(Editor's note: PBR media release)
OCALA, Fla. (January 17, 2021) – As the season-launch PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast: American Roots Edition event in Ocala, Florida, came to a climactic finish Sunday afternoon, two winners were crowned as the race for the 2021 PBR World Championship got off to a feverish start.
Surging Brazilian Junior Patrik Souza (Sonora, Brazil) delivered a perfect 2-for-2 performance, and won the second competition for the premier series tour stop, while Mauricio Moreira (Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil) was crowned the PBR Monster Energy Invitational event champion, his career-first win on the league’s elite tour.
In 2021, PBR instituted an event format change. For each multi-day tour stop, each day constitutes a competition. Each competition is comprised of a 30-rider Round 1, followed by a championship round of the Top 12, and awards both world points and prize money. The event winner, who receives a $10,000 bonus and Montana Silversmiths buckle, is the rider – Moreira this weekend – who earns the most world points across all of the weekend’s competitions.
Souza was a last-minute addition to the draw for the PBR Monster Energy Invitational, joining the field of world-class bull riders after two positions were vacated by two-time PBR World Champion Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) and 2020 PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (RIbas do Rio Pardo, Brazil). Both champs were injured in the opening competition and unable to compete Sunday afternoon.
Seizing the moment, 27-year-old Souza who had flown into Florida on Sunday began his march to the competition win later in the day in Round 1 when he made the 8 aboard Slingin Tears (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson/Caveman Bucking Bulls) for 86 points.
Souza then clinched the competition victory in the championship round, when he remained perfect and covered Homegrown (Cord McCoy/Chad Reese) for a career-high 88.25 points.
Earning 109 world points and $9,083.33, Souza is now ranked a career-high No. 2 in the world standings, 6.5 points behind No. 1 Moreira.
Moreira was crowned the PBR Monster Energy Invitational Champion compliments of his victory in the tour stop’s opening competition.
His perfect performance on Saturday included an 86.75-point ride on The Kickin’ Chicken (Diamond M Bucking Bulls) in Round 1, and a championship round winning, 89.75-point score aboard Big Black (K-C Bucking Bulls/Joe & Nina Webb).
Including his $10,000 event champion bonus, Moreira earned a paycheck for $23,150 and a critical 130 world points. He now leads the world standings for the first time in his young career ahead of next weekend’s PBR Unleash The Beast: American Roots Edition’s Arcadia Invitational in Arcadia, Florida on January 23-24.
Three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) was second in Sunday afternoon’s competition, earning 70 world points and $5,233.33.
Alongside Souza, Alves was the only other rider to go a perfect 2-for-2 in the event-ending competition at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion.
The veteran Brazilian first covered Hammered Down (Davis Rodeo Ranch/D&H Cattle) for 84.5 points in Round 1, before going the distance on Mr. Majestic (Cord McCoy/Bruce Wold/HR Bulls) for 86.25 points in the championship round.
Alves left the Sunshine State tied for the world No. 5 ranking, 60 points removed from the top spot as he seeks his record-setting fourth PBR World Championship in 2021.
On the heels of a career-defining performance at the 2020 PBR World Finals, 2018 PBR Rookie of the Year Keyshawn Whitehorse (McCracken Springs, Utah) continued his momentum, once again going for 90 to finish third in the second competition of the Unleash The Beast event.
After bucking off Millennium’s Buck (Torres Brothers Bucking Bulls LLC) in 6.68 seconds in Round 1, Whitehorse’s hopes of victory were renewed as he advanced to the final round on time after just 11 qualified rides were recorded.
Making the most of his second chance, Whitehorse delivered the first 90-point ride of the 2021 premier series season, and fourth of his career, scored 90 points as he reached the requisite 8 on Preachers Kid (K-C Bucking Bulls/RD Cattle).
Cole Melancon (Paris, Texas) finished fourth in the second competition of the new season, headlined by his Round 1-winning, 88.5-point ride on Bottom’s Up (TCB Ranch/K-C Bucking Bulls).
The Texan, who began the event with a third-place result in the opening competition on Saturday, earned a total of 110 world points and $10,900 on the weekend. He is now ranked No. 3 in the world, 20 points behind No. 1 Moreira.
Apart from Melancon, 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) was the only other rider to record qualified rides in both competitions for the season-launch PBR Monster Energy Invitational.
On Saturday, he finished second after going a perfect 2-for-2, riding El Chapo (Deer Prairie Creek Bucking Bulls/5S Bucking Bulls) for 85.25 points and Strange Cargo (Jane Clark/Gene Owen) for 87.5 points.
As the action concluded on Sunday, Davis tied with 2019 PBR Rookie of the Year Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) for sixth in the second competition after covering Midnight Dream (Universal Rodeo) for 87.25 points.
Davis earned a collective 97.5 world points and a check for $8,750. Seeking his second PBR World Championship, Davis is now ranked No. 4 in the world, 32.5 points behind No. 1 Moreira.
Rounding out the Top 5 in the final competition of the PBR Monster Energy Invitational was Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) in fifth.
