(Editor's note: PBR release)
OKLAHOMA CITY – In front of a raucous Sooner State crowd Saturday evening, Austin Richardson (Dallas, Texas) reached a crucial career milestone as the 22nd PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast event in Oklahoma City wound to a close.
After being sidelined for two tours stops due to a knee injury, the resilient Texan went a near-perfect 2-for-3 at the PBR Express Ranches Invitational, presented by Union Home Mortgage, to win his career-first elite tour event.
Richardson was fast to strike in Round 1, covering his first draw when he made the 8 aboard Mr. Personality (Southern Cross Bucking Bulls) for 87.5 points.
Positioned third on the event leaderboard as Championship Saturday got underway, Richardson surged to the top position when he delivered the second 90-point ride of his career to win Round 2.
Matched up with Detroit Lean (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson), Richardson became just the fifth rider ever to cover the striking animal athlete, reaching the whistle for 91.25 points.
Richardson’s perfect performance in the opening rounds of the event inside the home of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder earned him the first pick in the championship round bull draft. Without hesitation, Richardson elected to go head-to-head with reigning YETI PBR World Champion Bull Woopaa (Barker Bulls/Hookin’ W Ranch) in the final round.
Poised in the chutes, Richardson appeared in control but was unseated at the 4.14-second mark.
Despite the buckoff, Richardson’s initial two rides clinched him the golden finish, earning him a check for $43,480, along with a crucial 126 points.
Richardson surged 11 positions in the world rankings, climbing from No. 21 to No. 10. He now trails No. 1 Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) by 265 points.
While the championship-round out may not have ended the way Richardson would have hoped, it earned Woopaa his second YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event honor of the season. The powerful red bull was marked a season-best 46.75 points.
Two-time reigning PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) may have been shut out in the main event, going 0-for-2, but a monstrous ride in the accompanying 15/15 Bucking Battle allowed him to gain two positions in the world standings, climbing from No. 13 to No. 11.
Leme won the special round Friday evening after riding Ridin Solo (Cord McCoy/Bill McCarty) for a monstrous 94.75 points, netting $11,500 and 59 world points. The 90-point ride was Leme’s second of the season and top score to date on the premier series in 2022.
Attempting to become the first rider in history to win three consecutive PBR World Championships, Leme is now within 289.5 points of No. 1 Vieira.
Vieira left Oklahoma City still in control of the title race but saw his lead lessen after No. 2 Kyler Oliver (Roy, Utah) finished sixth in the PBR Express Ranches Invitational, presented by Union Home Mortgage.
Oliver, who is amidst a career-best campaign after shoulder surgery sidelined him for nearly the entirety of 2021, earned the Top-10 effort compliments of an 88.75-point ride on Razzmatazz (M Rafter E/High View Cattle) in Round 1. The score netted Oliver 30 world points, allowing him to shrink Vieira’s lead from 133.5 to 103.5.
Should Vieira maintain his top position and conclude the year as the 2022 PBR World Championship, he would make history, becoming the oldest rider to earned the coveted gold buckle at the age of 37.
Marco Eguchi (Poa, Brazil) was second in the main event, taking home a check for $28,386 and 95 world points.
On the spurs of a 3-second buckoff dealt to him by Light’s Out Robicheaux (6M Ranch/Riley Samford) in Round 1, Eguchi rebounded in flawless fashion on Championship Saturday.
The 2018 PBR World Finals event winner punched his ticket to the championship round in Round 2 after going the distance aboard Catfish (Viducic Bucking Bulls/Stetson Wright/Watt Bridge) for 85.75 points.
Eguchi then drafted First Down (Hart Cattle Co./Farris) as his final animal athlete opponent, a decision which paid dividends. Matching the bull jump-for-jump, Eguchi made the 8 for 90 points to win the final round. The 90-point effort was his first of 2022 and 12th of his career.
The silver finish catapulted Eguchi 17 positions in the race for the 2022 PBR World Championship as he rose from No. 33 to No. 16.
Third was Stetson Lawrence (Williston, North Dakota).
Newly minted to the Team USA Wolves for the 2022 PBR Global Cup USA, Lawrence was unrivaled in Round 1, delivering the top score when he rode Big Wave (Lone Star/Outlaw/Maynes/D&H Cattle Co.) for 89 points.
