Maisonneuve rides to PBR victory

Teenage rookie Jeremy Maisonneuve was the only bull rider to go three-for-three on the weekend as he won the PBR Canada’s Mazergroup Chute Out at Assiniboine Credit Union Place on Saturday.

The 19-year-old Maisonneuve of Val-des-monts, Que., rode Effective for an 85.2 in the First Round on Friday, went deep on Linebacker in the Second Round for an 86.2 and then posted the high score of the weekend with an 89.7 on Moonwalk in the championship round for his first Canada Cup Series victory.

That propelled him from 12th in the national rankings to No. 2.

Incredibly, his 18-year-old buddy Jayden Roy of Mascouche, Que., was right there with him, finishing second after taming Linebacker for an 86.8 on Friday, narrowly getting by Thunder Down Under for an 86.1 in Saturday’s second round and then getting bucked off by Grand Funk in the championship round.

“It’s a dream come true,” Maisonneuve said. “And for it to come down to me and Jayden, if one of us rode we won. It was a dream come true and I couldn’t have pictured it any better. Let’s keep the ball rolling next weekend.”

The event is the third stop of 10 this season in the PBR’s Canada Cup Series, with the national final taking place at Edmonton’s Rogers Place on Nov. 13-14.

In Round 2, the riders were able to pick their bull based on Friday’s finish, but the results didn’t change. For the second night in a row, 10 riders stayed on board for eight seconds, with 16 bulls winning their matchups.

After both appeals on Friday were approved, the riders had less luck getting help from the official on Saturday.

Francisco Costa received a re-ride and Roy’s challenge of his 7.63-second ride was approved, but the failed appeals included Carter Sahli’s 7.66-second ride on Broken Pearl and Jordan Giguere’s 7.81-second ride on Knee Knocker.

In addition, Tyler Craig wanted a second look after the horn of Says Who momentarily got hung up on the gate but it was denied for being too slight to alter the ride.

Entering the championship round, Roy was in first place and Maisonneuve was second, which meant they rode last.

None of the eight veterans ahead of them were able to last for eight seconds. Cody Coverchuk and Garrett Green both had to helped off with apparent injuries after they were bucked off, and Brazilians Gilmar Santana and Francisco Costa and western Canadians Ashton Sahli, Tanner Eno, Dakota Buttar and Aaron Roy were unceremoniously deposited in the dirt.

Maisonneuve entered the chute knowing he had sewn up at least a second-place finish.

“It’s amazing,” Maisonneuve said. “We grew up riding bulls together. Me and him have been going down the road since we were six years old, going to rodeos and really building a bond and becoming best friends. He’s my best friend, and to see him at his first Cup event doing what he did is absolutely amazing. The sky is the limit for that kid. I’m super thankful to call him my friend.

“You’ll hear a lot of French Canadian guys winning.”

Roy agreed.

“Me and Jeremy have been dreaming about that since we were young,” Roy said. “We grew up together and on my first cow, Jeremy was behind the chute.”

The high-flying bull Moonwalk did everything it could to get the five-foot-10, 135-pound Maisonneuve off, but he gamely hung on and celebrated in the corner of the ring near the pens after hitting eight seconds.

It was even sweeter for him that the third-ranked Moonwalk comes from Thompson Rodeo Livestock, a place he knows well.

“It’s amazing,” Maisonneuve said. “I had the bull that won bull of the year last year, and Jayden had the bull that won it the year before. That shows that we’re to make a statement and prove that we belong and we can ride the top quality bulls.

“Jayden came up to me and was ‘What’s the best bull in the pen?’ and I said ‘Grand Funk” and he said ‘Perfect, I’ll take him.’ 

“I picked that bull of Jim Thompson. We kind of have a little rivalry. He’s so great and he’s done me so good, going for practice at his house. He’s really taken me under his wing. If it wasn’t for Jim, I wouldn’t be where I am today. 

“To be 89 on one of his bulls is absolutely fantastic.”

That left Roy with the daunting task of stealing a high score from the second-ranked Grand Funk, who stayed near the pens and dislodged Roy when he landed hard on his front feet with his back feet high in the air 3.56 seconds into the ride.

PBR Canada director of operations Jason Davidson said it was an amazing showing from the teenagers.

“That right there is pretty exceptional, what you saw from those young kids,” Davidson said. “I’ve been in this business for 39 years and that kind of talent only comes along once in a while. Jayden Roy didn’t get the score he wanted — he got bucked off his bull in the championship round — but he picked a runner-up to the bull of the year.

“He didn’t just take the easy bull in the championship round, he wanted to win it. That just shows there is a fire burning inside that young man that you can’t teach. You either have it or you don’t. I can’t wait to see these kids and where they might go this year.

“Jeremy jumped from in the teens to number two in Canada, that’s how important Brandon is to these guys.”