Vieira, who was competing with a vengeance after finishing runner-up to the PBR World Championship for the second time in his career in 2020, rode Get Nasty (K-C Bucking Bulls) for 87.5 points to collect 35 world points and $3,400.
Determined to conclude the year with nothing less than the gold buckle and accompanying $1 million bonus, Vieira is now ranked No. 11 in the world, 95 points behind the No. 1 position.
In the bull pen, Ridin Solo (Cord McCoy/Bill McCarty), who is making a strong early case that he can be a championship contender for top bull of 2021, was the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event, delivering the Top 2 bull scores logged at the PBR Monster Energy Invitational.
After delivering a head-turning 46-point trip on Saturday for his 4.89-second buckoff of Alex Cerqueira (Iguatemi, Brazil), RIdin Solo bucked to a monstrous score on Sunday afternoon, marked an awe-inspiring 47 points when he sent Kasel to the dirt in 2.26 seconds.
Fans can relive all the action from the season-launch PBR Unleash The Beast: American Roots Edition’s Monster Energy Invitational on Monday, January 18 at 8:00 a.m. ET on RidePass, available on RidePass.com or via the mobile app.
Elsewhere in the PBR, J.T. Moore (Alvin, Texas) won the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Cedar Park Chute Out courtesy of his 3-for-3 performance at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas.
Marking his career-first victory on the league’s expansion series, Moore first rode Tupac (Dennis Davis Bucking Bulls/Just for Kicks) for 86 points in Round 1, before tying for the Round 2 victory compliments of his 88-point score aboard Nightmare (Richardson Land & Cattle Co.).
Moore clinched the victory when he delivered the second-best score of the championship round, marked 84 points on The Beast (Young Bucking Bulls, LLC).
Earning 40 world points and $6,180.50, Moore is now ranked No. 8 in the world, 81 points behind No. 1 Moreira. Moore’s victory also earned him a berth to his career-first Unleash The Beast event, slated to compete on Jan. 30-31 in Okeechobee, Florida.
The PBR Velocity Tour’s Cedar Park Chute Out was also the first stop of the 2021 Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge season. On Friday night, Nothin’ But Try Ranch/’Diggers Bucking Bulls took home first with an aggregate score of 279.75, while Mason/Smith Bucking Bulls was the top outfit on Saturday with 280.49 points.
The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour returns to action on Friday, January 22 in Greenville, South Carolina at 6:00 p.m. MT. The 2021 Greenville Invitational can be seen LIVE exclusively on RidePass.
PBR Unleash The Beast: American Roots EditionPBR Monster Energy Invitational – Competition 2
Southeastern Livestock Pavilion – Ocala, Florida
Competition Leaders (Round 1-Round 2- Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Junior Patrik Souza, 86-88.25-174.25-109
2. Silvano Alves, 84.5-86.25-170.75-70
3. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-90-90-60
4. Cole Melancon, 88.5-0-88.5-50
5. Joao Ricardo Vieira, 87.5-0-87.5-35
6. Dalton Kasel, 87.25-0-87.25-21.5
(tie). Cooper Davis, 87.25-0-87.25-21.5
8. Ezekiel Mitchell, 85.75-0-85.75-15
9. Taylor Toves, 85.5-0-85.5-13
10. Eduardo Aparecido, 85-0-85-11
11. Brennon Eldred, 83.5-0-83.5-8
12. Claudio Montanha Jr., 82.5-0-82.5-6
Mason Taylor, 0-0-0.00-0
Dakota Louis, 0-0-0.00-0
Dener Barbosa, 0-0-0.00-0
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0-0.00-0
Cody Teel, 0-0-0.00-0
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0.00-0
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0.00-0
Tye Chandler, 0-0-0.00-0
Kyler Oliver, 0-0-0.00-0
Alex Cerqueira, 0-0-0.00-0
Marco Eguchi, 0-0-0.00-0
Kaique Pacheco, 0-0-0.00-0
J.B. Mauney, 0-0-0.00-0
Joao Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0.00-0
Rafael Henrique dos Santos, 0-0-0.00-0
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0.00-0
Bradley Brittain, 0-0-0.00-0
