PUEBLO, Colo. – PBR Ring of Honor inductee Ross Coleman already had a tough task at hand taking over the reins of the Team USA Eagles from Justin McBride for the upcoming 2022 PBR Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy. Things only got that much more difficult for the first-time head coach once he learned team captain Cooper Davis would be unavailable to compete because of a left shoulder injury.
Coleman expected to lean on Davis come March 5 at AT&T Stadium as he wanted to build a young, up-and-coming squad around the Eagles’ annual leader at the international bull riding event.
Regardless, don’t expect Coleman to be asking for any sympathy or making excuses.
Coleman still has complete faith in the Team USA Eagles squad that will be attempting to win a second consecutive Global Cup title in three weeks.
“It is kind of a rollercoaster, but it is going to be alright,” Coleman said during a recent interview for an upcoming show on RidePass on Pluto TV. “We have a group of young guys, but these guys I have on my list are true cowboys, and they have a lot of try and a lot of effort.
“We may be underdogs, but I bet we show up like real American Eagles do.”
Team USA Eagles
Boudreaux Campbell
Chase Dougherty
Dalton Kasel
Mason Taylor
Stetson Wright
This year’s American squad is the first since the inaugural 2017 Global Cup in Edmonton in which at least one active PBR World Champion did not compete for the team. The 2022 squad has an average age of 22.6 years old and will feature four riders making their Global Cup debuts, including Stetson Wright, the reigning two-time PRCA All-Around World Champion and 2020 PRCA bull riding champion. Wright is currently third in the PRCA bull riding standings.
No. 7 Dalton Kasel and No. 10 Mason Taylor are the two riders on the Eagles who are ranked inside the Top 10 of the PBR world standings.
“It is an honor, for sure,” Kasel said. “It’s been a goal of mine. I was selected in 2020 and then messed up my groin and wasn’t able to (compete). I’m extremely excited to get to be on it and support my team and my country.”
Campbell was a member of the 2020 Eagles squad that overcame injuries to original team members Davis and Chase Outlaw to reclaim Global Cup dominance on home soil. Campbell also went on to win the 2020 PBR World Finals that same year inside AT&T Stadium with a 4-for-5 performance.
“I am very honored and very blessed to be on the team,” Campbell told PBR.com. “It is a big milestone to be a part of that group of guys, and I know I am going to go give it 110%. I am not going to let go until my head hits the ground. Ross will have us fired up. We have a young team, but we have a lot of talent on this team. This is going to be a great event. Brazil is stout. Australia stout. Mexico has some talent. I am just very honored, very blessed, and I am ready to get after it. (AT&T) is my house.”
Chase Dougherty may not have a gold buckle on his waist, but he has proven success on the rodeo trail, winning the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo event title, and is ranked 19th in the world standings.
“This is going to be badass,” Dougherty said. “I have always watched it and always wanted to be a part of it. I was talking with Jesse Petri after Duluth about how cool it would be to be named to the team. It is a huge honor, and I don’t want people to think I am on the team because I am from Oregon like Ross so that is why I was picked. When I do get out there and get my shot, I am going to make sure people don’t get to say that. I know I deserve to be there.”
Coleman, who is also the co-coach for the Missouri Thunder in the upcoming PBR Team Series (July-November), is not expecting any of his selections to try to fill Cooper Davis’s shoes or role.
“That is the thing. We can’t just really pull out of one of these captains on the team,” Coleman said. “I think all five of these guys will get together and feed off each other.”
Davis explained it was a hard pill to swallow when he learned he would miss a second consecutive Global Cup due to injury.
However, Davis believes the 2022 Eagles can rally together because they are a younger team compared to the veteran and World Champion-heavy Team Brazil.
“It is really sad to not be a part of this team,” Davis said. “It is one of those deals where I had no control over it. I have to do what I can for the team and cheer them on, I guess. For me, I can see a guy like Mason Taylor (step up). He had such a great end to last year. There is always someone who steps up for us at Global Cup. Me, Jess (Lockwood), Cole Melancon.
“We have been in there with an underdog group of guys who came out on top. It doesn’t really scare me to see these young guys in there because somebody is going to step up.”
Taylor said the Global Cup has been an achievement he has been working towards ever since he turned pro in 2017.
“I’ve worked four years to be on the team, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it this year with a great coach and a great group of guys,” Taylor said. “I’m just ready for Global Cup to get here.”
There is one common denominator Coleman made sure every single one of his selections had, which he feels will be crucial to any team’s success at the Global Cup.
“Regardless of how things go these next couple of weeks, I know these boys will have cowboy try, and that is what matters,” Coleman concluded.
CAMPBELL CONFIDENT HE WILL TURN THINGS AROUND ON VELOCITY TOUR
Boudreaux Campbell has not started 2022 off nearly as he would have liked. This weekend, he heads to Memphis, Tennessee, for the Bluff City Classic Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event to try to work his way back onto the Unleash The Beast.
Campbell is 3-for-9 on the premier series and is ranked No. 53 in the world standings.
The Crockett, Texas, bull rider is confident he can turn things around in due time and be ready to roll to help lead the Americans at the Global Cup.
“This year hasn’t gotten off to a great start, but I am taking it one bull at a time,” Campbell said. “I am not worrying about where I am sitting in the world because I should ride every bull I get on, and it will take care of itself. I don’t look at the world standings; I just look at my riding percentage. That is all I can control. This is part of the sport. I walk into every bull riding with a positive attitude.”
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