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Texas Rattlers Dominate Inaugural PBR Team Series Homestand Going a Perfect 3-0 to Win Second Consecutive League Event

Oklahoma Freedom overtake No. 1 rank in the league by defeating Carolina Cowboys on Championship Sunday inside Dickies Arena

FORT WORTH, Texas – The Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat, dominated their inaugural PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series homestand in Fort Worth, Texas, at Dickies Arena, going a perfect 3-0 in game play and delivering a monstrous 90-point ride in the Bonus Round to win their second straight event, crowned PBR Rattler Days Champions.

 

The Texas Rattlers are now the third team to win multiple PBR Team Series events, joining the Austin Gamblers and Oklahoma Freedom, and second to win their homestand. The Rattlers are also amid a seven-game win streak. Should they win their opening game next weekend in Glendale, Arizona, they would tie the league record for most consecutive wins held by both Austin and Oklahoma.

 

When PBR Rattler Days got underway Friday evening, the Texas Rattlers squared off with the Oklahoma Freedom in bull riding’s version of the Red River Showdown. Courtesy of scores from first-round draft pick Cody Jesus, annual World Champion contender Joao Ricardo Vieira, and Texas’ own Daniel Keeping, Texas thrashed Oklahoma in a commanding 258.25-0 victory.

 

Riding an undeniable wave of momentum, the Rattlers returned to Dickies Arena Saturday evening ready to take on the league No. 1 Carolina Cowboys.

 

After the teams exchanged scores in the first and second frames, with Cooper Davis covering for the Cowboys and Vieira for the Rattlers, a scoreless third set up a high stakes end to the game. In the fourth, Sandro Batista put the Cowboys ahead by 84 points via his first qualified ride for Carolina. Despite a Texas buckoff to conclude the frame, Mason Taylor was unable to cement the win early for Carolina in the top of the fifth when he hit the dirt short of the 8.

 

Keeping then found himself in a must-ride position as he climbed aboard Theodore. Matching the powerful animal athlete jump-for-jump, Keeping logged his fourth consecutive ride in Team Series competition, marked 89.75 points, winning the game for Texas by 5.75 points, 177.25-171.5.

 

The Rattlers advanced to Championship Sunday as one of three teams with a perfect 2-0 record, joined by the Kansas City Outlaws and Austin Gamblers.

 

In a battle for Texas, the Rattlers went toe-to-toe with the Gamblers. Leading the entire game compliments of a first-frame score from Vieira, the Rattlers out-rode the Gamblers, remaining perfect at their homestand with a 178.25-88.5 victory.

 

As the Bonus Round got underway, the Texas Rattlers were tied for the event lead alongside the Kansas City Outlaws.

 

In the crucial tie-break scenario to win the event, Rattlers Head Coach Cody Lambert matched Keeping with Blue Duck, while the Kansas City Outlaws’ leader J.W. Hart matched Marcus Mast with World Champion Bull Woopaa with the first selection in the bull draft.

 

As the final two outs of the event, Keeping was up first against Blue Duck. Bringing the crowd to a deafening roar, Keeping reached the requisite 8 for a career-best 92.5 points.

 

While Mast began his out atop Woopaa centered, he was ultimately upended at the 6.82-second mark, clinching the win for the Rattlers.

 

Keeping’s score was the second-best of the Bonus Round, trailing only the 93.25-point ride put up by the Gamblers’ Dalton Kasel, garnering the Rattlers a crucial 7 bonus points.

 

Both Keeping (4-for-4) and Vieira (3-for-3) were perfect at Rattler Days, with Keeping having covered his last six bulls in Team Series competition. 

 

After beginning their homestand ranked No. 6 in the PBR Team Series, the Texas Rattlers climbed one position to No. 5 heading into the final event of the regular season in Glendale, Arizona. They are now 13-12 having amassed a combined 40 bonus points.

Following PBR Rattler Days there is a new No.1-ranked team in the league – the Oklahoma Freedom.

