PUEBLO, Colo. (July 7, 2009) — There's a saying: Lose your feet, lose your seat.

This past weekend, J.B. Mauney arrived in Calgary for the annual Stampede. His luggage did not. That meant that with more than $100,000 on the line, the North Carolina native was without his gear bag, and without his rope, vest, boots and spurs.

It may have been because of all the holiday travelers, but Mauney had essentially lost his feet.

He was able to borrow a rope, a glove and even a vest that fit, but in Round One he had to compete in his street shoes. He not only made the whistle, but finished third out of 10 riders.

Mauney earned an 81 in the opening round and was 7.5 points off of Sean Willingham's lead of 88.5 points. The next day he made it two-for-two, and had moved into a tie with Scott Schniffer for second in the overall standings of Pool A.

A big third-round effort — an 89 on Good Vibration — moved him into the overall lead, and in spite of bucking off his fourth bull, he still maintains a $500 lead for first place over Zack Brown.

Pool A is made up of Mauney, Brown, Willingham, Schiffner, Aaron Roy, Tyler Thomson, Tanner Girletz, Devon Mezei, Ty Elliott and Denton Edge.

Mauney has already won $11,500, while Brown, Mezei and Thomson have secured spots along with Mauney in the final round on Sunday and the chance to win $100,000.

Mauney's ability to come on out on top of Pool A in spite of riding one round with street shoes has been the talk of the Stampede, and another example of just how talented the 22-year-old is.

In the midst of a summer break from the Built Ford Tough Series, Mauney is currently ranked third in the world. He's won two events this season with a riding average slightly south of 58 percent.

Pool B begins four rounds of competition this afternoon.

The second pool of 10 is made up of Mike Lee, Renato Nunes, Ross Coleman, Reese Cates, L.J. Jenkins, Wiley Petersen, Steve Woolsey, Kanin Asay, Bobby Welsh and Chance Smart.

The Top 4 riders from each pool advance to Sunday with the remaining 12 competing on Saturday to earn the final two spots in Sunday's championship.

Lee, the only rider to win a PBR World Championship and the PBR World Finals in the same year, won last year's Stampede.