(Editor's note: PBR release)
MILWAUKEE –The No. 1 cowboy in the world standings, Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) delivered a flawless 3-for-3 performance at Milwaukee’s PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast (UTB), winning the PBR Ariat Invitational on Saturday night and widening his lead atop PBR’s world standings.
The 37-year-old Brazilian is now 13-for-17 in 2022, riding a sizzling 76.47% of his bulls on the premier series. Should Vieira earn his first gold buckle at the season’s end, he would become the oldest PBR World Champion in history.
After a ninth-place finish on Friday night, Vieira began the final day of the event behind on the leaderboard and was paired with Sugar Boom Boom (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Circle G) in Round 2.
Blasting from the chutes with his bovine opponent, Vieira collected an 89.5-point score to sail into the championship round.
The popular veteran, who arrived in the United States in 2013 to begin his PBR career, then selected Outlaw (Cord McCoy/ Big Sky Bulls, LLC) as his matchup in the final round.
As the last rider of the night, Vieira had the raucous Milwaukee crowd at full volume as he was in complete control delivering one of his signature picturesque rides.
The championship round, which featured four lead changes in the final minutes, became a dramatic ride-for-ride battle down to the wire.
Vieira’s 88.75-point score unleashed a deafening roar and a wide smile across his face as he realized he had clinched the walk-off win – his 15th career win on PBR’s premier series.
While only two other riders went 3-for-3 on the weekend, Vieira reigned supreme with an aggregate score of 263.75 points. He collected 137 world points and a check for $44,691. Vieira’s hold on the top of the world standings expanded to a lead of 133.5 points ahead of world No.2 Kyler Oliver (Roy, Utah) who finished in 12th place in Wisconsin.
2012 PRCA World Champion Cody Teel (College Station, Texas) also made his mark in Milwaukee, going 3-for-3 for a second-place finish. The runner-up spot earned him $18,658.33 and 94 world points, vaulting Teel to the No. 12 spot in the world standings after coming into Milwaukee at No. 29.
Early on Saturday evening, Teel was paired with Chubby (Clay Struve/ Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger) for Round 2. His 86-point score paved his way to the championship round.
Teel then chose BuzzBallz (Cord McCoy/ Buzzballz, LLC) in the championship round, riding him for a solid 86 points. As the second to last rider of the night, Teel temporarily climbed to the top of the leaderboard, but his hopes were dashed when Vieira closed out the night on Outlaw.
2021 PBR Rookie of the Year Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) kept the 3-for-3 streak going to finish in third place while riding with a sprained left shoulder.
After a fourth-place finish in Friday’s opening round, Vastbinder was paired with Buffalo Scott (Blake Sharp/ TBR Bucking Bulls) in Round 2, collecting an 84.5-point score and greenlighting his ticket into the championship round.
The 30-year-old new dad then chose Smokestack (Sharp/ Wilson/ American Spirits/C-M) for the championship round. His 86.5-point score temporarily put him atop the event leaderboard.
Vastbinder collected 79.5 world points and $12,765, launching from No. 11 in the world standings to the No. 4 spot.
After a rocky start to the weekend on Friday night when he was bucked off, reigning PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio, Brazil) came back in full force on Saturday finishing the night in fourth place overall.
Paired with Tiger (Blake Sharp/ Henry Wilson) in Round 2, Leme launched from the chutes with dirt flying for an 88-point score.
The two-time World Champion then selected JAG Metals Grand Theft (D&H Cattle Co/ Phillip Elkins) for the championship round knowing he needed to catapult himself up the leaderboard. In control for 8 seconds, Leme reminded fans of his immense athleticism in besting his bovine opponent for an impressive 92 points, the highest score of the weekend.
Leme now holds the No. 13 spot in the world standings after collecting 68 world points and a check for $11,783 for his 2-for-3 weekend.
Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) rounded out the Top 5 of the weekend with a 2-for-3 performance.
Swearingen was paired with Black Snake (Clay Struve/ Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) in Round 2, recording 84.75 points. In the championship round, his selection of Show Me Homie (Jo-Z Bucking Bulls/ K-C/ Spark-lin Acres) had the crowd cheering but ended after just 2.64 seconds.