 

After going 1-1 through the opening two days of the event, the then No. 2 Freedom played the then No. 1 Carolina Cowboys on Championship Sunday. As the Cowboys went 0-2 in the first two days of games, both teams entered the game with a matching 14-10 record.

 

Trailing the entire game, after Carolina’s Cooper Davis delivered a monstrous 91.75-point ride in the top of the first, the Freedom roared back with a vengeance in the fifth, delivering back-to-back rides from Kolbaba and Reiste in a re-ride to beat Carolina 176.25-91.75.

The win allowed Oklahoma to dethrone Carolina for the No. 1 position in the league standings as they improved to 15-10 while the Cowboys slipped to 14-11.

 

Finishing 2-1 in game play and earning 1 bonus point, the Freedom concluded PBR Rattler Days fourth overall.

The PBR Team Series will next travel to Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, for the final regular season event for the 2022 PBR Team Series. The Arizona Ridge Riders will host Ridge Rider Days Oct. 14-16. The event will be on Friday, August 14 at 7:45 p.m. MT, Saturday, October 15 at 6:45 p.m. MT and Sunday, October 16 at 1:45 p.m. MT.

 

The game matchups for the opening night of competition in Glendale on October 14 are:

 

Texas Rattlers @ Carolina Cowboys

Kansas City Outlaws @ Nashville Stampede

Austin Gamblers @ Missouri Thunder

Oklahoma Freedom @ Arizona Ridge Riders

 

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Team Series action from Fort Worth. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule. For a behind-the-scenes look at the creation and launch of the new league, tune in to PBR Team Series: Getting the Job Done, presented by ZipRecruiter, Thursdays on PBR RidePass on Pluto TV at 8:30 p.m. ET. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule. 

SCORE BULLETINS

 

Kansas City Outlaws Go a Perfect 3-0 at PBR Team Series Event in Fort Worth, Texas by Defeating Missouri Thunder in a Battle for the Show Me State on Championship Sunday

 

Kansas City Outlaws: 170

Missouri Thunder: 90.75

 

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

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

 

FORTH WORTH, Texas – The Kansas City Outlaws remained electric on Championship Sunday in the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series event in Fort Worth, Texas, wining the Battle for the Show Me State as they defeated the rival Missouri Thunder 170-90.75 following a clutch, fifth-frame ride. The win – the team’s fourth in a row – also improved the Outlaws to an undefeated 3-0 at PBR Rattler Days. Following a scoreless first and second, the Outlaws were first to convert in the top of the third. Tasked with Chief (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd), Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) showed up and showed out for Kansas City, conquering the powerful animal athlete for a much-needed 85.25 points. In the bottom of the frame, Marcelo Procopio Pereira (Rinopolis, Brazil) was hopeful to answer quickly for the Thunder but was sent to the dirt in a quick 3.09 seconds. In the fourth, Kansas City looked to go two bulls ahead as Head Coach J.W. Hart matched newly inked Outlaw Leonardo Lima (Vale do Paraiso, Brazil) with Cold Creek (Young Cattle Co./Rocking A/Crooked Crown). Lima remained centered aboard the bull before being bucked off, but a clock malfunction left the fate of the ride uncertain. After official review, Lima was deemed to have hit the ground in a heart-breaking 7.39 seconds. In the bottom of the penultimate round of rides, the Thunder looked to 2012 PRCA champion Cody Teel (College Station, Texas) to put the team’s first points on the board. Teel proved no match for Mule Train (Martinez/Porter Cattle Co.), whipped to the ground in a swift 2.2 seconds. Via the buckoff, reigning PBR Rookie of the Year Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri) had the chance to clinch the victory early for his team. Proving to be one of the Outlaws’ most consistent competitors, closer Mitchell climbed atop Homegrown (Chad Reese) having gone 2-for-2 thus far at PBR Rattler Days. Mitchell burst from the chutes aboard the animal athlete, and while some celebrated what appeared to be a qualified ride, the in-arena clock read a 7.93-second buckoff. The officials immediately reviewed the out, quickly determining Mitchell reached the requisite 8 and marked a game-winning 84.75 points to keep his perfect record in Cowtown intact. Hopeful to prevent a scoreless defeat for the second straight game, Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) readied atop Bread Basket (TNT Bucking Bulls). Unable to get out of the chutes, the Thunder were awarded a re-ride, tasked to surging Aussie Luke Parkinson (Denman, New South Wales, Australia) by co-Head Coaches Luke Snyder and Ross Coleman. Fresh off his career-first event win just days prior on the Challenger Series in Columbus, Ohio, Parkinson was poised as he prepared to square off with Whiplash (Blake Sharp/Floyd Lower/CB & Traci Lee). Answering the call for his team, Parkinson reached the whistle for a monstrous, and career-best, 90.75 points. The score was Parkinson’s first 90-point ride and first score for the Thunder in his four attempts on record. When the dust settled, the final scoreboard read a 170-90.75 Kansas City victory. The win allowed the Outlaws to conclude Rattlers Days with a perfect 3-0 record and improve to 12-13 on the season. The Missouri Thunder slipped to 1-2 at the Team Series event in Fort Worth and 12-13 to date in 2022 competition.