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity TourCedar Park Chute OutH-E-B Center – Cedar Park, TexasEvent Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)1. J.T. Moore, 86-88-84-258.00-40.5 Points.2. Kyle Jones, 0-86.5-86.5-173.00-29.5 Points.3. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 86.5-85.5-0-172.00-12.33 Points.4. Junior Patrik Souza, 0-88-82-170.00-14.5 Points.5. Conner Halverson, 84-84.5-0-168.50-4 Points.6. Lucas Fideles Souza, 84.5-83.5-0-168.00-3 Points.7. Leonardo Lima, 88.5-0-0-88.50-9 Points.8. Logan Biever, 87.5-0-0-87.50-4 Points.9. Eli Vastbinder, 87-0-0-87.00-3 Points.10. Valdiron de Oliveira, 86.5-0-0-86.50-1.33 Points.(tie). Hunter Ball, 0-86.5-0-86.50-2.5 Points.(tie). Francisco Morales, 86.5-0-0-86.50-1.33 Points.13. Jesse Petri, 0-86-0-86.00-1 Points.14. Triston Dean, 0-85.5-0-85.50-1 Points.15. Chase Dougherty, 85-0-0-85.00(tie). Dalton Rudman, 0-85-0-85.00(tie). Francisco Garcia Torres, 85-0-0-85.0018. Luis Blanco, 83-0-0-83.0019. Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-82-0-82.00(tie). Shane Proctor, 0-82-0-82.0021. Lucas Phipps, 56.5-0-0-56.50Rodrigo Melgar, 0-0-0-0.00Keith Hall, 0-0-0-0.00Rubens Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00River Stephenson, 0-0-0-0.00Jake Gowdy, 0-0-0-0.00Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0.00Marcus Mast, 0-0-0-0.00Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0.00Cody Casper, 0-0-0-0.00Jake Lockwood, 0-0-0-0.00Devon Weaver, 0-0-0-0.00Grayson Cole, 0-0-0-0.00Romildo Rodrigues, 0-0-0-0.00Ky Hamilton, 0-0-0-0.00Carlos Gomes Junior, 0-0-0-0.00Austin Covington, 0-0-0-0.00Laramie Craigen, 0-0-0-0.00Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0-0.00Cole Skender, 0-0-0-0.00Juan Carlos Contreras, 0-0-0-0.00Ricky Aguiar, 0-0-0-0.00Eli Miller, 0-0-0-0.00Ruger Piva, 0-0-0-0.00Jordan Spears, 0-0-0-0.00
2021 PBR World Standings
(Place, Rider, Events, Wins, Top 5's, Points, Total Winnings)
1. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 4, 1, 2, 130.00, $25,150.00
2. Junior Patrik Souza, 4, 1, 2, 123.50, $11,614.71
3. Cole Melancon, 1, 0, 1, 110.00, $10,900.00
4. Cooper Davis, 1, 0, 1, 97.50, $8,750.00
5. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 2, 0, 2, 70.00, $9,983.33
5. Silvano Alves, 1, 0, 1, 70.00, $5,233.33
7. Brady Fielder, 3, 1, 2, 69.00, $6,529.40
8. J.T. Moore, 3, 1, 3, 49.00, $8,789.02
9. Kurt Shephard, 3, 0, 2, 44.33, $4,028.40
10. Aaron Kleier, 3, 1, 2, 42.00, $14,105.40
11. João Ricardo Vieira, 1, 0, 1, 35.00, $3,400.00
11. Kyler Oliver, 1, 0, 1, 35.00, $3,650.00
13. Eduardo Aparecido, 2, 0, 1, 31.00, $3,583.33
14. Dalton Kasel, 3, 0, 1, 29.50, $6,123.38
14. Kyle Jones, 3, 0, 1, 29.50, $4,602.50
16. Bailey Woodard, 3, 1, 1, 26.00, $2,285.40
17. Dener Barbosa, 3, 0, 1, 20.33, $3,897.26
18. Alex Cerqueira, 1, 0, 1, 20.00, $2,233.33
18. Lachlan Richardson, 3, 0, 1, 20.00, $1,775.00
20. Lawson Nobbs, 3, 0, 1, 16.00, $1,175.00
21. Mason Taylor, 2, 1, 1, 15.00, $5,212.30
21. Ezekiel Mitchell, 2, 0, 0, 15.00, $2,900.00
21. Rodrigo Melgar, 3, 1, 1, 15.00, $3,480.75
24. Cody Teel, 2, 0, 1, 14.00, $3,600.00
25. Taylor Toves, 1, 0, 0, 13.00, $850.00
26. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 2, 0, 1, 12.33, $2,136.88
27. Dakota Louis, 3, 0, 1, 10.50, $2,617.07
28. Marco Eguchi, 1, 0, 0, 10.00, $650.00
29. Valdiron de Oliveira, 2, 0, 1, 9.33, $2,477.41
29. Jackson Gray, 3, 0, 2, 9.33, $1,067.80
31. Leonardo Lima, 4, 0, 0, 9.00, $1,203.23
32. Brendan Buckholz, 3, 0, 1, 8.33, $828.40
33. Brennon Eldred, 2, 0, 0, 8.00, $650.00
34. Kaique Pacheco, 1, 0, 0, 7.00, $650.00
34. Sam Woodall, 2, 0, 1, 7.00, $1,105.80
34. Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 4, 0, 1, 7.00, $1,640.93
37. Claudio Montanha Jr., 3, 0, 0, 6.00, $650.00
37. Lucas Fideles Souza, 4, 0, 1, 6.00, $1,247.80
39. Cody Heffernan, 3, 0, 0, 5.00, $950.00
40. Keith Hall, 4, 0, 1, 4.00, $1,143.68
40. Jake Curr, 3, 0, 1, 4.00, $795.00
40. Logan Biever, 3, 0, 0, 4.00, $867.90
40. Conner Halverson, 4, 0, 1, 4.00, $828.45
44. Eli Vastbinder, 1, 0, 0, 3.00, $394.50
45. Hunter Ball, 1, 0, 0, 2.50, $295.88
45. Joseph Down, 3, 0, 1, 2.50, $119.70
45. Jack Keats, 3, 0, 1, 2.50, $119.70
