Shivers will return to action in Tulsa

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Two-time World Champion Chris Shivers has confirmed that he'll return to competition in Tulsa, Okla.

Shivers, who announced earlier this year that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2012 World Finals, missed the last seven Built Ford Tough Series events after breaking his right collarbone during the 15/15 Bucking Battle at an event in Albuquerque, N.M.

"I'm coming back in Tulsa," said Shivers, who's rode in 10 of the first 19 events this season, "but I'm ready to be done. I've had a long career and I've been fighting with it for a long time now, and it just seems like I don't have the drive to just go get on them suckers no more. When you lose that, it's time to stay home or find something else to do."

Prior to the injury, he was enjoying one of his best statistical seasons in recent memory.

He's covered 13 of 27 bulls. His 48.15-percent riding average is the highest he been at since riding 54.39 percent of his bulls in 2008, and nearly two percentage points higher than his career average of 46.86 percent.

In 10 events, he's recorded four Top-10 finishes and a pair of Top-5 finishes, including an event win in Atlanta, the week after making his initial retirement announcement.

"Before I had the broken collarbone, I was going to try and make a run at it," he said.

Despite missing nearly half the events, Shivers is currently ranked 22nd in the world standings and his $58,340 puts him 27th in the qualifier standings.

This year would mark a record-breaking 15th appearance at the Finals.

However, Shivers is eyeing the one accomplishment that has eluded one of the most celebrated bull riders in the history of the PBR. He's yet to win the Finals event.

"I think a lot of people would like to see that, and I'm one of them," he said. "It's going to be a goal at the Finals to something that I've wanted to do for a long time, and that's win the Finals. That's something I'm going to put my mind to."

The 33-year-old admitted that it's frustrating to have never won the biggest event in bull riding.

"I was close," Shivers said. "I think I was second one time. I don't know if it was something that I got so wound up to do that it always just kind of fell between my hands. The times I go out there and let it happen, it always just happens."

He was the first rider in history to earn $1 million, $2 million, $3 million and is third on the list of all-time money earners with $3,916,279.33 (behind only Justin McBride and Guilherme Marchi).

Shivers has posted the third-most career wins with 22, and his record of 93 career rides of 90-points or more is double that of anyone else in PBR history. Not to mention, he has another 60-plus rides marked between 88 and 89.75 points.

"Before I had the broken collarbone, I was going to try and make a run at it."

Shivers was the second rider - following Ross Coleman - in PBR history to surpass 400 career qualified rides and 800 career outs on the BFTS.

In addition to being a two-time World Champion - 2000 and 2003 - he is also a two-time Touring Pro Division Champion, having won the title in 1997 and again in 2000.

Going down the stretch - there are nine BFTS events remaining in addition to the Finals - he said he feels fine and has completely recovered from his most recent injury.

Earlier this summer, there was speculation that, perhaps, Shivers would forego the nine regular-season events and return in Las Vegas. He confirmed this last weekend that he'll be in Tulsa, San Antonio and Thackerville, Okla. He then added, "It just depends on how I feel and how things are going. I'm just going to play it by ear."

He explained that injuries are part of the sport and his recent injury was never a cause for retirement. He said he's "become numb to those injuries."

After retiring, Shivers is almost certain to be inducted into the Ring of Honor in his first year of eligibility.

"I came in with a good name," he concluded, "and I'm (leaving) with a good name."

Follow Keith Ryan Cartwright on Twitter @PBR_KRC.