SCORE BULLETINS

Missouri Thunder Make History, Shutting Out the Ariat Texas Rattlers to Win First-Ever Game of the PBR Team Series

Missouri Thunder: 89.25

Ariat Texas Rattlers: 0.00

Photos (Courtesy Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media): Click here to download.

B-Roll (Courtesy PBR): Click here to download.

CHEYENNE, Wy. – The Missouri Thunder made history Monday night, shutting out the Ariat Texas Rattlers to win the first-ever game of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series 89.25-0. As the game got underway, the intensity was on full display. Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) was first out for the Missouri Thunder, and Cody Coverchuk (Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada) prepared to be the first Ariat Texas Rattlers rider to nod his head in regular-season competition. While Alvidrez was dealt a swift 4.73-second buckoff by Light’s Out (Jane Clark/Gene Owen), Coverchuk’s out with Sugar Boom Boom (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Circle G) was not as clear. Despite seemingly making the 8, the clock was stopped at the 3.16-second mark for an apparent slap, which stood upon review. Thunder free agent Adriano Salgado (Batatais, Brazil) was quick to change the 0-0 scoreboard. Matched up with hard-bucking American Gangster (Jane Clark/Gene Owen), Salgado reached the requisite 8, awarded an 89.25-point score as the raucous Cheyenne Frontier Days crowd erupted in cheer. The Rattlers’ Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona) was unable to answer, bested by Big Wave (Lone Star/Outlaw/Maynes/D&H Cattle Co.) in a heartbreaking 6.27 seconds. After both Cody Teel (College Station, Texas) and Clayton Sellars (Fruitland Park, Florida) for the Thunder and Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland, Australia) and Ednelio Almeida (Cacoal, Brazl) for the Rattlers failed to make the 8, the fate of the game came down to two riders – Thunder first-round draft pick Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) and newly minted Rattlers free agent Braidy Randolph (Jonestown, Pennsylvania). Fritzlan was unable to clinch the win for his team early, bucked off by Shake & Bake (Ty Rinaldo TZ Bucking Bulls) in 3.55 seconds. As a result, the fate of the game rested in the hands of Randolph, making his PBR debut. The young gun, however, was unable to rise to the occasion, brought down early by Moonlight Party (Jane Clark/Gene Owen) in 1.69 seconds. As the action continues Tuesday, July 26, the Missouri Thunder will look to continue their momentum against the Nashville Stampede, while the Ariat Texas Rattlers will attempt to rebound when they face the Kansas City Outlaws.

“This is one thing that these guys can’t ever do again – they won the first game of the very first ever Team Series event,” said Missouri Thunder Coach Luke Snyder. “We’re all fired up.  You know, we only rode one bull, but one bull is all it takes in this new sport. It’s just the team’s first game, and our record is going to start at 1-0-0, and that’s the way we like it.”

Nashville Stampede Defeats Carolina Cowboys by One Ride After Back-and-Forth Shootout in Second Game of Inaugural PBR Team Series Event in Cheyenne, Wyoming

Nashville Stampede: 337.75

Carolina Cowboys: 257.25

Photos (Courtesy Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media): Click here to download.

B-Roll (Courtesy PBR): Click here to download.

CHEYENNE, Wy. – In the first shootout of the new PBR Team Series, the Nashville Stampede out-rode the Carolina Cowboys by one qualified ride to register the team’s first win in the new league, 337.75-257.25. In a dramatic ride-for-ride showdown, the riders of the Stampede and Cowboys covered 70% of the game’s bulls. The Stampede (4-for-5) boasted an 80% riding average, while the Cowboys (3-for-5) concluded the game with a 60% conversion rate. Joao Henrique Lucas (Bastos, Brazil) and reigning PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) registered scores for the Stampede and Cowboys, respectively, to set the tone early in the ferocious showdown. The Carolina Cowboys emerged the early leader, pulling 5.25 points ahead as Swearingen was marked a game-best 88 points atop WSM’s Nasty Wishes (WSM Auctioneers/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger), while Lucas scored just 82.75 points aboard Blunt Force Trauma (Hadley Cattle Co.). Stampede first-round draft pick Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) came down short of the 8 on High Country Hitman (High Country Solutions/JR Phillips), but he was awarded a crucial re-ride after the bull fouled himself. The Cowboys briefly extended their lead to 93 points over the Stampede following an 87.75-point ride by Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) on The Undertaker (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Riley Bucking Bulls/PCP Bucking Bulls). Free agent Fernando Henrique Novais (Pereira Barreto, Brazil) was next up for the Stampede, delivering an 85-point effort aboard Experiment 626 (Classic Jack Cattle/Viducic Bucking Bulls). Novais’s score, coupled with Mason Taylor’s (Maypearl, Texas) ever-close 6.37-second buckoff aboard Slim Shady (Hadley Cattle Co.), allowed the Stampede to close within 8 points of the lead, as the scoreboard read 175.75-167.75 ahead of Pacheco’s re-ride. The 2018 PBR World Champion then converted when his team needed it most, giving the Music City contingent a 78.5-point lead when he covered Mr. Winston (Dakota Rodeo/Mark Baker/Clay Struve/Chad Berger) for 86.5 points. The lead, however, was short-lived. After Thiago Salgado (Navirai, Brazil) failed to convert for the Stampede, PBR newcomer Wingson da Silva (Navirai, Brazil) put the Cowboys back atop the game leaderboard by three points, 257.25-254.25, when he reached the whistle on Juju (Tommy Julian/D&H Cattle) for 81.5 points. With one rider left to compete for each team, the game came down to veteran riders Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert, Oklahoma) and Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco Acre, Brazil). In a must-ride-situation, Dirteater, who emerged from retirement to compete in the groundbreaking PBR Team Series, delivered the clutch score of the evening, putting the Stampede a bull ahead with his 83.5-point ride on Twisted Feather (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd/Cain Kobert). As Lima climbed into the chutes, the Carolina Cowboys needed a score in excess of 80.5 points to win the game. Lima, however, was unable to rise to the occasion, bucked off by Falcon Eddie (Lari Crane/Gene Owen) in a quick 1.73 seconds. When the PBR Team Series continues in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the Stampede will look to earn their second win when they face the Missouri Thunder, and the Carolina Cowboys will attempt to rebound against the Arizona Ridge Riders.

