(PBR release)
PUEBLO, Colo. – After leading Team Brazil to PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Global Cup glory at the two most recent editions of the event, 2010 World Champion Renato Nunes will return as head coach for the South American contingent at the 2020 WinStar World Casino and Resort PBR Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy, joined by 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi (assistant coach).
The PBR Global Cup, the only nation vs. nation bull riding competition, will make its fourth stop at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 15-16, 2020. The new team tournament debuted in Edmonton, Alberta, in November 2017, visited Sydney, Australia, in June 2018, and most recently stopped in Arlington this past February.
While Nunes and Marchi will lead a smaller contingent of riders, six cowboys and an alternate – a previously revealed competitive change for the 2020 edition of the event in Arlington – PBR has also announced that Global Cup coaches will now have full selection power over their rosters.
Nunes has established Brazil as a dominant force at the Global Cup since first assuming leadership of the team in Sydney for the 2018 installment of the five-nation event. After outlasting a persistent Team Australia in their home nation, beating them by 0.75 points to win the nation’s first Global Cup title, Nunes led Team Brazil to victory in the United States, beating the Team USA Eagles by 72.25 points and the Team USA Wolves by 248 points.
Inside AT&T Stadium in February 2019, Nunes architected the match-up in the bonus round between Jose Vitor Leme and Frequent Flyer, which resulted in the first-ever 90-point ride at a Global Cup.
After riding for his home nation at both the inaugural Global Cup in Edmonton, and competing as an alternate in Sydney, Marchi will make his debut in a coaching capacity at a Global Cup as the assistant coach.
Regarded as one of bull riding’s most admired sportsmen, the recently-retired Marchi leads the league in most career qualified rides on the premier series (635). “Mr. 600,” leads the No.2-ranked riders in the category by more than 100 8-second efforts, with 2004 World Champion Mike Lee and two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney, tied for second-place with 525 recorded rides.
During his 15-year professional career, Marchi qualified for the PBR World Finals in as many seasons, consecutively appearing at the most prestigious event in bull riding from 2004-2018. He won 25 premier series event titles, including the PBR World Finals in 2005. In addition to winning the World Championship in 2008, Marchi came heartbreakingly close to becoming a multi-time World Champion, finishing runner-up in the world standings four times (2005-2007, 2012).
While the 2020 PBR Global Cup USA marks the first event Nunes and Marchi will have coached side-by-side, they are no strangers to being teammates. At the four editions of the PBR World Cup from 2007-2010, both Nunes and Marchi rode for Team Brazil at every edition of the tournament, helping Brazil march to victory in 2007 and 2010. The two were the nation’s top performing riders at the final edition of the event; Marchi was the top-scoring rider, followed by Nunes in second.
The coaching contingent for Team Brazil is the first of the six competing teams to be revealed. The remaining head coach and assistant coach pairings will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for the 2020 WinStar World Casino and Resort PBR Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy are on sale now and start at just $10. They can be purchased at the AT&T Stadium Box Office, online at ATTStadium.com or SeatGeek.com, or via the phone at (800) 732-1727.
For more information on the event, including premium experience and elite seats offerings, visit PBR.com/GlobalCup.
