s had his fair share of bull riding success. He was the National High School Rodeo Association Finals Reserve Champion in 2008 and Champion of the same event in 2009. Even as a relatively new CBR rider, he’s already won two Horizon events and has made several Cinch Tour Championship Round appearances.

Currently sitting in third is 2007 CBR World Champion Bonner Bolton. Since winning the Finals and the Championship in 2007, Bolton’s had a couple off-seasons but 2011 has been a good year for him. He started the season on fire with a win in Carthage and top three finishes at Fort Worth and Springtown. He went on to win the Las Vegas CBR Cinch Tour event as well.

Cody White trails Bolton by less than a hundred points and will be looking to gain some ground this weekend at his sixth CBR World Championships. The end of 2010 was rough for White but he’s put together a solid 2011 season. He started the season off right with a win at Jackson, Tenn.’s Horizon Event and has been a contender in the standings ever since.

Rounding out the top five is Odessa, Tex. native Wrangler Dunda. The 21-year-old is a two-time World Champion Youth Bull Rider and finished tenth in last year’s CBR World Standings. Although Dunda is considered one of the sport’s most consistent riders, he has yet to claim an event championship so he’ll be looking to take first at Loveland and make a big move in the standings.

[cbrbull.com]

Tickets to the 2011 CBR Cinch Tour Finale at 8:00pm on Saturday, September 24th at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland are $15, $35, and $65; and are available at the Bud Events Center box office in Loveland, Fort Fun in Fort Collins, Woody’s Cafe & Newsstand in Greeley, by phone at 1-877-544-8499, and online at comcasttix.com.