Lima Used 2018 Iron Cowboy Title To Buy Brazilian Ranch

By: Justin Felisko

PUEBLO, Colo. – A PBR Major victory can not only lead to a World Championship, but a win at one of the PBR’s four Majors (New York, Los Angeles, Cheyenne or Nashville) can be life-changing as well.

2018 Iron Cowboy winner Ramon de Lima used his career-high payday of $127,350 to purchase a 360-acre ranch in his hometown of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil, last year. His mother Maria lives there and helps take care of the place when Lima is in the United States competing.

“It is life changing to win that much money at once,” Lima said with the help of Paulo Crimber translating. “In Brazil, we can do a lot with it. I just bought the land at first, but now I have built a house. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.”

Lima won $473,143.46 Brazil reais with his Iron Cowboy title last year.

The winner of the 2019 Iron Cowboy, presented by Ariat, which is just days away, will leave STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles with a minimum of $100,000 and potentially 1,250 points toward the world standings.

Not only would Lima love to win a second consecutive Iron Cowboy, but the added world points up for grabs compared to a standard premier series event can go a long way for him as well.

“It would be really good to win again,” Lima said. “For the money and also from the status. The rank. It is always good to win a big event. It doesn’t matter where you are at. Vegas, Iron Cowboy.

“They are all prestigious.”

Lima is oddly one of the riders from last year’s Top 30 that is flirting extra dangerously with the Unleash The Beast cutline.

Lima is 9-for-18 (50 percent) through the first seven UTB events, but his highest finish is a 10th-place showing in Glendale, Arizona.

The third-year pro is tied for eighth in the PBR in riding percentage, but he is only averaging 83.33 points per ride.

Lima has qualified for three championship rounds, where he is 1-for-3.

“It is kind of frustrating because you kind of see you are riding really good, but on the other end, you are not getting any points,” Lima said. “It seems like I am not getting the right bulls. I just want to see if I can change (my season) around.”

The 28-year-old is actually riding similar to how he was a year ago when he was ranked fourth in the world standings heading into the 2018 Iron Cowboy competition.

YEAR OVER YEAR

2019

Rides: 9
Attempts: 18
Percentage: 50
Average Ride Score: 83.33
Wins: 0
Championship Rounds: 1-for-3
World Rank: 63

2018

Rides: 11
Attempts: 20
Percentage: 55 percent
Average Ride Score: 83.45
Wins: 1
Championship Round: 2-for-3
World Rank: 4

 
Lima was 11-for-20 at this point last season, but he had a three-day event victory (Sacramento, California) and seventh-place finish to propel him to that No. 4 ranking.

He also was averaging 83.45 points per ride a year ago, but that includes a 67-point turned down re-ride. Take out that declined re-ride and Lima was averaging 85.1 points per ride compared to 83.33 points this season.

Lima also qualified for three championship rounds last year, and had two qualified rides, through the first seven premier series events.

Lima is one of nine active riders from last year’s Top 30 that are currently outside of the Top 35.

The next UTB cut will occur following the Bad Boy Mowdown in North Little Rock, Arkansas, on March 2 when the majority of riders from last year’s Top 30 will run out of their guaranteed eight events.

Lima is staying calm and composed about his situation.

“I just need to continue to ride the way I am, and eventually we will ride three bulls in a row and get something done,” Lima said. “It is just part of the sport. Sometimes you are at the top. Sometimes you are at the bottom.”

IRON COWBOY FORMAT

Riders have to reach the 8-second mark to advance in the competition.

Iron Cowboy is a minimum of two rounds and a maximum of five. At least 25 riders will advance to Round 2, with any draw spots being filled by the current world standings heading into Iron Cowboy if there are less than 25 rides in Round 1.

If all riders buck off in Rounds 2, 3 or 4, all riders that attempted a bull advance to the next round.

If there is more than one ride in the final round (Round 5), then the Iron Cowboy will be the rider with the highest ride score in Round 5. If there are no rides in Round 5, then the Iron Cowboy will be the rider with the most round points that had competed in Round 5.

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

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