(Editor's note: PBR media release)
As action got underway for the first-ever PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday evening, the historically fierce 2022 PBR World Championship Race further intensified. Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) delivered a monster 90-point ride to reclaim the world No. 1 rank, surging past now-No. 2 Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York).
As the penultimate man to leave the chutes inside Dickies Arena, Vieira was poised as he readied to climb aboard the then-unridden Flapjack (Parker/OK Corralis/Gordon/D&H Cattle).
Matching the powerful animal athlete jump-for-jump, Vieira reached the requisite 8 as the electric crowd began to erupt in cheer. His monstrous 90.25-point score was announced in arena as his signature smile spread across Vieira’s face.
The 90-point ride earned Vieira a second-place finish in the opening round of competition for the 2022 PBR World Finals, netting him $15,000 and 45 world points.
Vieira now leads No. 2 Swearingen by 36.01 points.
Should Vieira earn his first gold buckle at season’s end, he would become the oldest PBR World Champion in history. Currently 37, Vieira would surpass Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil), who won his third title in 2006 at age 36.
Swearingen was unsuccessful in Round 1. After earning a re-ride, the New York native was unable to replicate his past success atop Lil 2 Train (Jane Clark/Gene Owen), sent to the ground in a hard-fought 5.22 seconds.
Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) returned from injury successfully in the Lone Star State.
After missing the last regular season Unleash The Beast event in Billings, Montana, due to a groin injury, Leme was back to his winning ways in Round 1 of the 2022 PBR World Finals, covering Mr. Personality (Southern Cross Bucking Bulls) for 85.75 points.
The qualified ride, which tied for the ninth-best of Round 1, earned him 16.33 world points. He is now within 280.67 points of the No. 1 rank.
Should Leme once again be crowned the PBR World Champion in 2022, the stoic Brazilian would become the first rider in history to claim the honor in three consecutive seasons and just the third three-time PBR World Champion.
Looking elsewhere among those riders that entered the 2022 PBR World Finals inside the Top 15, 2019 PBR Rookie of the Year Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) and Mason Taylor (Maypearl, Texas) tied for second alongside Vieira to gain notable ground in the world title race and each earn a check for $15,000.
Delivering matching 90.25-point rides, Kasel covered Tulsa Time (Cord McCoy/Provantage Animal Health) while Taylor converted aboard re-ride draw Crossover (Shuler Bucking Bulls), each collecting 45 points.
Kasel rose from No. 8 to No. 5, inching within 290 points of No. 1 Vieira. Taylor improved from No. 13 to No. 11, now 453 points back of the top rank.
Reigning PBR Rookie of the Year Eli Vastbinder retained his world No. 10 rank after finishing eighth in Round 1.
Vastbinder covered Chief (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd) for 87.5 points to earn 24 world points. Entering Round 2, Vastbinder is within 431.34 points of the top position.
Brady Oleson (Blackfoot, Idaho) delivered the high-marked ride of his career to win Round 1 of his first-ever PBR World Finals, netting 89 world points and $35,000.
“There’s not a lot of words to describe how I feel,” Oleson said from the dirt. “This is stuff I dreamed of since I was a kid and a pretty special moment.”
In perfect time with Alakazam (D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle/Tommy Julian), Oleson reached the whistle for a commanding 91.25 points.
Oleson rose eight positions in the world standings, climbing from No. 33 to No. 25.
Rounding out the Top 5 in Round 1 in fifth was Navajo sensation Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona).
Jesus bested Short Circuit (McWhorter/D&H Page) for an 89-point ride score, earning 36 world points.
He is now No. 21 in the world, up five positions from No. 26 when the event began.
Round 1 of the 2022 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast also included an ABBI (American Bucking Bull Inc.) Classic competition, with the top 3- and 4-year-old bulls going head-to-head for their share of a $45,000 purse.
Blue Duck (Cord McCoy/Grin Jacobson/Davis Rodeo Ranch) currently holds the No. 1 spot with 91.2 points after dispatching Taylor, who was subsequently awarded a re-ride. War Department (Rockin T Ranch) sits second with an 89.2-point performance, while Tulsa Time is in third with 89.04 points. Tchoupitoulas (Heavy Hitters/Twisted T Livestock) posted 88.96 points to land fourth place, and current No. 1 bovine in the ABBI Classic standings Cool Whip (Julian/Staci Addison/D&H/Crooked W) rounded out the Top 5 in fifth with 88.8 points.
Up to 15 ABBI Classic bulls will be invited back to buck during Round 5 of the PBR Finals next Friday, May 20.
The 2022 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast continues with Round 2 on Saturday, May 14 at 6:45 p.m. CDT.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of every PBR Unleash The Beast event. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv [pluto.tv]. Tune to channel 720 for the latest programming schedule.
Stay tuned to PBR.com for the latest news and results and be sure to follow the league on all social media platforms at @PBR.
PBR Unleash The BeastPBR World Finals: Unleash The BeastDickies Arena – Fort Worth, Texas Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Round 4-Round 5-Round 6-Round 7-Round 8-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Brady Oleson, 91.25-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-91.25-89 Points.
2. João Ricardo Vieira, 90.25-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-90.25-45 Points.
(tie). Dalton Kasel, 90.25-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-90.25-45 Points.
(tie). Mason Taylor, 90.25-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-90.25-45 Points.
5. Cody Jesus, 89-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-89.00-36 Points.
6. Josh Frost, 88.75-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-88.75-32 Points.
7. Ezekiel Mitchell, 88.5-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-88.50-28 Points.
8. Eli Vastbinder, 87.5-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-87.50-24 Points.
9. Jose Vitor Leme, 85.75-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-85.75-16.33 Points.
(tie). Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 85.75-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-85.75-16.33 Points.
(tie). Andrew Alvidrez, 85.75-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-85.75-16.33 Points.
12. Brady Fielder, 84.25-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-84.25-12 Points.
Daylon Swearingen, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Kaique Pacheco, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Luciano De Castro, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Austin Richardson, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Chase Dougherty, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Dener Barbosa, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Eduardo Aparecido, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Manoelito de Souza Junior, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Bob Mitchell, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Ramon de Lima, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Clayton Sellars, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Rafael Henrique dos Santos, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Dakota Louis, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Cody Teel, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Matt Triplett, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
João Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Marco Eguchi, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Alex Marcilio, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Brandon Davis, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Casey Coulter, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Ednei Caminhas, 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.00