Despite Swearingen’s lackluster Saturday conclusion, he earned 46.5 world points and maintained his hold on the No. 3 spot in the world standings.
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.
The PBR Unleash The Beast next travels to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Paycom Center for the PBR Express Ranches Invitational, presented by Union Home Mortgage, on Friday, Feb. 11 at 7:45 p.m. CST and Saturday, Feb. 12 at 6:45 p.m. CST.
Elsewhere in the PBR, the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour held events in both North Charleston, South Carolina, and Lexington, Kentucky, with the Australian Monster Energy Tour was in action in Scone, New South Wales.
In just his second event of the new season, Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) was a picture of perfection in North Charleston, South Carolina, delivering a flawless 3-for-3 performance to win the PBR Bad Boy Mowers Collision at The Coliseum.
Lane registered his first qualified ride of the season Friday night in Round 1, bringing the Palmetto State crowd to its feet when he covered Flint Rock (Lightning Livestock, Inc.) for 85 points. The Virginia cowboy then surged to the top of the event leaderboard when he tied for second in Round 2 with 87.5 points atop Rock Solid’s Hickory (Rock Solid Bucking Bulls/Dizzy).
As the last man to erupt from the chutes, Lane matched Oreo (Dustin Denning) jump-for-jump in the championship round en route to an event-winning, 89-point score.
For his golden finish, Lane earned a crucial 41.5 world points. After beginning the event ranked No. 144 in the world, Lane jumped to No. 46 in the world.
The three-time PBR World Finals qualifier is eager to rebound from his heart-breaking end to the 2021 season. Leading the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour standings nearly the entire season, and on track to reach the fourth PBR World Finals of his career, Lane was unable to compete during the final days of the season because of a broken thumb.
Competing inside the iconic Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, Mexican sensation Francisco Morales (Irapuato, Mexico) reached a career milestone Saturday evening, going a perfect 2-for-2, to win the first Velocity Tour event of his career.
As action got underway in Round 1, Morales was quick to strike, registering the sixth-best score when he covered War Dog (JQH Bucking Bulls-Skip & Elaine Jones) for 85 points. Morales then brought the capacity crowd to a roar in the championship round, clinching the victory when he outlasted White Lightning (H&D Bucking Bulls/Dickie Williams) for 84.5 points.
For his efforts, Morales earned a critical 38 world points. After beginning the event ranked No. 63 in the world, the 39-year-old veteran climbed 29 positions to No. 34. He now trails the Top 30 and a seeded position on the elite Unleash The Beast by a mere 7.42 world points.
The 2022 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour season continues on Feb. 11-12 in Youngstown, Ohio, and on February 12 in Memphis, Tennessee. The PBR Bad Boy Mowers Youngstown Invitational at Covelli Centre begins at 8 p.m. EST on Friday, February 11, and at 7 p.m. EST on Saturday, February 12. The PBR Bluff City Classic at FedExForum begins on Saturday, February 12 at 7 p.m. CST.
In Australia, Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland) won the PBR Scone Invitational, surging to the No. 1 rank in the early race for the 2022 PBR Australia Championship.
The 2020 PBR Australia Grand Finals event winner got off to a hot start in Round 1 inside White Park Equine Arena, delivering the third-best score when he made the requisite 8 aboard Shogun Willy (Yates Bucking Bulls) for 85 points.
Fielder then surged to the top of the event leaderboard in Round 2. He went the distance atop Chaos (MJ/Shultz Bucking Bulls) for 86.5 points to tie for the round win and clinch the event victory.
For his victory, Fielder earned a critical 72.5 national points. After entering the event No. 2 in the nation, Fielder surpassed an injured Kurt Shephard (Mareeba, Queensland) for the top position, now 50.5 points out front.
The PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour next travels to Rockhampton, Queensland, on Saturday, February 12. Action at the Great Western Hotel will begin at 7:00 p.m. AEDT.
PBR Unleash The Beast - PBR Ariat InvitationalFiserv Forum -Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 89.25-87.5-88.25-91.75-356.75-176 Points.