Maisonneuve’s first ride on Friday was supposed to be on Knee Knocker, but he was granted a re-ride and lasted eight seconds on Effective for a score of 85.2. He said that set the tone for the event.

“It was super important, especially in that re-ride situation,” Maisonneuve said. “I got on my first bull and he didn’t give me a fair shot, so I went into the re-ride not knowing what that bull was. I’d never seen him. I talked to a couple of guys and they told me what he was and I just went out there and did what I had to do and that set me up for a great day today.”

Maisonneuve is a third-generation cowboy, whose grandfather and father were both active in the rodeo.

Incredibly, his first PBR win came with a cast on the left-handed rider’s right arm. He broke his wrist after a successful ride when the dismount didn’t go as smoothly as he might have hoped.

While it’s on the arm that waves in the air, it did create some logistical problems.

“It’s heavy and it hurts,” Maisonneuve said. “It’s freshly broken and I just got it casted but I can forget about it for eight seconds. That’s all I have to, and I have to do my job no matter what. Cast or not cast, we have to ride some bulls.”

The cast actually provided some nice insight into how closely knit the fraternity of bull riders is. After all, it’s hard to do up straps with one arm attached to a giant animal.

“It’s amazing having these guys,” Maisonneuve said. “Especially with the broken wrist, I can’t do everything by myself. I couldn’t even do my vest up or pull my wrap for my own bull rope. Having these guys, we’re riding against each other but there is no bad blood.

“The battle is between the bull and me, it’s not between me and another guy. Having them in the locker room cheering me on is absolutely phenomenal.”

His relationship with the veterans actually goes well behind the ring. They’ve made a point of taking care of the rookie as he learns the ropes.

“I’m super grateful,” Maisonneuve said. “I’ve been travelling with Dakota Buttar and he’s taken me under his wing, and the same with Jake Gardner. Having these guys in my corner is absolutely phenomenal. I can remember being a kid and wishing I was these guys. Now they take me under their wing and help me throughout this process.

“It’s complicated going up and down the road and making sure you’re going to the right events. I’m forever grateful to have these guys in my pocket.”

Even with that support, it’s a big task. Happily, he has the skill to make it a reality.

Davidson said Maisonneuve has a tremendous ability to stay with the bulls as they do their best to get
rid of him.

“He jumps the jump,” Davidson said. “That’s bull rider lingo about how those guys manoeuvre with the bulls, spin left and spin right. That bull spun both ways today. A lot of bull riders are comfortable with their bull if they’re a left-handed rider and the bull swings to the left. That bull went both directions.

“That’s as close to being 90 points and not being 90 points as we’ve seen this year.”

Only six bull riders were able to last eight seconds twice in Brandon, and 12 riders were unable to post a score in two attempts. One of them was Nick Tetz, who won the opening two events this season, but was bucked off by Pay Day on Friday and Diggin Up Bones on Saturday.

The action played out in front of large and noisy crowds each night.

Davidson said they gained an incredible comfort level in the community in the first year they brought a Cup Series event to Brandon in 2022 and it’s become an important stop for the organization.

“Brandon never disappoints,” Davidson said. “It was an exceptional bull-riding event and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the support of the community of Brandon and actually the province of Manitoba. We set records, sellouts out both nights and standing room only (Saturday).

“It’s pretty easy for these guys to get pretty fired up in front of a crowd like that. They were so engaged. It’s playoff hockey time right now and it sure felt like a playoff hockey atmosphere in that arena.”

The city also gained a fan in this year’s runner-up.

“Incredible,” Roy said. “That was my first PBR, and I’m going to come back for sure. I got three great bulls but the last one was better than me. 

“I’m really happy and blessed to be here.”

ODDS AND ENDS: The highest score posted by a bull was the 44.5 Grand Funk put on Jayden Roy on the final ride of the championship ride. The bull won. The bulls had a great weekend, going 41 for 62 … The Cup Series, which began with events in Red Deer and Lethbridge, continues in Hamilton on May 30, followed by visits to London (June 5), Ottawa (June 13), Kelowna (July 16), Grande Prairie (Sept. 26), Medicine Hat (Oct. 17) and Saskatoon (Oct. 23-24). 

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

 

Friday and Saturday’s results from Day 1 and 2 of the PBR Canada’s PBR Mazergroup Chute Out at Assiniboine Credit Union Place, in order of finish.

Bull rider (ranking, hometown, bull) score. (NS is no score). The rankings are from prior to the event.

FINAL STANDINGS

Jeremy Maisonneuve (#12, Val-des-monts, Que., Moonwalk) — 85.2-86.2-89.7 — 261.1.

Jayden Roy (None, Mascouche, Que., Grand Funk) — 86.8-86.1-NS — 172.9.

Gilmar Santana (#32, Ouro Preto, Brazil, More Or Less) — 85.0-86.2-NS — 171.2.

