Alves Bounces Back from Vicious Wreck in New York
By: Justin Felisko
January 16, 2016
Silvano Alves puts together a gutsy ride on Percolator for 82.5 points. Photo By: Andy Watson/BullStockMedia.com
NEW YORK – Here are three things we learned from Round 2 of the Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
WHAT WRECK?
Three-time World Champion Silvano Alves responded from getting knocked unconscious in Madison Square Garden on Friday night with a rousing 82.5-point ride on Percolator on Saturday.
Alves, whose yellow Stanley helmet was smashed in the 15/15 Bucking Battle when Cochise stomped on his head, said he felt no nerves inside the bucking chute as he prepared to nod his head for the gate.
Once the gate whipped open, Alves handled Percolator with poise and strength as Jeff Robinson’s bucking bull attempted to pull him down over the front end.
“I am very happy for tonight,” Alves said. “Percolator is a really good bull, but he didn’t buck great tonight. Percolator bucks very difficult. Every time he has good spin and good speed. It is alright. This was just another bull ride.”
Alves borrowed Rubens Barbosa’s helmet.
The ride placed Alves ninth in the round, but the ride has him sitting fifth in the event average.
The winner of the event average earns 625 points toward the world standings and Alves has a very strong chance of winning the Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden.
Alves previously rode Rusty for 82.75 points in Round 1 on Friday.
The 28-year-old was cleared by Dr. Tandy Freeman after he passed the PBR sports medicine concussion test and an evaluation by Freeman.
“I wasn’t nervous,” Alves said. “I had the confidence to ride. It is different from the injury from last year. I am alright. (Being stomped on) can happen any weekend and on any ride.”
During his concussion test, Alves high-fived good friend Robson Palermo and kept asking excitedly, “Did I pass?”
Alves then joked at one point, “Am I finished yet?”
“No headaches. No dizzy. Nothing,” Alves said before the event. “I feel good. Tonight I will ride Percolator.”
He did just that and is now in contention for his first PBR Major victory and a $100,000 payday.
“In New York and Vegas are three of the best events,” Alves said. “It is very important to ride good here and to win too, but I came here to ride every bull. This is good. I am trying to make up points, but I need to ride.”
PACHECO IN SEARCH OF SECOND PBR MAJOR VICTORY
This weekend is not about the money for Kaique Pacheco.
Pacheco, the current event leader in New York, views the PBR Majors as the ultimate stepping stone toward winning a world title.
“The money is good, but more important is the points now,” Pacheco said. “I understand because you make more points at a three-day event and a (Major). It is more important for me to be a World Champion. I dream about that.”
However, Pacheco then paused and smiled.
“The end is really good. The $1 million will help my bank account.”
Pacheco rode Mac-Nett’s Southern Wine for 84 points and an eighth-place finish in Round 2. The second-year pro rode Gentleman Jim for 84.5 points in Round 1, which gives him an event-best 168.5 points in the event average.
Prior to the round, Pacheco said he wanted to make sure he leaned back and kept a strong posture after being bucked off by Southern Wine last year.
“Tonight I had a bull that bucked me off here last year and I got on him and rode him and I feel great,” Pacheco said. “That bull, you have to use your knees a lot because he wants you toward the front. Last year I didn’t do it right, so this year I prepared myself to do it right. He’s got two jumps and he wants you to the front. I sat back and put my knee in him and did good.”
Rounding out the Top 5 in the event average, which plays a major role in determining the event winner, is Fabiano Vieira (167.75), Paulo Lima (166), Shane Proctor (165.75) and Alves (165.25).
HAYES WINS ROUND 2 WITH NEW BULL ROPE
Sometimes you just have to nod for the gate and go at them spurring.
That was Kasey Hayes’ mentality Saturday night, and the 30-year-old came through with an 87-point ride to win Round 2 and earn 125 points toward the world standings.
“Last night I was kind of scratching at them and I was in my fingertips,” Hayes said. “I felt like last night if I drug and spurred it would have kept me on my rope. I was dragging and giving it to him (tonight) as much as I could.”
The round win is his first since April 2015 and moves him into a tie with Paulo Lima for fourth in the world standings. He has placed in the Top-5 in three of the first five BFTS rounds this season.
Hayes, who was bucked off by Louisville Slugger (7.68 seconds) in Round 1, also broke out a new bull rope too.
Rounding out the Top-7 in the round were Tyler Harr (86.25 points on Big Dan), Ben Jones (86 points on Mustard Seed), Fabiano Vieira (85 points on Slick Rick), Shane Proctor (85 points on Jay Bird), Cody Heffernan(85 points on McIntyre Transports Back Jackin) and Aaron Roy (84.5 points on Circle City).
Harr earns an important 75 points toward the world standings as the alternate attempts to earn a full-time spot on tour. He is now ranked 15th in the world standings.
Jones earns 60 points for placing third, while Vieira, Proctor and Heffernan tied for fourth place and picked up 37 points.
Roy was awarded 10 points for placing seventh.
Hayes’ ride keeps him in contention for the event victory in New York.
“Nobody wants to get bucked off ever, so it is always a big deal to ride,” he said. “No matter what the situation is, you have to ride your bulls. $100,000 would be good. That is probably $100,000 more than we would make next week.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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