Hill takes second at Calgary Stampede

CALGARY, Alberta - Beau Hill of West Glacier settled for the runner-up prize - a check worth $25,000 - on Showdown Sunday in the bull riding finals at the Calgary Stampede.

Hill turned in an 87-point ride on Good Vibrations, but lost out when Douglas Duncan of Alvin, Texas, followed with an 88 on Wranglers Deja Vu. That score earned Duncan $100,000.

"Both were really close rides," Hill said.

"It could have gone either way.

"I made a really good ride, spurred him at the end," he added.

"Those were two good bucking bulls."

Only four cowboys made the final. The other two were both bucked off before Hill took his place in the chute with Good Vibrations.

Ten bull riders advanced to Sunday's first go, of which eight earned scores. Duncan had the top ride in that session, 85.5 on River Rat, with Hill next with an 84.5 on Bananas.

All total, Hill drew a total of six bulls in Calgary and rode four.

"The two bulls I bucked off were eliminator type bulls, harder to ride, no strict pattern," Hill said.

"I started a pretty good ride one.

"It would have been nice to ride all six, but I will take four," he added.

Hill had another close call for a big paycheck in 2003 at the Calgary Stampede. He won that rodeo, but missed out on $50,000 by a half point in a showdown event afterwards.

"I seem to have done pretty well there," Hill said of the Stampede.

"I earned a little over $36,000 this time. Not bad for a week."

Hill said those earnings will move him up in the PBR standings. Prior to the Stampede, he was 27th overall.

"I probably have qualified for the PBR Finals (in Las Vegas in October)," Hill said.

Hill will compete in PBR events in Oyen, Alberta, on Wednesday, Morris, Manitoba, on Thursday, and Thief River Falls, Minn., on Friday.

The following week its PBR events in Cheyenne Wyo., during Frontier Days and then Livingston the middle of the week.

Hill hopes to compete in the Northwest Montana Fair Rodeo next month.

Hill has been injury free since dislocating his shoulder last October.

"It's been doing well," he said.

"I'm wearing a brace since I came back."