(Editor's note: PBR release)
NAMPA, Idaho – 2018 PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) had fans inside of the FORD Idaho Center leaping from their seats as he put up a monster 90-point ride on the No. 2 bull in the world to clinch the win at the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast -Nampa Invitational.
His exhilarating championship-round ride capped a perfect 3-for-3 weekend for Pacheco in Nampa, allowing the current world leader to win his fourth PBR Unleash the Beast (UTB) event of the 2021 season.
To begin Saturday evening of the two-day Idaho event, the 26-year-old Brazilian phenom was paired against Ain’t Easy Being Me (D&H Cattle/ Craig Moore) in Round 2. Launching from the chutes, the ride score of 74.75 was less than desirable but kept him within the Top 5 of the leaderboard as the day’s opening round ended.
Pacheco then selected Chiseled (Flinn/ D&H Cattle Co), the No. 2-ranked bull in the world, as his opponent in the championship round.
Just one week prior, the former world champ delivered one of the most memorable rides of the 2021 season in his matchup with the same bovine in Oklahoma City’s 15/15 Bucking Battle. A career-best 94-point score was the result in Oklahoma, and Pacheco was vying for another massive score in Nampa.
As the arena braced for his ride, the stone-faced young man erupted from the chutes determined to conquer Chiseled once again. As the seconds flew, the cheers rose to a deafening roar as he again emerged victorious. The raucous crowd was on their feet as his 90.25-point score was announced.
“I’m very happy for the opportunity to pick Chiseled again,” said Pacheco. “That was the first time he bucked to the left side. We made a good score. He bucks very good every time. I’m so glad to pick him.”
For his efforts, Pacheco collected a check for $25,431.87 in addition to 125 world points.
For video highlights of Round 2 and the championship round, including Pacheco’s winning ride, courtesy PBR, click here [ftp.pbr.com].
Reigning PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) went 2-for-3 to leave Nampa with a second-place finish for the weekend.
Earlier in the night in Round 2, the Brazilian phenom was matched up with Smoke Show (Humpz and Hornz/ Frances Dandy/KMH) and came down hard after just 4.38 seconds. His Round 1 shared win with young gun Chase Dougherty (Stephenville, Texas) kept him as a contender on the leaderboard.
Leme then chose The Right Stuff (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger/ Clay Struve/ Diamond Willow) in the championship round, knowing that putting up a score on the unrideable bull would be a task. Going into the final round of the weekend, the bull boasted a streak of 25 consecutive premier series buckoffs.
His impressive 89.5-point ride was met with a loud cheer from the excited crowd as well as congratulations from his fellow competitors and bullfighters for conquering the previously unridden bull. For his efforts he earned $16,151.58 and 90 world points.
Leme, who began the weekend as the No. 3-ranked rider in the world standings, has now moved to No. 2 and trails Pacheco by a mere 66 points.
Third place went to went to Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil).
Barbosa began Saturday evening aboard Sun Country (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger/ Clay Struve/WSM Auctioneers) for a solid 86.75-point score headed into the championship round.
The talented young Brazilian rider chose Talking Smack (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/ Clay Struve/ Ken Barhart) to earn his second 90-point ride of the 2021 season.
Barbosa’s 2-for-3 weekend earned him 71 world points and $13,399.48. He holds steady at the No. 5 spot in the world standings.
Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) came in fourth for the weekend after going 2-for-3. Beginning the weekend as the No.2 ranked man in the world, Vieira has slid to No. 3 behind Leme.
The veteran Brazilian was paired with Drop The Hammer (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger/ Clay Struve/ WSM Auctioneers) for an energetic 87.75-point ride in Round 2.
As Vieira sat atop the leaderboard heading into the championship round, he had first pick for his bull. His selection of WSM’s Jive Turkey (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger/ Clay Strive/ WSM Auctioneers) didn’t go as planned when he was dispatched and flung to the dirt after just 2.81 seconds.
Despite the letdown in the final round, Vieira leaves Idaho with $10,469.93 and 63 world points.
Mauricio Gulla Moreira (Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil) and Joao Henrique Lucas (Bastos, Brazil) rounded out the Top 5 of the weekend in a tie for fifth place.