However, despite celebrating dirtside, Lawrence quickly discovered he had lacerated his calf, briefly requiring him to use crutches and sending him to the hospital to get 21 stitches.
In true cowboy fashion, Lawrence returned to competition for Round 2. Matched up with Theodore (Lari Crane/Gene Owen), the Native American sensation again made the 8, this time for an 86.25-point score.
The North Dakota native then took on Hang Em High (Bryan T. Smith/Nathan Doss) as he attempted to earn his second Unleash The Beast victory of 2022. Lawrence’s golden dreams, however, came to an abrupt end when he was sent airborne at the 5.45-second mark.
Lawrence left Paycom Center $15,126 richer, having also earned 82 world points. After he began the seventh elite tour event of the new season No. 6 in the world, Lawrence is now ranked No. 3, within 178 points of the top spot.
Reigning PBR Rookie of the Year Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) was fourth, collecting 49.5 world points.
Vastbinder was electric in the opening rounds of action, covering Siroucho (Dozier Cattle Co./Martinez Bucking Bulls) for 87.25 points in Round 1 and X-Factor (Paradigm Bull Company) for 83.5 points in Round 2 to advance to the championship round third on the event leaderboard.
The North Carolinian, however, was unable to deliver his third consecutive flawless event, bucked off by Canadian-born Blackfoot Nation (Paradigm Bull Co./Flying High Rodeo Co.) in 4.26 seconds.
Vastbinder is now No. 5 in the world, 200.5 points removed from the top position.
Amidst a sensational sophomore season, Vastbinder has now gone a torrid 13-for-19 (68.42%), covering 11 of his last 13 draws.
Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was leading Rookie of the Year contender Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri).
Mitchell’s 2-for-3 showing included an 85.5-point score on Pickle Moonshine (Shuler Bucking Bulls) in Round 1 and an 83.25-point effort atop Dr. Kittleson (Jon Moule/Hawkins Bucking Bulls/B Bar Ranch) in Round 2.
The 19-year-old young gun’s third consecutive Top-10 finish on the premier series earned him 42 world points, elevating him to No. 14 in the world.
Fans unable to attend the event can tune into the action from Championship Saturday when CBS Sports Network televises the final day in Oklahoma City on Sunday, January 13 at 2 p.m. EST. Earlier in the day, CBS Sports will broadcast the third 15/15 Bucking Battle of 2022 at 12 p.m. EST (check your local listings).
The PBR Unleash The Beast next travels to Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, for the PBR TicketSmarter Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires. The event will be on Friday, February 18 at 7:45 p.m. CST and Saturday, February 19 at 6:45 p.m. CST.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of every PBR Unleash The Beast event. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv [pluto.tv]. Tune to channel 720 for the latest programming schedule, and click here [pluto.tv] for on-demand PBR programming.
Elsewhere in the PBR, the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour held events in both Youngstown, Ohio, and Memphis, Tennessee, with the Australian Monster Energy Tour in action in Rockhampton, Queensland.
In the Volunteer State, Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) responded to being cut from the premier series in dominant fashion, going 2-for-2 to win the PBR Bluff City Classic.
Sweeping both rounds of competition, Campbell’s 8-second efforts included an 87-point score on Winston (JR Phillips) in Round 1 and an 89.5-point ride atop Hollywood (TDS/Buentello Bucking Bulls) in the championship round.
The 2021 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals event winner earned a much-needed 44 world points, propelling him from No. 53 to No. 27 in the world.
In nearby Ohio, 18-year-old Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) delivered a flawless performance of his own to win his PBR debut at the PBR Bad Boy Mowers Youngstown Invitational.
After tying for an eighth-place finish in Round 1 courtesy of a sturdy 84-point ride on Magic Hour (GT Bucking Bulls), Hevalow logged his second qualified ride in Round 2 when he covered Alter Ego (D4 Cattle Co/Fabulous IV Bucking Bulls) for 87.5 points.
In the championship round, Hevalow rocketed from the chutes aboard Coy Dog (D4 Cattle Co/Fabulous IV Bucking Bulls), making the 8 and leading the crowd to erupt in cheer as his 87-point score was announced inside the Covelli Centre.
