May Power Rankings

As we start our long summer break (more of my thoughts on this in a future post), I wanted to provide my opnion on the Power Rankings at this point in the season. When we get to Tulsa it won't really matter how the guys were doing in late April and early May, but let's see where we are.

Riders

1. Renato Nunes: After two consecutive months at number two, Renato finally takes over my number one spot. Other than a tough weekend in Wichita, he finished in the top five in every event in the last month, along with one event win, two round wins, and three more 90 point rides. He has a chance to set a PBR record for most 90 point rides in a season, and I wouldn't bet against him, at this point. He has been dynamic, consistant, and just flat dominant over the last three months. If Austin Meier wasn't there to keep him from winning two events, he might have run away with the 2010 race already. If he stays focused and healthy, it is going to take all that Meier, Briscoe, Mauney, and Marchi have to catch him.

2. Austin Meier: It is incredible how far Austin has come in just a year. He has three event wins in 2010 and has really come out of his shell in regards to his personality. It is fun to watch him become a star. Although he dropped from the #1 spot that he held in April, it wasn't due as much to his riding as how well Renato has been competing. Austin had an event win at Wichita, a top 5 at Des Moines, and a disappointing, but respectable, 12th place finish at Pueblo. He also picked up two more 90 point rides for his resume.

3. McKennon Wimberly: Who knows where McKennon would be if he hadn't gotten hurt earlier this spring. He is really becoming a consistant rider, and if he can ride Yellow Jacket Jr. for 8.2 seconds, instead of 8.0 he is going to be a real factor in the world title race. He has improved his finish in each of the last four events as he was 18th in Nampa, 10th in Des Moines, 5th in Wichita, and 4th in Pueblo. If not for an unnecessary review in Pueblo he could have finished 2nd and added another 90 point to his credit. That ride may just be the fuel that pushes him into the fall and a chance to win the world.

4. Skeeter Kingsolver: Skeeter seems to have regained his early 2009 form. I feel like he really lost focus toward the end of last year, and into this season. Whether that was due to some of the factors that we saw on "Posse" last year (agents, sponsors, etc.), I don't know, but it seemed to affect him until the last month or so. Four straight top 20 performances, including two top tens (one of which was a top 5 finish) prove that. He has also notched two round wins and a 90 pointer on Super Duty in Des Moines.

5. Guillermi Marchi: This was tough. He and Jody Newberry have basically the same exact statistics over the last month. In this case, I will go with the former world champions resume to decide who makes the fifth spot in my list. Guillerme also had a 2nd place finish in Wichita with a round win and a 90 point ride, all in one weekend, to help his cause.

6. Jody Newberry
7. Valdiron De Oiviera
8. Travis Briscoe
9. Mike Lee
10. Robson Palermo

Honorable Mention: Stormy Wing, Harve Stewart, Silvano Alves, Ryan McConnel

Bulls

1. Chicken on a Chain: I don't know if Chicken can take full credit for his number one ranking this month. Renato has really helped him out by staying on for two big scores, one of which resulted in a round and event win for the top bull rider in my power rankings. Chicken put up three 45 point outs in the last month, and no bull seems to enjoy his job more than the great Chicken on a Chain. He may not have another world championship in him, but he is a lot of fun to watch.

2. Voodoo Child: He drops from the number one spot for the first time this year, and hasn't seemed as dynamic since L.J. Jenkins rode him in Glendale. He continues to be the favorite for 2010 Bucking Bull of the Year in the PBR, but he is going to have his hands full.

3. Major Payne: At this point he is definitely an eliminator type bull, but it is hard to ignore the scores he is putting up. He added two more 46's and a 45 in the last four events, and seems to be the high marked bull every time he is in the arena.

4. Real Moody: Three 45's in a row (Des Moines, Wichita, Pueblo short go's) put this bull into the top 5 of my rankings. Hope we get to see more of him as the year progresses.

5. Paycheck: This bull makes the top 5 based on one out. That probably won't happen very often in these rankings, but what an out it was. Briscoe covered him in an unforgettable 93.5 ride in the Nampa short round to win the event. It was his only out of the last month, but it was a 46 point effort that was worthy of this list.

6. Yellow Jacket Jr.
7. Soulja Boy
8. Super Duty
9. Spit Fire
10. Carrillo Cartel

Where have you gone?: Code Blue and Bones.