(Editor's note: Professional Bull Riders release.)
BILLINGS — With the top two riders in the Professional Bull Riders world title race heading into championship Sunday without a qualified ride in the previous two rounds, veteran rider Eduardo Aparecido of Gouvelandia, Brazil, stepped up to win the Unleash The Beast Billings event by going 3 for 4 across the weekend.
Aparecido spoiled Wyatt Rogers’ bid for his first career elite series win. Rogers had been a perfect 3 for 3 going into the championship round and seeded first in the short go but couldn’t convert for the win.
Aparecido trails world leader Cassio Dias by 525.33 points with three events remaining before the 2024 PBR World Finals, beginning May 9 in Fort Worth, Texas.
As the clock ticks down on the 2024 season, the top riders in the world had a rough weekend in Billings, while the now No. 4-ranked Dalton Kasel sat out to rest from aggravated pre-existing injuries.
Now sitting 610.5 points behind world leader Dias, John Crimber slid to the No. 3 spot in the standings courtesy of Aparecido’s win and frustrating buckoffs on Friday and Saturday night. Crimber’s ankle was stepped on in his Round 2 buckoff and he was out of action on Sunday.
Dias, who earned his sixth event victory of the season last weekend in Sioux Falls, S.D., had equal trouble as the weekend began, coming down hard short of the whistle in both Rounds 1 and 2.
On Sunday, Dias sought redemption. Paired with Woody, the world leader recorded a solid 88.25-point score to proceed into the final round, but he again faltered, coming down hard at 1.67 seconds, landing him in 11th place overall for the weekend.
On Sunday in Round 3, Aparecido was dispatched by Cy Young in 5.67 seconds — his only buckoff of the weekend.
Heading into the championship round, Aparecido received 89.25 points, securing the No. 1 spot. Aparecido’s fate then rested on the final out of the weekend: Rogers’ matchup with Dark Thoughts. However, Rogers was bucked off at 5.67 seconds, securing the win for Aparecido.
The veteran rider left Montana with a check for $58,033.14 and the No. 2 spot.
Rogers did nab second place for the weekend, moving from No. 37 to No. 26 after his 3 for 4 weekend and down-to-the-wire loss to Aparecido.
Paulo Eduardo Rossetto claimed third place in Billings after going 2 for 4.
Alex Cerqueira kept the 2-for-4 streak going for a fourth-place finish. Leonardo Castro rounded out the Top 5.
Wrangler PBR Billings
First Interstate Arena at MetraPark
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Eduardo Aparecido, 88.5-85.25-0-89.25-263.00-171 Points.
2. Wyatt Rogers, 83.75-84.25-85.75-0-253.75-105 Points.
3. Paulo Eduardo Rossetto, 88.25-0-88-0-176.25-81 Points.
4. Alex Cerqueira, 0-87.25-86-0-173.25-60 Points.
5. Leonardo Castro, 83.5-0-85.25-0-168.75-49 Points.
6. Cort McFadden, 0-83.25-84.5-0-167.75-41 Points.
7. Ednélio Almeida, 0-82.5-85-0-167.50-34 Points.
8. Callum Miller, 0-78.75-87.5-0-166.25-32.5 Points.
9. Brady Fielder, 84.25-73-0-0-157.25-21 Points.
10. Thiago Salgado, 0-89.25-0-0-89.25-31 Points.
11. Cassio Dias, 0-0-88.25-0-88.25-30 Points.
12. Boudreaux Campbell, 0-0-87.5-0-87.50-16.5 Points.
13. Andrew Alvidrez, 86.75-0-0-0-86.75-17 Points.
14. Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-86.5-0-0-86.50-17 Points.
15. Sage Steele Kimzey, 0-85.75-0-0-85.75-16 Points.
16. Conner Halverson, 84-0-0-0-84.00-15 Points.
17. Daylon Swearingen, 0-83.75-0-0-83.75-13 Points.
18. José de Castro, 0-83-0-0-83.00-11 Points.
John Crimber, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Alan de Souza, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Koltin Hevalow, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Kaique Pacheco, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Julio Cesar Marques, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Kaiden Loud, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Felipe Furlan, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Vitor Losnake, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Bob Mitchell, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Marco Rizzo, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Luciano De Castro, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Eli Vastbinder, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Dawson Branton, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Daniel Keeping, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Ben Bode, 0-0-0-0-0.00
Alvaro Ariel, 0-0-0-0-0.00
