This week it’s off to Saint Angelo, Texas where the remaining contestants will try their hands at bull fighting. Their boss is Rob Smelts, a 5 time bullfighting champion. They will start off dodging a wheelbarrow, then move on to a 100lb training bull before graduating to a 1500lb competition bull. Right from the start the

Bull Fighting

contestants realize just how tough this job is going to be as only Sandy and Bryce show the right footwork needed to avoid the bull or wheelbarrow in this case. Rie ends up following and dislocating her knee and has to decide whether or not she can continue. After some once again heated arguing between Chris and Sandy it’s time to face the training bull. Steven is up first but shies away from the bull, while Sandy takes a much more aggressive approach. Unfortunately she doesn’t listen to the advice of her teachers and runs in a straight line making herself an easy target for the bull. After being thrown to the ground and stepped on she gets right back up and asks for another shot. On her second shot her knee gives out and further aggravates the injury and she is taken away for xrays. Afterwards the rest of the contestants stay a little further away from the bull to avoid a repeat of Sandy’s fate.

After the first round the contestants are joined by their families who will stay in the stands while they face the competition bulls. First up is another strong performance by Michaela, then a good one by Chris. Steven again stays wide from the bull during his run and Rommel ends up dislocating his shoulder trying to be

Rie Heffron

more aggressive. Bryce has a good showing and Rie decides to tough it out and gives it her best shot. It is Ben’s performance, however that ends up being the show stopper as he spins with the bull until the bull finally retreats. In the end the boss chooses Rie and Steven as the two weakest and they will compete against each other to stay in the game. In the end, by virtue of a tough break Rie is sent home. Her luck did improve after the show, however, as she ended up landing a new modeling contract and was able to afford to move back closer to her daughter.

This week the remaining contestants head to Texas to work on an oil rig.  As rookies, or worms as they are referred to they will be judged by a 20 plus year veteran of the industry.  One mistake could cose down the rig and cost the company one million dollars so there is plenty on the line.  Working in over 100 degree heat they will have to move 100 pound bags, roll 30ft pipes and eventually work the floor making the

Oil Derrick

connections between the pipes as they search the earth for oil.  It doesn’t take long to see Chris and Eric are struggling while once again the lady contestants are the ones who continue to get the job done.  Bryce despite his physical strength once again looks like the job has gotten the best of him, Steven is making careless mistakes and Ben is teased about his dreadlocks.

Day two see the contestants working on the floor of the rig and once again it is quickly proven that size is overrated as Rommel and Rie tackle the job with ease compared to Bryce and Chris.  Chris also has to struggle with his fear of heights as he climbs the derrick in over 30mph winds.  At the end of the day there is aso some gender bashing going on as the woman have continued to dominate the men and the men have nothing but excuses for their poor performance.  Ben then jokingly makes a comment which escalates into an argument between Chris and Ben.  In the end Steven, for lack of safety concern, Chris, Bryce and Eric are chosen as the bottom four and will have to compete in a time

Eric Waterhouse

challenge to stay in the game.  In the end, although he gave it all he got, Eric’s body just couldn’t keep up with his will and he is sent home.  His eventual fate?  Eric the sculptor became Eric the inventor and developed a wildfire water protection system for the home.  Hmmm, and we though he would have ended up behind a desk somewhere.

This week’s episode takes the remaining contestants to Salinas, California to drive monster trucks as part of Monster Jam.  They will have a chance to drive one of three monster trucks including Grave Digger, and be judged by the man behind Grave Digger, Dennis Anderson.   They will also be observed by saftery officials and each truck has been fitted with a remote device that is able to turn off the ignition if needed to avoid any disasterous events caused by the inexperienced contestants being behind the wheel of the 1500 horespower machines.  The first practice runs go well for Rick, Rie and Ben, while Rommel is a little timid on the throttle.  Eric and Chis fare much worse and their engines are remotely shut off as they both over accelerate.  Chris also takes some heat for not braking when the engine is cut even when given a second chance and once again is pulled from the cab as happened with the trucking job.  Bryce does one worse as he leaves before the green light is given and almost runs over one of the officials.

Grave Digger

Next stage of the competition involves changing one of the tires in teams.  The massive tires weigh 720 pounds each and need to be carefully positioned and then the truck needs to be raised or lowered on the jack to line up the lug nuts.  The team of Chris, Eric and Rie and being led by Rick fail to do this correctly and instead try to push the tire on the truck causing the truck to fall off the jack.  Luckily the only casuality is the $2000 jack which will be deducted from the prize winnings.  Dennis is now somewhat worried about Rick’s ability to handle the pressure.

Finally each contestant is given a chance at three jumps to see how well they have mastered driving the monster truck.  The three women continue to excel, as Rie, Sandy, and Michaela execute their jumps perfectly as do Steven and Rommel.  Bryce and Chris however

Rick Broider

struggle, Rick shifts accidentally in neutral and Eric leaves before the green light sealing all four of their fates as the bottom four.  Ben, by the way, scored the best with the judge and looked like a natural behind the wheel.  Each of the four is then given two chances each at a 90 degree wheelie jump.  Eric and Chris each score one good jump.  Bryce goes almost perfect on the firt and then flips the truck over going high into the air on the second.  Tha ambulance rushes to the scene but he is unharmed.  Finally it’s Rick’s turn but he is unable to get much air on either attempt and is eventually informed that this will be his last job.  As the other contestants say their good byes and travel to the next location, it is revealed that Rick left his job in the software industry and his currently building his own gym for mixed martial arts.

This week’s episode sees our contestants employed as gold miners, panning for gold at the Crow Creek Mine

Gold Panning

in Alaska. They will be working in frigid 35 degree water, running down from melting glaciers through the countryside. After a quick rundown from a couple of experienced miners, they begin what will become a 24 hour shift spread over the next two days. The contestants quickly realize that no one is going to get rich quick as after three hours of panning, no one has produced any gold. Finally Sandy and Rick come up with a few small pieces of gold, while Phil’s luck goes the other way as he slips while treading through the ice cold waters of the creek. Meanwhile Ben seems to be spending more time complaining about the cold than actually working. At the end of the day the team is then supposed to come together as a team and set up camp to spend a night out of the bitter cold. The entire ordeal is comical as best as everyone wants to be leader but no one is able to lead. The tension begins to build between Rie and Bryce as well when Bryce tries to order her around while Rie attacks his work ethic.

The next morning arrives with Rick and Michela cooking breakfast while Rie, Sandy and Ben gather firewood, while the rest of the contestants sit around and watch. Soon afterward the contestants are split into teams for the second part of the job, where again each contestant will be judged by the two miners. The team of

Phil Kolarczyk

Chris and Rick as well as the team of Eric, Rommel and Ben both seem to be working well together. However elsewhere it seems as if Steven can’t keep up with his teammates of Rie and Sandy. Even more frustrating is watching Michela doing all the work while her partners Phil and Bryce accomplish nothing. In the end nothing goes unnoticed though as the bosses acclaim Sandy as the hardest working and announce Steven, Phil, Bryce and Ben as the bottom four. They will each have 15 more hours to produce the most gold possible, with whoever pans the least set to go home early. All four work tirelessly through the night but it is Phil (just barely missing Ben’s total weight) who is sent home this week. Again with what seems to be a trend it is announced that Phil has accepted a job with a trucking company in Alaska rather than returning home to his pharmaceutical job.