Triplett bucked off in Billings

Columbia Falls bull rider Matt Triplett is now ranked second in the world after being sidelined with a knee injury for the past several weeks. Triplett held the No.1 ranking in the world prior to the injury.

Triplett returned to competition after he tore his MCL on March 20 when he was kicked by a bull. The knee isn’t fully healed, but Triplett gave it a go last weekend in Billings on April 17.

In the first round, he was bucked off by Heaven’s Basement in 6.24 seconds, but Triplett didn’t appear to be affected by his torn left MCL.

The next day, he was bucked off by Mac-Nett’s Southern Wine in 2.43 seconds in round 2 and then by Wicked in 2.8 seconds in the 15/15 Bucking Battle at the Stanley Performance In Action Invitational.

His next competition will be the Des Moines Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa. The PBR has a two-month break as it wraps up on May 22 and then resumes competition in early August.