Ever wanted to give your favorite rider or bull an award? Well, you’re in luck.
This season, the PBR is hosting the inaugural Golden Barrel Awards, a series of end-of-season honors voted on by you, the fans, in the categories of Best Celebration, Best Winning Ride, Best Save and 7 Seconds of Agony.
The judges giveth, and the judges taketh away. Nobody said bull riding is easy, but these almost-rides nominated for the 7 Seconds of Agony award are particularly heartbreaking. No, seriously, it hurts to watch.
Head over to the Golden Barrel Awards page to cast your vote, and read on for more about the nominees.
Keyshawn Whitehorse bucked off by Big Black in 7.96 seconds
It almost literally does not get any closer than this. At the 15/15 Bucking Battle in Louisville, Kentucky, Keyshawn Whitehorse was just a blink of an eye away from potentially the first 15/15 win of his career aboard Big Black. But Whitehorse ran out of rope at 7.96 seconds, so this one gets chalked up to what could have been.
Joao Ricardo Vieira bucked off by Top Shelf in 7.92 seconds
Joao Ricardo Vieira is the best in the world when it comes to 15/15 Bucking Battles, with an all-time record of seven wins. But it was not to be in the 15/15 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in July, when Top Shelf bucked him off in a heartbreaking 7.92 seconds.
Kaique Pacheo bucked off by Ridin Solo in 7.92 seconds
Last Cowboy Standing’s progressive-elimination format is widely agreed to be the most brutal in the PBR, and it was even more brutal for world No. 2 Kaique Pacheco. In Round 2, Pacheco took on Ridin Solo for the chance to move on to Round 3. But 7.92 seconds later, Pacheco was taking an 0-for and was eliminated.
Cole Melancon bucked off by Experiment 626 in 7.92 seconds
Ah, nothing like starting the season off with some heartbreak. In the second event of the season, the PBR Pendleton Whisky Invitational in Arcadia, Florida, Cole Melancon very nearly got it done aboard Experiment 626 on his fifth out of the year. But alas, the official review came in at 7.92 seconds, and Melancon was headed back to the drawing board.