The win earned the Missouri rookie 41 world points, and he is now ranked No. 49 in the world standings.
The 2022 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour season continues February 19 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Action for the PBR Knoxville Invitational at Thompson-Boling Arena begins at 7 p.m. EST.
In Australia, Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland) delivered the high-marked ride of the PBR Rockhampton Invitational to clinch his his second consecutive event win, furthering his stronghold on the No. 1 rank in the race for the 2022 PBR Australia Championship.
While Fielder’s event began in less-than-ideal fashion, bucked off in both Round 1 and Round 2, the resilient cowboy returned determined in the championship round. Drawing Freckles Brown (Peter Wallace), Fielder matched the powerful animal athlete for an event-best 87.5 points, propelling him to the top of the event leaderboard.
Fresh off his third selection to Team Australia for the prestigious 2022 PBR Global Cup USA, Fielder’s latest golden effort earned him 65 national points. He extended his lead atop the race for the 2022 PBR Australia Championship, now 76.5 points ahead of No. 2 Cody Heffernan (Singleton, New South Wales).
PBR Unleash The BeastPBR Express Ranches Invitational, presented by Union Home MortgagePaycom Center – Oklahoma City, OklahomaEvent Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Austin Richardson, 87.5-91.25-0-178.75-126 Points.
2. Marco Eguchi, 0-85.75-90-175.75-95 Points.
3. Stetson Lawrence, 89-86.25-0-175.25-82 Points.
4. Eli Vastbinder, 87.25-83.5-0-170.75-49.5 Points.
5. Bob Mitchell, 85.5-83.25-0-168.75-42 Points.
6. Kyler Oliver, 88.75-0-0-88.75-30 Points.
7. Chase Dougherty, 87.25-0-0-87.25-21.5 Points.
8. Luciano De Castro, 0-86-0-86.00-21.5 Points.
(tie). Cody Nance, 86-0-0-86.00-18.5 Points.
10. Cody Teel, 0-85.25-0-85.25-16 Points.
(tie). Andrew Alvidrez, 0-85.25-0-85.25-16 Points.
12. Ramon de Lima, 83.75-0-0-83.75-12 Points.
13. Dawson Branton, 54.25-0-0-54.25-3 Points.
João Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-0-0.00
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0-0-0.00
Dalton Kasel, 0-0-0-0.00
Dener Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00
Mason Taylor, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-0-0-0.00
Jose Vitor Leme, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcos Gloria, 0-0-0-0.00
Brady Oleson, 0-0-0-0.00
João Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0-0.00
Dakota Louis, 0-0-0-0.00
Rafael Henrique dos Santos, 0-0-0-0.00
Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0-0.00
Jess Lockwood, 0-0-0-0.00
Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0.00
Lane Nobles, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Jesus, 0-0-0-0.00
PBR Unleash The BeastPBR Express Ranches Invitational, presented by Union Home Mortgage – 15/15 Bucking BattlePaycom Center – Oklahoma City, OklahomaEvent Leaders (Round 1- Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Jose Vitor Leme, 94.75-94.75-59 Points.
2. Dener Barbosa, 88-88.00-48 Points.
João Ricardo Vieira, 0-0.00
Kyler Oliver, 0-0.00
Daylon Swearingen, 0-0.00
Eli Vastbinder, 0-0.00
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0.00
Stetson Lawrence, 0-0.00
Dalton Kasel, 0-0.00
Luciano De Castro, 0-0.00
Mason Taylor, 0-0.00
Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-0.00
Cody Teel, 0-0.00
Bob Mitchell, 0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0.00
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
PBR Bad Boy Mowers Youngstown Invitational
Covelli Centre – Youngstown, Ohio
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2- Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Koltin Hevalow, 84-87.5-87-258.50-41 Points.