 

Oklahoma Freedom Overtake League No. 1 Rank with Walk-Off Victory Against Carolina Cowboys on Final Day of PBR Team Series Competition in Fort Worth, Texas

 

Oklahoma Freedom: 176.25

Carolina Cowboys: 91.75

 

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

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

 

FORTH WORTH, Texas – The Oklahoma Freedom overtook the No. 1 rank in the league standings for the first time in the team’s history Sunday afternoon, dethroning the now No. 2 Carolina Cowboys when they rode their final two bulls to defeat the contingent 176.25-91.75 on Championship Sunday at PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series competition in Fort Worth, Texas. In a battle of titans, the Carolina Cowboys converted in their first out as 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) dominated Pickle Moonshine (Shuler Bucking Bulls) for a commanding 91.75 points. Hopeful to answer in the bottom of the frame, Freedom Captain Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) was bested in a close 6.26 seconds by Medicine Man (TNT Bucking Bulls), resulting in no score for Oklahoma. The scoreboard remained unchanged in the second as newcomers to both teams, Carolina’s Sandro Batista (Pedra Preta, Brazil) and Oklahoma’s Tate Pollmeier (Fort Scott, Kansas), failed to convert. In the top of the third, 2020 PBR Rookie of the Year Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) was positioned to put Carolina two bulls ahead aboard War Dress (Jane Clark/Gene Owen), but he couldn’t get the job done, tossed to the ground in a quick 3.4 seconds. Opening the door for the Freedom, Trevor Reiste (Linden, Iowa) was initially tasked with EL Cid (Rockin R Bucking Bulls/Jim & Shannon Barr); however, a foul in the chutes when the gates initially opened was found when the out was reviewed by officials, giving the Freedom a valued re-ride attempt. Following a scoreless fourth, a high-pressure final frame was architected, which would determine whether Carolina or Oklahoma would conclude PBR Rattler Days as the No. 1 team in the league, going head-to-head with matching 14-10 records. Carolina had one out remaining, however the Freedom had two, including the pending re-ride. With the chance to force Oklahoma into a must-ride position in both outs, reigning PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) climbed atop a familiar opponent in WSM’s Nasty Wishes (WSM Auctioneers/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger). Swearingen had attempted the bull three prior times, earning a score in each matchup, including for 91.25 points during the 2022 Unleash The Beast season in Los Angeles. Swearingen was unable to replicate his past successes, bucked off in an uncharacteristic 5.11 seconds, setting up Oklahoma for two chances at a walk-off win scenario. First up for the Freedom was closer Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) on Safety Meeting (Hruuby/Kainz/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger). Another familiar showdown, Kolbaba had attempted the bull three times prior, making the whistle only once. Evening the score with the powerful animal athlete, Kolbaba reached the requisite 8 for 89.25 points as the crowd went wild. Via the score, the Freedom pulled within 2.5 points of the lead. Out last for the team was Reiste atop re-ride draw Marciano (Hookin’ W Ranch). Reiste was collected, remaining centered aboard the bull to turn in the team’s second score for 87 points, clinching the game win and propelling the Freedom to No. 1 in the PBR Team Series standings. The Oklahoma Freedom concluded PBR Rattlers Days with a 2-1 record in game play and improved to 15-10 on the season. The Carolina Cowboys were blanked, going 0-3 in Fort Worth and backsliding to 14-11 in 2022 competition.

