The hard part is over.

Matt Triplett can now relax a little bit and enjoy what lies ahead at Professional Bull Riders World Finals, which begin tonight at 7 at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Triplett, 22, finished 35th in the final standings. The top 35 qualify for the World Finals.

“I thought I would be nervous,” he said of his first trip to the season finale.

“But I’m not. Getting there was the most nervous part of the deal. I just want to have fun, treat it like any other bull ride and let it all hang out.”

Triplett, of Columbia Falls, missed two precious months during the 2013 PBR schedule this summer because of a badly sprained wrist. That happened at a PBR event in South Dakota.

“When I was on a bull, he switched directions,” Triplett said.

“I heard a pop ... sprained it really bad, bruised the bones.”

Since the PBR switched to points this year instead of money earned, Triplett had to scramble like crazy to make up for the lost time. Before the injury he was sitting 40th in the standings. He then dropped down to 48th.

“Double enter, triple enter (events),” he said on how he worked his way back.

“Get on as many bulls as I could.”

Triplett finished 14th at a PBR event Oct. 12 in Hollywood, Fla. His best finish was a third at Grand Rapids, Mich.

His other top 10 showing was at Anaheim, Calif.

Triplett, in his third season on the PBR circuit, placed in the 60s his rookie season. He came back last year and wound up in the 50s.

This year, it all started to come together.

“I went to a bunch more rodeos,” he said.

“I changed a few things with my training and my equipment as well.”

The biggest change?

“Spent hours in the gym preparing myself for the bulls I’m getting on,” he said.

“Hardest I’ve ever trained was this year.”

Triplett said he generally took Sundays off, but was in the gym and the weight room Monday through Wednesday.

“Thursday relax; Friday go to my event,” he said.

Triplett has been matched up with City Lights, a four-year old bull who tips the scales at 1,500 pounds, for the first round tonight.

“I drew a really good bull,” Triplett said.

“I’m feeling pretty confident. I want to have a good time and maybe win a few rounds.

“I’m just thankful (to be in Las Vegas),” he added.

“I got hurt and it took over two months to recover. It’s just a blessing I made it.”

The PBR World Finals conclude Sunday at 12:30 p.m. with the championship round.