2. Dalton Kasel, 91-87.5-87-90.5-356.00-138 Points.
3. Luciano De Castro, 87.25-88.75-85.25-85.25-346.50-108.5 Points.
4. Eli Vastbinder, 76.25-86.75-88.25-90-341.25-80 Points.
5. Bob Mitchell, 79.5-85.25-76.75-0-241.50-40 Points.
6. Cannon Cravens, 89.25-88.25-0-0-177.50-52.5 Points.
7. Cooper Davis, 87-0-89.75-0-176.75-40 Points.
8. Claudio Montanha Jr., 87.25-0-88.75-0-176.00-35.5 Points.
9. Dener Barbosa, 85.75-0-89.5-0-175.25-29 Points.
(tie). Chase Dougherty, 89-86.25-0-0-175.25-31 Points.
11. Kyler Oliver, 87.5-86.75-0-0-174.25-28.5 Points.
12. Mason Taylor, 0-85.5-87.75-0-173.25-23.5 Points.
13. Cody Teel, 86-0-86.25-0-172.25-17.5 Points.
14. Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 85.75-0-85.75-0-171.50-16 Points.
(tie). Dawson Branton, 86.5-85-0-0-171.50-17 Points.
16. João Henrique Lucas, 85.25-0-85.75-0-171.00-16 Points.
(tie). Marco Eguchi, 86.25-84.75-0-0-171.00-16 Points.
18. João Ricardo Vieira, 86.75-81-0-0-167.75-17 Points.
19. Rafael Henrique dos Santos, 65-0-91-0-156.00-29 Points.
20. Stetson Lawrence, 89.75-0-0-0-89.75-18 Points.
21. Andrew Alvidrez, 88.75-0-0-0-88.75-14 Points.
22. Jess Lockwood, 0-0-87.75-0-87.75-12.5 Points.
23. Brennon Eldred, 0-87.5-0-0-87.50-16 Points.
24. Matt Triplett, 0-0-86.25-0-86.25-9.5 Points.
(tie). Jose Vitor Leme, 86.25-0-0-0-86.25-8 Points.
26. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 0-0-85.5-0-85.50-8 Points.
27. Boudreaux Campbell, 75.25-0-0-0-75.25-7 Points.
Daylon Swearingen, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Cole Melancon, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Sam Woodall, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Brady Oleson, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Cody Jesus, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Jesse Petri, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Cladson Rodolfo, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Clayton Sellars, 0-0-0-0-0.00
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
PBR Bad Boy Mowers Collision at The Coliseum
North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston, South Carolina
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Michael Lane, 85-87.5-89-261.50-41.5 Points.
2. Dakota Louis, 82.5-86-88.5-257.00-25 Points.
3. Alisson De Souza, 85.5-73.5-87-246.00-12.5 Points.
4. Ezekiel Mitchell, 88-0-87-175.00-10.5 Points.
(tie). Conner Halverson, 87-0-88-175.00-10.5 Points.
6. Ednei Caminhas, 0-86.5-84.5-171.00-5.5 Points.
7. Victor Soares, 82-62.5-0-144.50-2 Points.
8. Casey Roberts, 88.5-0-0-88.50-7 Points.
(tie). Dustin Martinez, 0-88.5-0-88.50-7 Points.
10. Caden Bunch, 0-87.5-0-87.50-3.5 Points.
11. Hayden Harris, 87-0-0-87.00-2.5 Points.
12. Colt Robinson, 86.5-0-0-86.50-1 Points.
(tie). Trace Brown, 0-86.5-0-86.50-1.5 Points.
14. Cody McCandless, 0-84.5-0-84.50-0.5 Points.
(tie). Alex Jenks, 0-84.5-0-84.50-0.5 Points.
