Friend takes top honors on 1st night

It was a match of opposites.

Russel Friend, a veteran cowboy from Irricana, Alberta, drew a bull named "New Kid on the Block" for the short go Friday night at the Rocky Mountain Extreme Bull Riding Challenge at Majestic Valley Arena.

"One a guy wants to get on," Friend said of that bull.

"A young one, maybe 3 years old."

The "New Kid" did not disappoint. And neither did Friend.

Friend posted a 90-point ride on the short-, twisting-turning bull to take top honors from seven other finalists during the opening performance.

It was the first time Friend, an eight time World Professional Bull Riding finalist, and the "New Kid" had been matched.

"I didn't know too much (about the bull)," Friend said.

"All I really care about is what color they are and where they are (what chute)."

Friend, sponsored by Wie's Western Wear of Red Deer, Alberta, said he thought his final ride was average at best. Perhaps good enough for a score in the mid-80s.

"I thought it was solid," he said.

But nothing special.

"That's their job," he said of judges doing the scoring.

And he was not about to challenge their generosity.

Friend, 36, qualified for the finals with a 76-point ride in the long go. That was good for seventh place.

"They're good (bulls)," he said of Shane Gunderson's stock.

"That's why I came down."

The bull everyone wanted to get on was "Mufassa," a 1,800-pound red-colored beast with a mean disposition. That honor went to Gerald Eash of Trego.

Eash, 18, earned the right to tangle with "Mufassa" after he posted the best score in the long go, 85 points on a bull called "Drinking and Dreaming."

"He was a lot … Wow!" said Eash of "Mufassa."

"I knew he was going to be tough. He had a little more power than I expected."

Eash, in his second year of bull riding, said he was more excited, than scared, waiting for the chute to open to see what "Mufassa" would do.

"I wanted to ride him (for eight seconds)," he said.

"But you can't ride them all."

Maybe next time.

Eash, on the other hand, was very familiar with "Drinking and Dreaming." He was bucked off that bull in their lone previous encounter.

"He's a little bit tricky," Eash said.

"A lot of guys can't get past the tight corner he does. After that, he's nice."

Eash was a late entrant for this event. He filled in for Matt Triplett of Columbia Falls, who pulled out earlier in the week.

"He couldn't make it so he called me (Wednesday) and said: 'Do you wanna ride.' I said: 'Yes I do."

It turned out to be a smart move for Eash.

Only two cowboys posted scores in the finals.

Matt Aiperspach of Ronan, the first rider out, turned in a 88-point effort on "Three Spots."

Also getting bucked off in the finals were Zach Peterson of Velva, N.D., Andy Bowers of Kalispell, Brett Crump of Havre, Lei Cia and Robert Mims.

Mims had the second-best ride in the long go, 84 points, with Peterson third, 83.

The final performance of the Bull Riding Challenge is tonight at 7.

Friday's Results

Long Go

Points

Gerald Eash, Trego 85

Robert Mims 84

Zach Peterson, Velva, N.D. 83

Lei Cia 81

Matt Aiperspach, Ronan 78

Brett Crump, Havre 78

Russel Friend, Irricana, Alberta 76

Andy Bowers, Kalispell 72

Short Go (Finals)

Russel Friend 90

Matt Aiperspach 88