SCORE BULLETINS

No. 8 Nashville Stampede Upset No. 3 Oklahoma Freedom to Advance to Round 2 of the Inaugural PBR Team Series Championship

Nashville Stampede: 264.75

Oklahoma Freedom: 176

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

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

LAS VEGAS – In the opening game of the inaugural PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Championship, the No. 8 Nashville Stampede upset the No. 3 Oklahoma Freedom by one ride score, 264.75-176, to advance to the second round of the new league’s first-ever championship event. From the moment the first chute gate burst open inside T-Mobile Arena, the game intensity was high. Riding in the leadoff position for the Stampede, Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert, Oklahoma) was quick to strike. Paired with Bubba G (Dakota Rodeo/Brian & Ashley Pintar/Clay Struve/Chad Berger), Dirteater remained in perfect time with the powerful animal athlete, reaching the requisite 8 for a crucial 88.5 points. The Oklahoma Freedom, however, answered in the very next out. Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas) teamed with Bobkat (Bob Whisnant/Shaw Cattle Co./Hilton Bull Co.) for a matching 88.5 points to even the score. In the top of the second, the Nashville Stampede reclaimed their lead. Team newcomer Cladson Rodolfo (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) and Smooth Over It (Lazy S4 Cattle/Shuler/Samford) proved a match made in heaven as they danced in perfect harmony to the whistle for an 88.25-point score, putting the Stampede ahead 176.75-88.25. In the bottom of the frame, Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) could not continue the momentum for the Freedom, brought down by Night Hawk (Logan Clancey/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) in a quick 3.41 seconds. After a scoreless third, three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) logged Nashville’s second consecutive buckoff when he was upended by Preachers Kid (K-C Bucking Bulls/RD Cattle) in 3.92 seconds. With the door open to even the score, Freedom first-round draft pick Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) climbed aboard Big Heart (Leffew Bucking Bulls) and delivered a qualified ride, marked 87.5 points, to put Oklahoma within a mere 0.75 points of the lead.

In the final frame of the game, with the score favoring the Stampede, 176.75-176, it came down to 2018 PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) for the Stampede and eight-time PBR World Finals qualifier Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) for the Freedom. Out first, Pacheco added to his team’s lead when he conquered Born To Sin (Logan Clancey/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 88 points. While Freedom coaching staff Cord McCoy and Kody Lostroh challenged the call, believing Pacheco slapped the bull, the qualified ride stood. Courtesy of the score, the Stampede pulled ahead by 88.75 points, 264.75-176. No stranger to delivering his team final-frame victories, Kolbaba readied for his crucial trip tied for the most walk-off rides with four. Paired with Problem Child (TCB Ranch/K-C Bucking Bulls), Kolbaba initially appeared to have made the whistle for a big ride score to win the game. However, Nashville Stampede Head Coach Justin McBride quickly challenged the call. Kolbaba was deemed to have made contact with the bull at a heartbreaking 7.83 seconds, resulting in no score, and delivering the upset win to the Nashville Stampede. Via the victory, the Nashville Stampede punched their ticket to Round 2 of the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship and will play the No. 1 Austin Gamblers on Saturday, November 5. The Oklahoma Freedom then readied to ride in the Last Chance Game in hopes of keeping their championship hopes alive.

No. 4 Carolina Cowboys Mount Late-Game Surge to Defeat No. 7 Kansas City Outlaws in Walk-Off Fashion and Advance to the Second Round of the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship

Carolina Cowboys: 175.5

Kansas City Outlaws: 88.25

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

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

LAS VEGAS – Reigning PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) delivered a clutch ride on the game’s final out, and the No. 3 Carolina Cowboys defeated the No. 7 Kansas City Outlaws by one ride score to punch their ticket to the second round of the first-ever PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Championship inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. After a scoreless first and second, both teams remained on the hunt for their first score with Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) on deck for the Outlaws and Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) up for the Cowboys. After Hevalow bucked off in the opening out of the frame, Campbell was awarded a re-ride following his trip with WSM’s Time In A Bottle (WSM’s Auctioneers/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger). Cowboys Head Coach Jerome Davis assigned the re-ride to WIngson Henrique da Silva (Navirai, Brazil) to be attempted prior to the start of the fifth. In the top of the penultimate round of outs, Rafael Henrique dos Santos (Sebastianopolis, Brazil) was unable to right the tide for Kansas City, brought down by Otis (M Rafter E/High View Cattle) in 4.21 seconds. Determined to strike first, the Cowboys’ Sandro Batista (Pedra Preta, Brazil) went to work against Cold Chill (D&H Cattle Co./Futrell). Fresh off his event win the day prior at the PBR Challenger Series Championship, Batista continued his momentum, reaching the whistle for a crucial 86.75 points.

Silva then had the chance to clinch the victory early for the Cowboys when he matched up with re-ride bull Mike’s Effect (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd/High Voltage Cattle) but was bested in a close 6.09 seconds, setting up a high-pressure fifth for both teams. In a must-ride position, Kansas City closer and reigning PBR Rookie of the Year Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri) remained poised as he settled in atop UTZ BesTex Solutions Red Clark (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Garrett Carey/Henry Wilson). Erupting from the chutes, Mitchell rose to the occasion for his team, conquering the powerful animal athlete for a much-needed 88.25 points to give Kansas City a 1.5-point lead. In the final do-or-die out of the game, reigning PBR World Champion and Carolina closer Swearingen faced a familiar opponent in Lone Survivor (Blake Sharp/CB & Traci Lee). During the 2022 PBR World Finals in May, Swearingen rode the bull for a commanding 91.5 points en route to claiming the season’s coveted gold buckle. Swearingen delivered his second score aboard Lone Survivor, marked a game-best 88.75 points to deliver the Carolina Cowboys the win by 87.25 points, 175.5-88.25. The Carolina Cowboys advanced to Round 2 of the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship where they will play the No. 3 Oklahoma Freedom, who advanced via the Last Chance Game, on Saturday, November 5. Keen to keep their bid for the first PBR Team Series Championship alive, the Outlaws returned to the locker room to refocus ahead of the Last Chance Game.