16. Laramie Craigen, 84-0-0-84.00
(tie). Jake Morinec, 0-84-0-84.00
18. Anderson Alencar, 82.5-0-0-82.50
19. D.J. Parker, 81-0-0-81.00
20. Griffin Smeltzer, 0-80.5-0-80.50
(tie). Mason Ward, 0-80.5-0-80.50
Cole Skender, 0-0-0-0.00
Blake Smith, 0-0-0-0.00
Seth White, 0-0-0-0.00
Grayson Cole, 0-0-0-0.00
Tylor Cabe, 0-0-0-0.00
Edgardo Figueroa, 0-0-0-0.00
Joao Paulo Fernandes, 0-0-0-0.00
Davi Henrique de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Austin Beaty, 0-0-0-0.00
Dalton Davis, 0-0-0-0.00
Josh Steele, 0-0-0-0.00
Eder Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00
Paulo Campos, 0-0-0-0.00
Angelo de Souza Neto, 0-0-0-0.00
Chase Wimer, 0-0-0-0.00
Joshua Spears, 0-0-0-0.00
Gabriel Thiago Da Silva, 0-0-0-0.00
Christian Melgarejo, 0-0-0-0.00
Vinicius dos Santos, 0-0-0-0.00
Trey Stewart, 0-0-0-0.00
Teegan Peterson, 0-0-0-0.00
Brandon Chambers, 0-0-0-0.00
Daniel dos Santos, 0-0-0-0.00
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
PBR Lexington Invitational
Rupp Arena – Lexington, Kentucky
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2- Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Francisco Morales, 85-84.5-169.50-38 Points.
2. Casey Coulter, 84-81.5-165.50-24 Points.
3. Ramon de Lima, 73.5-73.5-147.00-13 Points.
4. Coy Robbins, 87.5-0-87.50-13 Points.
5. Marcus Mast, 87-0-87.00-8 Points.
6. Alvaro Alvarez Aguilar, 86-0-86.00-5 Points.
(tie). Josh Norman, 86-0-86.00-5 Points.
8. Dalton Rudman, 85.5-0-85.50-1 Points.
9. Jorge Valdiviezo, 84.5-0-84.50-0.5 Points.
(tie). Ueberson Duarte, 84.5-0-84.50-0.5 Points.
11. Brandon Davis, 82.5-0-82.50
(tie). Elijah Mora, 82.5-0-82.50
13. Cladson Rodolfo, 80-0-80.00
(tie). Matt Oliver, 80-0-80.00
(tie). Jason Landing, 80-0-80.00
16. Lucas Divino, 79.5-0-79.50
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0.00
Lane Nobles, 0-0-0.00
Jesse Petri, 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
Mason Moody, 0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0.00
Ashton Sahli, 0-0-0.00
Dakota Eagleburger, 0-0-0.00
Fernando Henrique Novais, 0-0-0.00
Quentin Vaught, 0-0-0.00
Matt Allgood, 0-0-0.00
Carlos Garcia, 0-0-0.00
Luis Blanco, 0-0-0.00
Eli Byler, 0-0-0.00
Alex Guzman, 0-0-0.00
Bryan Titman, 0-0-0.00
Junio Quaresima, 0-0-0.00
Romildo Rodrigues, 0-0-0.00
Joseph Petersheim, 0-0-0.00
Brandon Ballard, 0-0-0.00
Brandon Ferguson, 0-0-0.00
PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour
PBR Scone Invitational
White Park Equine Arena – Scone, New South Wales
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-National Points)
1. Brady Fielder, 85-86.5-171.50-72.5 Points.
2. Cody Heffernan, 88.5-80-168.50-64 Points.
3. Chris Wilson, 0-86.5-86.50-43.5 Points.
4. Jake Curr, 86-0-86.00-32 Points.
5. Trefor Sproule, 82-0-82.00-12.5 Points.
(tie). Braith Nock, 82-0-82.00-12.5 Points.
7. Will Purcell, 81-0-81.00-7 Points.
Lachlan Richardson, 0-0-0.00
Kelsey Pavlou, 0-0-0.00
Lachlan Slade, 0-0-0.00
Nathan Burtenshaw, 0-0-0.00
Taran Chirgwin, 0-0-0.00
Jack Keats, 0-0-0.00
Wyatt Milgate, 0-0-0.00
Thomas Hudson, 0-0-0.00
Jono Couling, 0-0-0.00
Josh Grant, 0-0-0.00
Sean Lynch, 0-0-0.00
Oscar Leake, 0-0-0.00
Toby Leake, 0-0-0.00
Brumby Brandenburg, 0-0-0.00
Bryn Francis, 0-0-0.00
Chris Borghero, 0-0-0.00
Steven Carter, 0-0-0.00
Bradley Wheeler, 0-0-0.00
Cody Groves, 0-0-0.00
