Bullfight teams anxious to claim Cord McCoy Invitational title
Ted Harbin

ADA, Okla. – In the high-stakes world of bullfighting, the dangers are a step away.

It’s just part of the heart-stopping action that will be part of the Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. Cord McCoy Invitational presented by Ariat and Cooper Tires, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 28, and Saturday, May 29, at the Pontotoc County Agri-Plex. Besides the great bull riders that are part of the Professional Bull Riders Touring Pro Division and the terrific animals brought in to buck them off, the athletes that are part of the Professional Bullfighters Daisy Protection Bullfight Tour will definitely put on a show.

From two-time world champion Andy Burelle of nearby Ardmore, Okla., to crafty veterans like Chad Dowdy of Bristow, Okla., the protection bullfight competition will be top-notch all weekend.

“It’s always exciting to be part of these competitions and prove yourself against the best guys in the business,” Burelle said. “Being able to compete this close to home is a big deal to a lot of us.”

Besides defending his two world titles, Burelle will team with Lance McIlvain of Arlington, Texas, in an effort to defend his 2009 Cord McCoy Invitational championship. He knows the kinds of teams he and McIlvain will face inside the Agri-Plex arena.

“Most of the guys in Ada have been to the world finals, so they know what it takes to win at this level,” Burelle said. “They’re aggressive and smart. It’s going to be a good event.”

Team Ada Gaming

Andy Burelle, Ardmore, Okla., and Lance McIlvain, Arlington, Texas

If experience is anything, this might be the team to beat. Besides being a two-time world champ, Burelle has been considered one of the best bullfighters in the game for many years.

Burelle has worked some of the biggest events in North America, and he’s one of the most sought-after athletes on the tour. He won the Cord McCoy Invitational title a year ago working with Dusty Tuckness, a young gun with whom Burelle has shared the last two world championships.

But McIlvain also has a strong background, including an outstanding pedigree. He comes from a family close to the sport, a second-generation bullfighter who has seen the ins and outs of the sport since he was old enough to peak through the fence. He’s a two-time qualifier for the Professional Bullfighters Daisy Protection Bullfight World Championships.

Team Taco Bell

Chad Dowdy, Bristow, Okla., and Evan Allard, Vinita, Okla.

Dowdy knows what it takes to win, and he’s done it plenty in his career on the PBF Daisy Protection Bullfight Tour. Several times he’s been named the Daisy “Take Aim at Safety” most valuable player.

Just last August, he earned the championship at the Texas Heritage National Bank PBR Challenge bullfight in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

Allard has worked his way up from the TwoBulls Tour to the Daisy Tour in the PBF, handling the rigors of the minor league system in an effort to show his stuff in prime time in front of the big crowds and elite bull riders who will make up the Cord McCoy Invitational.

Team Ada Travel Stop

Dave Jantzi, Sugar Creek, Ohio, and Anthony Moore, Council, Okla.

Dave Jantzi is a two-time qualifier to the PBF Daisy Protection Bullfight World Championships, and he’s proven himself year after year. In 2009, he finished the year as the Daisy Protection reserve world champion bullfighter.

Last May, he missed the action inside the Pontotoc County Agri-Plex because of injury. Now he will try to make up for lost time and lost opportunities, teaming with Anthony Moore, a veteran bullfighter who was the in the race for the 2009 Daisy Rookie of the Year honor.

Jantzi is from Ohio, but he spends much of the year working out of Duncan, Okla. – a nice benefit when bullfighters spend so much of their time working in this neck of the woods this time of year.

Moore graduated from nearby Stringtown (Okla.) High School and attended East Central University in Ada. That local flavor can come in quite handy inside the Agri-Plex.

Team Mann Creek Buck N Bulls

Brian Flanders, Amarillo, Texas, and Jonathan Osten, Chelsea, Okla.

            Brian Flanders has been pretty good for a while. That didn’t stop him from stepping up his game. He’s been doing so each of his seven years in the business, earning the right to play on the biggest stages of the sport. Last year, he qualified for the PBF World Championships, which took place during the Professional Bull Riders Challenger Tour finale in Atlanta.

            Osten got his start fighting bulls while recuperating from a bull riding injury. A passion followed, and it all led to a career. The 25-year-old has been named the American Cowboys Rodeo Association bullfighter of the year.

            And being an Oklahoman gives him a little extra incentive to keep the Cord McCoy Invitational protection bullfight title in his home state.

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