Moreira was paired with Foghorn Leghorn (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/ Clay Struve/WSM Auctioneers) in Round 2 for an impressive 87.25-point score. As the championship round began he sat in the No. 2 spot on the leaderboard.
His selection of Mr. Winston (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve) did not go as planned in the final round as he hit the ground after a mere 5.38 seconds.
Despite Moreira’s trouble as the weekend came to a close, he earned $5,481.79 and 44.5 world points to catapult from No. 15 in the world standings to No. 12.
Lucas didn’t have much luck in Saturday’s Round 2 as he bucked off of High Razor (Humpz and Hornz/ Frances Daddy) after 5.81 seconds.
Sitting in ninth place on the leaderboard, the 31-year-old Brazilian selected Short Night (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/ Ken Barnhart) to ride in the championship round. Returning a score of 86.75 in his matchup, he collected $4,641.85 and 44.5 world points for his weekend.
Fans can relive all the action from Idaho on Sunday, April 25 at 8:00 a.m. EDT at RidePass.com [ridepass.com] or via the RidePass mobile app.
The PBR Unleash The Beast next travels to Omaha, Nebraska and the Chi Health Center for the PBR Omaha Invitational on Saturday, May 1 at 6:45 p.m. CDT and Sunday, May 2 at 1:45 p.m. CDT.
Elsewhere in the PBR, after a dominant performance on the opening night of competition for the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Invitational, Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) remained electric Saturday evening inside INTRUST Bank Arena, going a near perfect 1-for-2 throughout the final rounds of competition to clinch the event win and gain critical ground in the world rankings.
Going a combined 2-for-3, Lane earned 41 world points, catapulting him 16 positions in the world standings as he soared from No. 51 to No. 35.
Lane began the event on a high note, winning Round 1 courtesy of an 87.5-point ride aboard Jerry Lee (Shuler Bucking Bulls).
As action got underway on Championship Saturday, the Virginia native remained perfect in Round 2, covering Snoop Dog (Danley Bucking Bulls LLC) for 87.5 points, the second-best score of the round.
Despite his efforts, Lane was unable to conclude the PBR Wichita Invitational with a qualified ride, bucked off by Bezerk (BMC Bucking Bulls/Jenkins Cattle Co.) in a heartbreaking 5.31 seconds.
The three-time PBR World Finals qualifier’s 2-for-3 finish, however, earned him his first PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event victory since 2019, when he topped the field in Des Moines, Iowa.
Lane now trails the Top 30 and a berth to the elite Unleash The Beast by a slim nine world points.
PBR Unleash The Beast – Nampa Invitational
FORD Idaho Center -Nampa, Idaho
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Kaique Pacheco, 87.75-74.75-90.25-252.75-125 Points.
2. Jose Vitor Leme, 89.25-0-89.5-178.75-90 Points.
3. Dener Barbosa, 0-86.75-90-176.75-71 Points.
4. João Ricardo Vieira, 87-87.75-0-174.75-63 Points.
5. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 86.75-87.25-0-174.00-44.5 Points.
(tie). João Henrique Lucas, 87.25-0-86.75-174.00-44.5 Points.
7. Derek Kolbaba, 88-85.75-0-173.75-35.5 Points.
8. Eduardo Aparecido, 0-86.5-87-173.50-36 Points.
9. Alex Cerqueira, 84.75-80-0-164.75-23 Points.
10. Chase Dougherty, 89.25-0-0-89.25-25 Points.
11. Cody Nance, 0-87.5-0-87.50-19 Points.
12. Andrew Alvidrez, 0-86-0-86.00-14 Points.
13. Marco Eguchi, 0-85.75-0-85.75-12.5 Points.
14. Cody Teel, 85.5-0-0-85.50-12 Points.
(tie). Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-85.5-0-85.50-11 Points.
16. Taylor Toves, 0-84.5-0-84.50-10 Points.
17. Colten Fritzlan, 0-84.25-0-84.25-8.5 Points.
(tie). Jesse Petri, 0-84.25-0-84.25-8.5 Points.
Cooper Davis, 0-0-0-0.00
Rafael Henrique dos Santos, 0-0-0-0.00
Cole Melancon, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0.00
Junior Patrik Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Boudreaux Campbell, 0-0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0.00
Austin Richardson, 0-0-0-0.00
Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0-0.00
Eli Vastbinder, 0-0-0-0.00
Ramon de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