Garrett Green (#6, Meeting Creek, Alta., Rorketon Ripper) — 83.5-85.8-NS — 169.3.

Francisco Costa (#32, Humaita, Brazil, Wild Time) — 83.4-84.8-NS — 168.2

Cody Coverchuk (#3, Meadow Lake, Sask., Night Fury) — 68.5-84.1 — 152.6

Ashton Sahli (#7, Red Deer, King Pin) — NS-87.8-NS — 87.8

Tanner Eno (#19, Coronation, Sask., Whiskey Moon) — NS-85.7-NS — 85.7.

Dakota Buttar (#4, Eatonia, Sask., Purple People Eater) — 84.6-NS-NS — 84.6.

Aaron Roy (#13, Yellow Grass, Sask., All Gold Rolex) — 84.4-NS-NS — 84.4.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

(In order of appearance: The first score is from Round 1, the second from Round 2, the third from the championship round.)

Aaron Roy (#13, Yellow Grass, Sask., All Gold Rolex) — 84.4-NS-NS.

Tanner Eno (#19, Coronation, Sask., Whiskey Moon) — NS-85.7-NS.

Ashton Sahli (#7, Red Deer, King Pin) — NS-87.8-NS.

Cody Coverchuk (#3, Meadow Lake, Sask., Night Fury) — 68.5-84.1.

Francisco Costa (#32, Humaita, Brazil, Wild Time) — 83.4-84.8-NS.

Garrett Green (#6, Meeting Creek, Alta., Rorketon Ripper) — 83.5-85.8-NS.

Gilmar Santana (#32, Ouro Preto, Brazil, More Or Less) — 85.0-86.2-NS.

Dakota Buttar (#4, Eatonia, Sask., Purple People Eater) — 84.6-NS-NS.

Jeremy Maisonneuve (#12, Val-des-monts, Que., Moonwalk) — 85.2-86.2-89.7.

Jayden Roy (None, Mascouche, Que., Grand Funk) — 86.8-86.1-NS.

SECOND ROUND

(In order of appearance: The first score is from Round 1, the second from Round 2.)

Chanse Switzer (#32, Hazenmore, Sask., Moosey) — NS-NS.

Ashton Sahli (#7, Red Deer, Players Club) — NS-87.8.

Carter Sahli (#32, Red Deer, Broken Pearl) — NS-NS.

Lonnie West (#30, Cadogan, Alta., High Ballin) — NS-NS.

Cody Coverchuk (#3, Meadow Lake, Sask., Smog) — 68.5-84.1.

Cauy Schmidt (#20, Coronation, Alta., Wise Guy) — NS-NS.

Francisco Costa (#32, Humaita, Brazil, Whistleblower) — 83.4-reride.

Lucas Dunand (#31, Claresholm, Alta., Counting Sheep) — NS-NS.

Griffin Koester (#9, Rockyford, Alta., Rust Bucket) — NS-NS.

Tanner Eno (#19, Coronation, Sask., Kraken) — NS-85.7.

Tyler Villarreal (#32, Foxholm, N.D., After Glow) — 82.5-NS.

Dusty Golden (#20, Mayerthorpe, Alta., Pay Day) — 79.7-NS.

Aaron Roy (#13, Yellow Grass, Sask., Hammer Time) — 84.4-NS.

Jordan Giguere (None, Sainte-Catherine-d-l-J-C, Que., Cheeky) — NS-reride.

Brock Radford (#15, Dewinton, Alta., Midnight Terror) — NS-NS.

Jeremy Maisonneuve (#12, Val-des-monts, Que., Linebacker) — 85.2-86.2.

Dakota Buttar (#4, Eatonia, Sask., Jet Black) — 84.6-NS.

Jayden Roy (None, Mascouche, Que., Thunder Down Under) — 86.8-86.1.

Coy Robbins (#5, Camrose, Alta., Affairs In Order) — NS-NS.

Trinity Bear (#14, Whitewood, Sask., Leader Of The Pack) — NS-84.1.

Tristen Manning (#32, Edson, Alta., User Friendly) — NS-NS.

Nick Tetz (#1, Calgary, Diggin Up Bones) — NS-NS.

Tyler Craig (#27, Crossfield, Alta., Says Who) — NS-NS.

Gilmar Santana (#32, Ouro Preto, Brazil, Joker On A Jack) — 85.0-86.2.

Weston Davidson (#10, Strongfield, Sask., Write This Down) — NS-84.2.

Francisco Costa (#32, Humaita, Brazil, Whistleblower) — 83.4-84.8.

Garrett Green (#6, Meeting Creek, Alta., Surprise Twist) — 83.5-85.8.

Jordan Giguere (None, Sainte-Catherine-d-l-J-C, Que., Knee Knockert) — NS-NS.