 

Arizona Ridge Riders Conclude PBR Team Series Competition in Fort Worth, Texas, with Victory Against the Nashville Stampede

 

Arizona Ridge Riders: 176.5

Nashville Stampede: 83.5

 

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

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

 

FORTH WORTH, Texas – On Championship Sunday in PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series competition in Fort Worth, Texas, the Arizona Ridge Riders and Nashville Stampede went head-to-head, both chasing their first game win at PBR Rattler Days. Courtesy of back-to-back scores to begin the game, the Ridge Riders defeated the Stampede by one bull, 176.5-83.5. The game was showcased by an electric first frame. Riding in the lead-off position for the Stampede, 2018 PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil), set an early tone for Nashville when he rode Lil 2 Train (Jane Clark/Gene Owen) for 83.5 points. The team’s lead was brief. In the bottom of the first, first-round draft pick Luciano De Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil) gave the Ridge Riders a 3.5-point lead when he covered Body Count (Bob & Jeri Adams/BS Cattle Co.) for 3.5 points. Keen to keep the Stampede’s momentum rolling, young gun Thiago Salgado (Navirai, Brazil) settled in atop Hundred Bad Days (TNT Bucking Bulls). Salgado had a bad day of his own, bested in 5.73 seconds and unable to put his team back atop the leaderboard. Capitalizing on Nashville’s stumble, Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) increased Arizona’s lead to 93 points when he rode Cold Shot (Jeb Fredericks/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 89.5 points. After the scoreboard went unchanged through the third and fourth, three-time PBR World Champion and Stampede closer Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) was in a must-ride position for his team in the top of the fifth. Matched with Prime Tested (Blake Sharp/Travis Austin/Koe Wetzel) by Head Coach Justin McBride, Alves needed a score of 93.25 points or more to keep Nashville’s hopes of victory alive. Alves, however, couldn’t convert, bested in 6.76 seconds to hand Arizona the win. Arizona’s closer Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) was unable to find success atop Bamboozle (Platinum Bull Company), sent to the dirt in 5.3 seconds, resulting in a 176.5-83.5 Ridge Rider victory. Courtesy of the win, Arizona improved to 1-2 at PBR Rattler Days and 13-11 during the 2022 season. The Stampede finished PBR Rattler Days 0-3 and backslid to 5-19-1 on the season.

 

Texas Rattlers Complete Perfect Sweep of Inaugural PBR Team Series Homestand in Fort Worth by Defeating Lone Star State Rival Austin Gamblers

 

Texas Rattlers: 178.25

Austin Gamblers: 88.5

 

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

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

 

FORTH WORTH, Texas – The Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat, completed a perfect sweep of their inaugural PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series homestand in Fort Worth, Texas, defeating their Lone Star State rival Austin Gamblers by one ride score, 178.25-88.5. In the first, after watching Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas) buck off Crazy Party (BS Cattle Co.), the Rattlers struck in the bottom of the frame, going up by 89 points when Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) dominated Top Shelf (P. Ro Ranch/OK Corralis/Gordon/D&H Cattle). The score was Vieira’s third in four attempts atop the bull, and it also improved him to a perfect 3-0 at PBR Rattler Days. The scoreboard went unchanged through the second, third and fourth as both teams were blanked. As a result, Gamblers’ closer and two-time PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) was in a must-ride position in the top of the fifth. Leme remained centered atop Theodore (Lari Crane/Gene Owen), reaching the requisite 8 as his team began to celebrate. The effort, however, was awarded just 88.5 points, not enough to keep his team in the hunt for the game win. With the game win in hand, Rattlers’ closer Daniel Keeping (Gorman, Texas) burst from the chutes atop Smooth Over It (Lazy S4 Cattle/Shuler/Samford). Putting the cherry on top of the sundae, Keeping earned his third score of the team’s homestand, reaching the whistle for a game-best 89.25 points. Winning the Battle for Texas 178.25-88.5, for the second consecutive weekend, the Texas Rattlers concluded game play having gone a perfect 3-0. The win also improved the team to 13-12 on the season. The Austin Gamblers finished PBR Rattler Days 2-1 and are now 13-12 in 2022 PBR Team Series competition.

