Ben Jones pushed BryanRichardson into a corner at the PBRBullriding Challenge.

Richardson didn't stay there for long. Amatter of minutes later Richardson, who hails from Dallas, scored a 90 to win Friday's round of competition at the Civic Center.

Another army of 45 riders enters the fray tonight, intent on overtaking Richardson, who posted a two-ride score of 180.

"That (180) is pretty tough," said the 27-year-old Richardson. "But the guys coming in and riding (today) are going to be close to that score - but I hope they don't beat it."

Friday's fray belonged to the livestock. Only seven of 43 riders posted scores in the long round, thus earning spots in the 15-rider short round. Eight others were placed by random draw to fill out the field.

One of the 36 buckoff victims in the long round was Nathan Schaper of Grassy Butte. Schaper injured his left shoulder and is questionable for the state high school finals, currently under way in Bowman. Schaper is the two-time defending state high school bull riding champion.

The 5-foot-9, 145-pound Richardson, put up a 90 in the long round on Iceman.

In the finals, only one of the first 11 riders, Austin Meier of Kinta, Okla., stayed on for eight seconds. He posed no threat to Richardson, however. Meier, who was a random pick for the finals, didn't have a a first-round score to carry with him into the short round.

Richardson began to feel the heat when Ben Jones, fourth in the long go with an 87, scored a 90.5 on Bad Medicine to run his tally for the evening to 177.5.

"You can count on that guy to put some points on the board,"Richardson said. "… Ilove watching that guy."

The two intervening riders, JasonO'Hearn and Cody Campbell, were thrown, leaving it all up to Richardson, who needed 8 seconds aboard Walk The Line to seal the win. Richardson said he had to quickly shove Jones into the far recesses of his mind.

"In this game you can't worry about anybody but yourself," he said. "When it's your turn you've got to earn it. … You're not just going to get it for free."

Richardson said Friday's victory, while rewarding financially, has long-term implications.

"I had surgery on my hip right after the PBRFinals (in November). I missed three months … and I hadn't put two rides like this together since I came back. … When you stay on two bulls that great it just feels good. The timing is back."

Jones, from Domigie Mission, Australia, placed second. He and Richardson were the only men to score in both rounds.

The 18-year-old Schaper was the 36th man out of the chutes in the long round. He was thrown hard on his left shoulder by Tire Kicker and took a couple of hoof hits after ending up under the bull. Schaper, still groggy, said he wasn't sure about his status for the state high school finals.

"I got knocked pretty silly. Idon't know, I don't know where I'm at right now," he said between rounds.

Schaper said he wasn't injured from the shots he took while under the bull. "It was just the way I landed hard on my shoulder blade," he said.

Three North Dakota entrants were tossed in the long round. Bucky Kukla of Killdeer, another state high school finalist, was thrown by North Dakota Kid. Jay Dunford of Menoken fell victim to Road Daddy.

n NOTES:The short round finalists drafted their bulls from a list of 15, picking in order of their first-round standing. … Wolf, ridden for a 78 in the long round by Kenny Hickman, left the arena in an unusual way. He cleared the main gate of the heavy duty restraining fence. Fortunately, he sped to a secure area of the building where he could be sealed off with an overhead door. … Two rides later Irishman Pat ruled the arena for at least five minutes after being ridden by JasonO'Hearn, who took a reride. The bull was eventually roped and led to a gate.

Long round: 1. BryanRichardson, Dallas, 90. 2. (tie) Cody Campbell, Summerville,Ore., and JasonO'Hearn, Rothbury, Australia, both 87.5. 4. BenJones, Domigie Mission, Australia, 87. 5. Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., 86. 6. Clovis Crane, Lebanon, Pa., 82.5. 7. Kenny Hickman, Neosho,Mo., 78.

Short round: 1. Richardson, 180. 2. Jones, 177.5.