2. Clayton Sellars, 88-88-0-176.00-31 Points.
3. Cole Skender, 87.5-86.5-0-174.00-16 Points.
4. Matt Allgood, 81-0-82.5-163.50-10 Points.
5. Cody McCandless, 0-83.5-69.5-153.00-8 Points.
6. Luis Blanco, 82-69-0-151.00-4 Points.
7. Trace Brown, 84-63.5-0-147.50-2 Points.
8. Casey Roberts, 88.5-0-0-88.50-7 Points.
9. Marcus Mast, 87-0-0-87.00-2 Points.
10. Dalton Davis, 86.5-0-0-86.50-1 Points.
11. Grayson Cole, 0-86-0-86.00-1.5 Points.
(tie). Austin Beaty, 0-86-0-86.00-1.5 Points.
13. Brandon Ballard, 85.5-0-0-85.50-1 Points.
14. Tristen Marshall, 84.5-0-0-84.50-1 Points.
Brandon Davis, 0-0-0-0.00
Justin Houston, 0-0-0-0.00
Taylor Toves, 0-0-0-0.00
Dustin Martinez, 0-0-0-0.00
Zach Miles, 0-0-0-0.00
Justin Ethridge, 0-0-0-0.00
Joao Paulo Fernandes, 0-0-0-0.00
Cimarron Rucker, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Jenks, 0-0-0-0.00
Ueberson Duarte, 0-0-0-0.00
Kyle Jones, 0-0-0-0.00
Eli Byler, 0-0-0-0.00
Jake Morinec, 0-0-0-0.00
Eduardo de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0.00
Bryan Titman, 0-0-0-0.00
Matt Oliver, 0-0-0-0.00
Jason Landing, 0-0-0-0.00
Eder Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Dollins, 0-0-0-0.00
Lamar Lehman, 0-0-0-0.00
Luis Escobedo, 0-0-0-0.00
Perry Schrock, 0-0-0-0.00
Joseph Petersheim, 0-0-0-0.00
Zach Laney, 0-0-0-0.00
Dave Feldpausch, 0-0-0-0.00
Vinicius dos Santos, 0-0-0-0.00
Guthrie Long, 0-0-0-0.00
Brandon Chambers, 0-0-0-0.00
Matt Hennelly, 0-0-0-0.00
Levi Hershberger, 0-0-0-0.00
Jared Avina, 0-0-0-0.00
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
PBR Bluff City Classic
FedExForum – Memphis, Tennessee
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2- Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Boudreaux Campbell, 87-89.5-176.50-44 Points.
2. Dakota Eagleburger, 84.5-87-171.50-25.5 Points.
3. Dalton Rudman, 83-86-169.00-14 Points.
4. Blake Smith, 82.5-84.5-167.00-8 Points.
5. Lucas Divino, 81.5-83.5-165.00-5 Points.
6. Griffin Smeltzer, 76-83-159.00-4 Points.
7. Gage Gay, 86-0-86.00-6 Points.
8. Patterson Starcher, 85-0-85.00-3 Points.
9. Quentin Vaught, 84.5-0-84.50-1.5 Points.
10. Davi Henrique de Lima, 83-0-83.00-1 Points.
11. Cladson Rodolfo, 82.5-0-82.50
12. Conner Halverson, 79.5-0-79.50
Francisco Morales, 0-0-0.00
Michael Lane, 0-0-0.00
Jesse Petri, 0-0-0.00
Casey Coulter, 0-0-0.00
Eduardo Aparecido, 0-0-0.00
Leonardo Lima, 0-0-0.00
Adriano Salgado, 0-0-0.00
Alex Marcilio, 0-0-0.00
Kade Alberty, 0-0-0.00
Ky Hamilton, 0-0-0.00
Coy Robbins, 0-0-0.00
Cole Ivey, 0-0-0.00
Mason Moody, 0-0-0.00
Colt Robinson, 0-0-0.00
Alvaro Alvarez Aguilar, 0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0.00
Tye Chandler, 0-0-0.00
Seth White, 0-0-0.00
Fernando Henrique Novais, 0-0-0.00
Cody Hudson, 0-0-0.00
Venn Johns, 0-0-0.00
Hunter Ball, 0-0-0.00
Lucas Fideles Souza, 0-0-0.00
Caic Cassio Carvalho, 0-0-0.00
Carlos Garcia, 0-0-0.00
Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 0-0-0.00
Alecio Ferreira da Costa, 0-0-0.00
Mason Ward, 0-0-0.00
PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour
PBR Rockhampton Invitational
Great Western Hotel – Rockhampton, Queensland
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-National Points)