No. 5 Arizona Ridge Riders Narrowly Beat No. 6 Missouri Thunder to Advance to Second Round of Games in First PBR Team Series Championship

Arizona Ridge Riders: 88

Missouri Thunder: 87.75

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

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

LAS VEGAS – With the final direct berth to the second round of the inaugural PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Championship on the line, the No. 5 Arizona Ridge Riders narrowly persevered against the No. 6 Missouri Thunder Friday night, beating their Missouri rivals by a slim 0.25 points to remain in the hunt for the first team bull riding national title. Riding in the lead-off position, Adriano Salgado (Batatais, Brazil) was out first for the Thunder. Wasting no time, Salgado conquered Hurts So Good (David Wolfe) for 87.75 points to give the Thunder an early lead. In the bottom of the frame, the Ridge Riders were unable to respond as the team’s opener Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) was bested by Dagger (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) in 3.38 seconds. Keen to continue the team’s momentum, the Thunder’s Marcelo Procopio Pereira (Rinopolis, Brazil) was unable to convert on The Undertaker (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Riley Bucking Bulls/PCP Bucking Bulls), brought down in a quick 2.59 seconds. With the chance to overtake the lead in the bottom of the second, the Ridge Riders looked to Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil), matched up with High Country Hitman (High Country Solutions/JR Phillips). Aparecido was a picture of near perfection atop the powerful animal athlete, logging the team’s first qualified ride for 88 points. Compliments of the score, the Ridge Riders edged into the lead by a mere 0.25 points. The scoreboard then went unchanged through the third and fourth, setting up a high-pressure fifth. Riding in the top of the frame, Thunder closer Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) was in a must-ride position. Fritzlan, however, was unable to deliver for his team, dispatched by Ivy League (Jane Clark/Gene Owen) in 4.96 seconds, handing the victory to Arizona. While the Ridge Riders were unable to convert in their final out, with Luciano De Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil) deemed to have slapped Bullet Train (People’s Cattle) at the 3.43-second mark, their second-frame score proved enough to earn the team’s first postseason game win. The Ridge Riders advanced to the second round of the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship, scheduled to play the No. 2 Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat, while the Missouri Thunder looked to rebound and remain in the tournament via the Last Chance Game.

Oklahoma Freedom Rebound in Last Chance Game to Keep PBR Team Series Championship Hopes Alive

Oklahoma Freedom: 359.5

Missouri Thunder: 88.75

Kansas City Outlaws: 0

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

LAS VEGAS – In a must-ride situation in the first-ever Last Chance Game in the PBR Team Series, the Oklahoma Freedom exploded for four qualified rides, going a commanding 4-for-5 to defeat the Missouri Thunder, which put up only one ride, and the scoreless Kansas City Outlaws and advance to Round 2 of the league’s inaugural Championship event on Saturday, November 5. In the opening frame, the Missouri Thunder struck in the very first out as Adriano Salgado (Batatis, Brazil) became the first rider in 20 attempts in PBR competition to cover Brusta (Joe & Nina Webb/Julian/D&H Cattle Co.), marked 88.75 points. While the Kansas City Outlaws were unsuccessful, the Oklahoma Freedom asserted their dominance early with Trevor Kastner (Ardmore, Oklahoma) logging the first 90-point ride of the tournament, scored 91.5 points on Alakazam (D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle/Tommy Julian). At the conclusion of the first, the Freedom led by a mere 2.75 points. In the second, the Missouri Thunder and Kansas City Outlaws were blanked in the first two outs. The Freedom, however, continued to roll, delivering their second consecutive 90-point ride when Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) rode Fearful (LeFlore Bucking Bulls) for a mammoth 91.25 points. The score was the first in six attempts atop the powerful bovine athlete. As the unique three-way game approached the midpoint, the Freedom held an expanded 94-point lead. Keen to rebound, neither the Thunder nor Outlaws were able to reverse their fortunes in the third as Alvaro Alvarez Aguilar (La Punta Lagos Moreno Jal, Mexico) and Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri), respectively, were upended before the 8. In the bottom of the frame, the Freedom’s momentum continued to roll as Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) rode Uncle Gangster (Pick-It Hammers) for 87.25 points. Not only did the score increase Oklahoma’s lead to 181.25 points ahead of Missouri, but it also eliminated the Kansas City Outlaws from playoff contention, putting them three scores behind with only two riders remaining. Down by two scores, the Thunder were in a must-ride position in the fourth. In the crucial out, first-round draft pick Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) was tasked with Malaki (Jenkins Cattle Co./CIL Cattle). While Fritzlan was initially deemed to have reached the 8, after official review, he was determined to have lost contact with the rope at a heart-breaking 7.92 seconds, cementing the victory for Oklahoma. With the win in hand, the Freedom concluded the game having gone a torrid 4-for-5 as first round draft pick Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) conquered Homer (JR Phillips) for 89.5 points. When the dust settled, the Freedom won the Last Chance Game 359.5-88.75-0 against the Thunder and Outlaws, who are now eliminated from the PBR Team Series Championship. The Oklahoma Freedom will continue their quest for the title of PBR Team Series Champion on Saturday, November 5, when they play the No. 4 Carolina Cowboys.