Cajun Cowboy Headed To Salina To Defend CBR Title

Cajun Cowboy Headed To Salina To Defend CBR Title

Cajun cowboy Koby Radley of Montpelier, Louisiana, is headed to Salina to defend his CBR title.

Mar 16, 2017 by Cassie Emerson Emerson
Cajun Cowboy Headed To Salina To Defend CBR Title
SALINA, KS -- You could say Koby Radley of Montpelier, Louisiana, would not miss coming to Salina for the world. In fact his first final four shoot-out appearance as a rookie was in Salina. Radley rode three bulls to overpower two world champions and move up 10 notches in the CBR's world standings as he won the inaugural Salina Showdown last year.

Radley is hoping to repeat history and is headed back for the second edition of the Championship Bull Riding Salina Showdown on Saturday, March 25, at the Tony's Pizza Events Center, formerly the Bicentennial Center.

If you missed the Showdown last year, you will have the opportunity to see Radley again as he and twenty four of the industry's elite bull riders, including five time World Champion and the reigning CBR and PRCA world champ, Sage Steele Kimzey, are en route to the Garden State for stop No. 14 on the CBR's Road to Cheyenne.

Radley's first major event win was here in Salina, but it was not his last. Radley has climbed the ladder again this year and is currently ranked number 6. With nine bull scores left to be earned on the current Road to Cheyenne tour and five additional rounds at the CBR World Finals, a solid performance in Salina would propel Radley into the top five in the world standings with only two events left on the regular season, Fort Worth and Del Rio.

The Showdown in Salina literally means the "world" to the top 24 bull riders as they battle for valuable points for the CBR's World Standings which qualify them for the World Finals event to be held on July 25-26 at Cheyenne Frontier Days.

 "I have been waiting on this a long time, it's always been my dream since I was a kid and watching everybody else do it, I always knew that's what I wanted to do," said an elated Koby Radley after winning here last year.

The 18-year-old rookie sensation of 2016 has settled into the Road to Cheyenne tour life. After winning the 2016 CBR's Horizon Series Tour Championship, Radley was injured and unable to compete at last year's World Finals, but he earned enough points to remain inside the top 15 in the final CBR standings for the year.

With an appreciation for the athleticism of bucking bulls, the 2015 International Finals Youth Rodeo bull riding champion makes it a point to know the bull roster before he hits town and draws on the knowledge of his brother-in-law, Jacob O'Mara, a former Wrangler National Rodeo qualifier and top-ranked CBR rider.

"Jacob and I talk about the bulls and study them and mostly how we can better ourselves," said Radley from the tour.

With only three events left on the regular-season schedule, the bull riders are traveling to Salina to take home not only the $30,000 that is in the CBR bank but also the invaluable points that determine their CBR world standings position heading into the CBR World Finals, where a $100,000 bonus check is awaiting the 2017 world champion.

The single-performance event will feature three rounds of nonstop bull riding action, and in addition to great bull riding talent, Tuff Hedeman, who for 30 years has made a name for himself in the production of great bull riding events, will serve as "chute boss" and TV commentator from the dirt in front of the Salina audience. 

"We have pulled out all the stops for Salina. We will have the industry's best bull riders, entertainment, and it's like a rock 'n' roll concert and a heavyweight prize fight all in one event," said Benny Cude, CEO of CBR.

Hedeman is bringing in five-time rodeo entertainer of the year nominee Cody Sosebee and the voice of the CBR, Chris Rankin, from the announcer's booth.

In addition, CBR offers fans a rare opportunity to see several of the sport's elite athletes; the schedule of appearances will be released next week.

The Salina event will also feature the "other side of the ride," CBR's Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge. Bull owners from all around the country will bring three bulls that are featured during the rounds of competition. The bulls are competing for points based on their performance in the arena. Additionally, the time the bull riders stays on is added to the bull's score. At the end of the night the owner with the three highest scoring bulls will receive $20,000.

TICKETS
The CBR Salina Showdown is on March 25 is at 7:30 PM at the Tony's Pizza Event Center Arena, 800 Midway, Salina, KS, 67401. Tickets ON SALE NOW at the Tony's Pizza Events Center Box Office, BicentennialCenter.com and by calling 888-826-7469. Prices start at $17 with a variety of options available including a NEW $10 kid's ticket for children ages 2-12. 

Courtesy of CBR