1. Brady Fielder, 0-0-87.5-87.50-65 Points.
2. Cody Heffernan, 0-0-87-87.00-52 Points.
3. Bailey Woodard, 0-84.5-0-84.50-45 Points.
4. Kelsey Pavlou, 82-0-0-82.00-35 Points.
Lawson Nobbs, 0-0-0-0.00
Lane Mellers, 0-0-0-0.00
Caiden Sandilands, 0-0-0-0.00
Dan Ruhland, 0-0-0-0.00
Taran Chirgwin, 0-0-0-0.00
Wyatt Milgate, 0-0-0-0.00
Harry Bridges, 0-0-0-0.00
Joey Buckingham, 0-0-0-0.00
Brumby Brandenburg, 0-0-0-0.00
Eli Toby, 0-0-0-0.00
Luke Smith, 0-0-0-0.00
Ben Moran, 0-0-0-0.00
2022 PBR World Standings
(Place, Rider, Events, Wins, Top 5's, Points, Total Winnings)
1. João Ricardo Vieira, 11, 3, 5, 495.00, $110,604.95
2. Kyler Oliver, 12, 2, 3, 391.50, $106,177.95
3. Stetson Lawrence, 11, 1, 3, 317.00, $69,797.00
4. Daylon Swearingen, 13, 2, 5, 308.16, $70,643.72
5. Eli Vastbinder, 9, 0, 4, 294.50, $37,029.67
6. Dener Barbosa, 11, 0, 3, 278.50, $50,562.83
7. Luciano De Castro, 9, 2, 4, 249.50, $39,829.90
8. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 13, 1, 2, 244.00, $54,590.88
9. Dalton Kasel, 10, 0, 2, 234.50, $39,373.67
10. Austin Richardson, 6, 1, 2, 230.00, $57,360.00
11. Jose Vitor Leme, 5, 1, 3, 205.50, $37,592.67
12. Mason Taylor, 10, 1, 1, 192.00, $58,687.50
13. Cody Teel, 10, 0, 1, 170.00, $27,649.66
14. Bob Mitchell, 10, 0, 5, 166.50, $28,628.78
15. Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 11, 1, 1, 159.00, $45,395.17
16. Marco Eguchi, 7, 0, 1, 153.50, $32,859.00
17. Chase Dougherty, 9, 0, 1, 129.00, $13,762.00
18. Cole Melancon, 6, 0, 1, 114.16, $18,462.00
19. Andrew Alvidrez, 9, 0, 1, 114.00, $15,905.00
20. Alex Cardozo, 8, 0, 1, 112.00, $20,698.71
21. Manoelito de Souza Junior, 9, 1, 3, 110.50, $18,847.63
22. Cannon Cravens, 6, 0, 0, 109.00, $12,346.00
23. Matt Triplett, 7, 1, 4, 106.50, $19,490.57
24. Cooper Davis, 4, 0, 0, 95.00, $11,546.00
25. Claudio Montanha Jr., 8, 0, 0, 85.16, $7,870.00
26. Brady Fielder, 6, 2, 5, 84.00, $14,954.42
27. Boudreaux Campbell, 7, 1, 1, 80.50, $13,470.98
28. Marcos Gloria, 7, 2, 3, 76.83, $15,589.44
29. Brady Oleson, 6, 1, 2, 76.50, $15,989.38
30. João Henrique Lucas, 8, 0, 1, 76.00, $7,085.00
31. Ramon de Lima, 6, 1, 3, 67.50, $12,565.81
32. Sam Woodall, 6, 1, 2, 66.00, $9,823.02
33. Dakota Louis, 9, 1, 2, 65.75, $13,481.59
34. Rafael Henrique dos Santos, 6, 0, 0, 62.00, $5,180.00
34. Brennon Eldred, 4, 0, 1, 62.00, $8,516.67
36. Dawson Branton, 7, 0, 3, 59.50, $9,330.21
37. Francisco Morales, 5, 1, 2, 58.33, $11,858.00
38. Clayton Sellars, 10, 0, 3, 56.75, $16,114.22
39. Jess Lockwood, 6, 0, 0, 54.00, $4,158.33