“It feels good,” said Nashville Stampede Head Coach Justin McBride. “Obviously, that’s what everybody wanted to do is win their game. We got a lot of work to do. This is obviously the start, and it’s a long way to the finish, so we’ve got a lot of improvement to work on. From the time we set on him in the chute ‘til the time the whistle blows, we’re going to keep working every day at it.” 

“I’m just happy to be here,” Nashville Stampede rider Ryan Dirteater added. “I’m on a great team, the Nashville Stampede. We got Justin McBride as a coach, and the team owners are here also. You know, we did our job, and that’s what we’re here to do – ride our bulls. We’ll see how it unfolds at the end.” 

Scoreless Game Between Oklahoma Freedom and Kansas City Outlaws Ends in First Tie in PBR Teams Series Competition

Oklahoma Freedom: 0.00

Kansas City Outlaws: 0.00

Photos (Courtesy Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media): Click here to download.

B-Roll (Courtesy PBR): Click here to download.

CHEYENNE, Wy. – As the Oklahoma Freedom and Kansas City Outlaws readied to go head-to-head in the third game of the evening at the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, fans were struck by two very different, and very apparent, coaching approaches to setting a lineup. While Kansas City Outlaws Head Coach J.W. Hart elected to put his heavy-hitter and first-round draft pick Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) as the Outlaws’ final rider, the Freedom’s Head Coach Cord McCoy slated his top pick, Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina), first in the draw for the Sooner State team. However, despite the different approaches to the game, neither roster could solve 10 very rank bulls for a single qualified ride, and the contest ended in the first-ever PBR Team Series tie, 0-0, with no rider from either roster reaching the requisite 8. Both teams will look to reverse their fortunes on the second day of PBR Team Series action in Cheyenne, as the Freedom face the Austin Gamblers and the Outlaws take on the Ariat Texas Rattlers.

Arizona Ridge Riders Defeat Austin Gamblers by One Ride to Collect Team’s First PBR Team Series Victory

Arizona Ridge Riders: 171.50

Austin Gamblers: 89.00

Photos (Courtesy Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media): Click here to download.

B-Roll (Courtesy PBR): Click here to download.

CHEYENNE, Wy. – The action-packed debut lineup of games for the season-launch PBR Team Series event in Cheyenne, Wyoming, came to a climactic conclusion as the Arizona Ridge Riders went to battle against the Austin Gamblers. Compliments of a crucial, late-game score by the team’s first round draft pick Luciano De Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil), the Ridge Riders beat the Gamblers by one ride score to earn the roster’s first game win in the PBR Team Series. Following buckoffs by Alisson De Souza (Taubate, Brazil) for the Ridge Riders and Conner Halverson (Gordon, Nebraska) for the Gamblers, it was Marco Eguchi (Poa, Brazil) who would deliver the go-ahead score for Arizona. Matched up with Surprise Package (Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger), Eguchi reached the requisite 8 for 86.5 points. The charismatic Brazilian’s score was unanswered by the Gamblers, as Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) proved no match for Alakazam (D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle/Tommy Julian), hitting the dirt in a swift 3.31 seconds. The scoreboard remained unchanged as the next two riders for each team climbed aboard their draws. However, while the Gamblers suffered two buckoffs, Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) was awarded a re-ride. As a result, with the game more than halfway complete, the Ridge Riders had two attempts left, while the Gamblers had just one. The fate of the game then rested in the hands of Ridge Riders first round draft pick Castro. In perfect time with Bentley (Viducic Bucking Bulls), Castro delivered the victory-clinching ride, marked 85 points. And while the fate of the game was already determined, No. 1 overall draft pick and Gamblers star Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) was still awaiting his out. Preventing his team from being shut out, Leme delivered what is now the high-marked ride of the PBR Team Series regular season, scored 89 points on The Right Stuff (Diamond Willow/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger). When the dust settled, the Ridge Riders earned their first victory, 171.5-89. On the final day of action in Cheyenne, the Arizona Ridge Riders will compete against the Carolina Cowboys, and the Gamblers will chase a win over the Oklahoma Freedom.

“It’s just amazing to win the first game in the real season,” said Arizona Ridge Riders Technical Coach Paulo Crimber. “We were waiting so long for this; it couldn’t be any better. Unfortunately, Eduardo [Aparecido] had a little incident in the chute, but thank God it’s not broken. It’s going to be sore. He should be great for Kansas City. The team worked like we planned. Teamwork is always a great feeling. I’m excited for tomorrow.”