Triplett cashing in on bull circuit

He may be a rookie, but he’s riding more like a seasoned pro.

Matt Triplett, 19, took first place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday at the Professional Bull Riders Halifax Invitational.

Triplett rode both bulls he drew, posting scores of 81 and 85.5. That earned the Columbia Falls cowboy a nice check worth $6,725.

The field consisted of 30 cowboys.

Triplett also hit the pay window at Abbotsford, British Columbia, in late March for  $4,669. He pocketed that amount for a runner-up performance.

In January he finished third, just one point away from second place, at a PBR event in Casper, Wyo. That was good for $2,312.

Showing that he still has plenty to master, he was bucked off at a PBR event in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, in April.

But all in all, it's been an impressive start.

"I'm pretty pleased with how things are going right now," Triplett said.

"I was just a couple points from first (in Abbotsford)."

Up next is a PBR event on Friday and Saturday in Duluth, Ga.

"I was living in Texas for awhile, just riding down there," he said.

"Just trying to stay tuned-up. You can't really ride here in the winter.

"That helped a lot," he said.

"I got to get on almost every day, I was ahead of guys living up here, I had to get on as much as I could. So far it has paid off."

Triplett said he opted for the PBR over the PRCA because of higher payouts.

Both circuits, though, are in his summer plans.

"This is hopefully what I'll be doing," Triplett said career wise.

"Since I was a little kid, I've always looked at getting to the PBR."

Triplett hopes to start traveling with PBR veteran Beau Hill of West Glacier in June. Hill is currently recovering from knee surgery.

Hill was injured at a PBR event in Anaheim, Calif., in mid-March.

"He's been basically helping me, telling what to go to," Triplett said.

"He helped me enter two events, got me started going to these PBRs."

Triplett has an ambitious tour schedule planned, with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the World Finals in Las Vegas Oct. 26-30.

"That's what I'm shooting for," he said.

To do that, he will need to finish in the top 30. He's currently 57th with $13,723. He is $15,000 behind the No. 30 bull rider.

Hill is 124th with $4,570.