Triplett bucked in Round 3

LAS VEGAS — Matt Triplett was bucked and bruised on Friday night at the PBR World Finals, but not out of the competition after Round 3.

The Columbia Falls bullrider hand-picked his bull, Shepherd Hills Stockman, after winning Round 2, having been atop the bull twice before. He rode the bull at a competition in Phoenix and was bucked later in Billings, but the stock played to his strengths as a right-handed rider.

The ride was supposed to be easier than his 92-point effort on Walk Off the day before, but that didn’t happen.

Triplett was bucked after 6.59 seconds, sustaining a bruised throat on the way off after hitting the bull’s horn. He is expected to be able to ride in Round 4 today.

The fall dropped him into a tie for second in the average, falling behind two-time world champion Silvano Alves, who took advantage of a re-ride to be the only cowboy to go 3-for-3.

Alves sits atop the leaderboard with 243 points, ahead of Triplett and Kody Lostroh, who rode Compact for a score of 90 points for his second ride of the week.

 The contest continues today at 7 p.m. and will be aired on CBS Sports Network.