FORT WORTH TEAM STANDINGS:

Here are the final Team standings for the Fort Worth PBR Team Series event:

 

  1. Texas Rattlers, 3-0-0-7
  2. Kansas City Outlaws, 3-0-0-5
  3. Austin Gamblers, 2-1-0-8
  4. Oklahoma Freedom, 2-1-0-1
  5. Missouri Thunder, 1-2-0-4
  6. Arizona Ridge Riders, 1-2-0-2.5
  7. Carolina Cowboys, 0-3-0-6
  8. Nashville Stampede, 0-3-0-2.5

 

PBR TEAM SERIES SEASON STANDINGS:

Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the conclusion of competition for PBR Rattler Days in Fort Worth, Texas:

 

  1. Oklahoma Freedom, 15-10-0-36
  2. Carolina Cowboys, 14-11-0-65
  3. Arizona Ridge Riders, 13-11-1-28.5
  4. Austin Gamblers, 13-12-0-57.5
  5. Texas Rattlers, 13-12-0-40
  6. Missouri Thunder, 12-13-0-37
  7. Kansas City Outlaws, 12-13-0-31.5
  8. Nashville Stampede, 5-19-1-28.5

About the Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat:

Under the leadership of General Manager, Mark George, the Texas Rattlers, coached by PBR co-founder Cody Lambert, are owned by the Fisher Family, founders of Gap Inc., one of the founding team owners for the launch of the PBR Team Series. Their team is based in Fort Worth, Texas, competing at Dickies Arena for their inaugural Rattlers Days homestand on October 7-9, the 9th event of the league’s 10-event 2022 PBR Team Series regular season. For decades, the Fisher Family have made investments in footwear and apparel, real estate, and timberland and forest products, and education and sports, including ownership of the Oakland Athletics and San Jose Earthquakes. Through its Ariat brand, the official boot of PBR, the Fisher family have been longtime supporters of PBR. The family is actively involved with a number of philanthropic causes, including SFMOMA, The KIPP Foundation, and UCSF.

About the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series:

The PBR Team Series is an elite new league that features the world’s top bull riders competing on teams in five-on-five bull riding games during an 11-event season beginning in July and culminating in a team championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas November 4-6.  During the 2022 season, each of the eight teams representing teams in Austin, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Glendale, AZ; Kansas City, MO; Nashville, TN; Oklahoma City, OK; Ridgedale, MO; and Winston-Salem, NC will host a three-day homestand.  There will also be neutral site games in Cheyenne, WY and Anaheim, CA. To determine team rosters, the league held a rider draft on May 23 prior to start of the 2022 season among any bull riders who have declared for the draft during a league eligibility window. The PBR Team Series builds on the existing structure of professional bull riding with the same basic rules for judging and scoring qualified 8-second bull rides. Events will be staged in a tournament-style format with all teams competing in head-to-head matchups against a different opponent each day. Each game will feature five riders per team squaring off against another team. Full team rosters will be comprised of seven riders on the core roster and three practice squad members. The team with the highest aggregate score of qualified rides among its riders will be declared the winner of each game. The event winner will be the team with the most game wins across an event, with a special bonus round designed as a tie-breaker to determine final event standings. All PBR Team Series events will be carried on either the CBS Television Network, streaming live on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, or RidePass on PlutoTV.