<p>Staff photo by E.J. Harris Cody Ford of Hermiston on Friday at the PGG Independence Day PBR Touring Pro event at the Happy Canyon Arena in Pendleton.</p>

Round two of the PGG Independence Day PBR was a career-defining night for 19-year-old bull rider Gage Gay. The rookie from North Carolina wowed the Happy Canyon audience with a score of 92.5 in the short go, closing Friday night with an impressive ride.

As he ambled to the locker room holding his trophy buckle, fireworks lit the sky.

“That’s my highest score to date,” said Gay, who joined the Professional Bull Riders two years ago. He holds the top standing for 2014 Rookie of the Year, with $90,662 in winnings, and his overall rank is 16th in the world.

Last year in Pendleton, Gay didn’t fair as well. His bull bucked him off before he could gain his bearings, and victory slipped from his hands as did the bull rope.

Pendleton treated him better this year. He climbed to the top of the pack with an 88.5 on Buck Naked in the long go and a 92.5 on Mini Me in the short go.

Gay said the cowboys he travels with were instrumental in his success.

“They’re always positive and raise your mood so you feel like a winner too,” he said.

Tailing close behind Gay in the contest were Matt Triplett of Montana with a 90, Kasey Hayes of Kansas with a 90 and Jay Miller of South Carolina with an 89.

Cody Ford, a friend of Gay and Triplett, said he got a chance to witness great improvement in his friends throughout the last year.

“When (Matt Triplett) came to me, I taught him what I knew and then he blew it bigger than you could imagine,” said Ford. The 25-year-old Hermiston cowboy said his own year was “really hit and miss” but he hopes for better luck in the future.

“I was thrown by a really good bull,” said Ford. Judges declared a foul on his first ride on Blue One, so he was awarded a re-ride unfortunately, his second shot also ended in a buck-off.

For most of the other bull riders, Independence Day was a strong night. The short go was especially impressive at Happy Canyon, with most riders pushing into the 80s and higher.