Bull of the Woods champion continues family legacy
<p>Kraig Nelson, left, tags Brandon Evans in the Bull of the Woods championship. Nelson took first place at the $500 cash prize. (Seaborn Larson/The Western News)</p>
<p>Kraig Nelson, left, and Taylor Riggles earned the titles of Bull and Bullette of the Woods Saturday evening at J. Neils Park. (Seaborn Larson/The Western News)</p>
<p>Danielle Masters, left, and Kimmy Green, Bullette of the Woods 2016. (Paul Sievers/The Western News)</p>
Taylor Riggles, 20, and Kraig Nelson, 21, are the 2016 Bull and Bullette of the Woods champions.
The Bull of the Woods took place on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a great turnout from both the competitors and audience. In all, 20 competitors fought, including 16 bulls, and four bullettes.
Prior to the event, competitors were given specific instructions and guidelines for them and their competitors’ safety.
Competitors were required to box each other on top of a giant log surrounded by sawdust. Neither of the competitors could cross the center line.
The final match between Nelson and Brandon Evans had the audience on the edge of their seats. Each time the moderator said, “No punch,” the audience let out a unanimous sigh of disappointment and relief.
“Trying to carry on the Nelson family Bull of the Woods legacy.” Nelson said.
According to Nelson’s mother, Nelson’s father, Mick Nelson, won the Bull of the Woods in 1965 and 1967, and he would have had three consecutive wins, but his brother, Pete, took the title from him in 1966.
Kraig said he put in some last-minute training before the match.
“[Brandon Evans] put up a good fight.” Nelson said.
According to Corky Nelson, Kraig Nelson’s mother, Nelson recently attained his associates in science at The University of Montana Western, and is currently working for Doyles in Coeur d’Alene.
When asked what was going through his mind during the fight, Nelson said, “I need money for diapers, I got a baby on the way.”
“I’ve been boxing for a long time, so I thought that I could just go up there and box,” Riggles said. “But then I got up there and realized it wasn’t like boxing.”
According to Riggles, she has been boxing for six years.
Riggles is from San Diego, but has family from Libby.
Currently Riggles is working in Polson to save up money to move to California to train and teach mixed-martial arts, she also said that she will be spending the prize money toward her trip down there.
First Round:
Zackery Sverdrup lost to Zack Glenn
Colby Garrison lost to Matt Backen
Alan Anderson lost to Abraham Ingraham
Dean Willey lost to Kraig Nelson
Miles Nelson lost to Brandon Evans
Austin Backen lost to Chris Watts
Dan Jenkins lost to Jeff Royce
Dane Wales lost to Dalton Swanson
Second Round:
Zack Glenn lost to Matt Backen
Abraham Ingraham lost to Kraig Nelson
Chris Watts lost to Brandon Evans
Jeff Royce lost to Dalton Swanson
Third Round
Matt Backen lost to Kraig Nelson
Dalton Swanson lost to Brandon Evans
Final:
Brandon Evans lost to Kraig Nelson
Bullettes:
First Round
Helen Wickham lost to Taylor Riggles
Danielle Masters lost to Kimmy Green
Final:
Kimmy Green lost to Taylor Riggles