Ex-UNLV student McBride wins first round of PBR

Victoria Sun

Friday, Oct. 26, 2001 | 11:24 a.m.

Ever since Justin McBride was a little boy growing up in Nebraska, he has dreamed of being a champion bull rider.

"I've been riding anything with hair on it since I could walk," he said with a chuckle.

That included calves and a mini-bull at the age of 4.

The former UNLV student took a step closer to that dream Thursday night.

McBride scored a 91.5 on Western Wishes in the first round of the Professional Bull Riders Bud Light Cup World Championships at the Thomas & Mack Center to earn $20,000.

McBride had ridden Western Wishes five times before, but this was the first time he covered the bull.

"The last time in Oklahoma City (last year), I rode him to the whistle," McBride said. "I was thinking the whole time I had him, then he bucked me off at the last second.

"Tonight, I kept telling myself don't quit and not to let up, not even a little bit."

McBride, one of the last riders of the night, edged Wiley Petersen, who finished second with 91 points on Lights Out.

Petersen, competing in his second world championship, was in the third group of the night. He had a long wait to find out if his score would hold up.

"He kept kind of leaning on me, wearing me out in the chute," Petersen said. "I felt good, had a fun, relaxed ride.

"It's kind of a tough deal (waiting). You've got mixed feelings; obviously you're hoping they did good, but you're hoping they didn't beat you."

McBride competed two years at UNLV before turning pro in 1999.

His good friend, Ross Coleman, who also attended UNLV, earned 87 points on Palace Station.

The two met at a national rodeo competition their freshman year in high school and decided to attend UNLV.

Both are having the best years of their career.

Even though McBride broke his hand at Oklahoma City in August, he still earned a career-best $244,181 entering the world championships and found himself in a tight race with Adriano Moraes and Ty Murray in Bud Light Cup points. Coleman has earned $255,084 and was fourth in the point standings behind McBride.

For McBride's performance on Western Wishes, he picked up 100 points -- which determines the year end champion.

Moraes scored 85 points on Corn Dog while Murray did not cover Double J Rodeo.

"I'm really happy," McBride said. "I was really disgusted with myself at the last event.

"I didn't perform the way I wanted to. I fell off two in a row. I was disappointed and ready to come to the finals."

McBride spent the last couple of weeks hunting, fishing and ranching so that he could rejuvenate himself before the finals.

In tonight's second round, he has drawn a bull named Locomotive Breath for the third time.

The two other times, he scored more than 90. He won in Colorado on the bull.

"I couldn't have asked for a better draw," McBride said.

His father, Jim, rode bulls and bareback horses and his mother, Lori, was just as much a cowgirl.

McBride credits both of his parents for helping him get to this point.

"When they saw this is what I wanted to do when I was in my diapers and cowboys boots, they never pushed me, just supported me," McBride said. "Everything I've put my life into has been for this moment right here.

"Coming to the world finals and having the chance to be a world champion, everything I've ever done was geared toward this."