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Pacheco out with Groin Injury; Lockwood Capitalizes

By: Justin Felisko
August 13, 2017

Kaique Pacheco said he will be in Nashville despite pulling out of the event in Tulsa.Photo: Justin Felisko / PBR.com

TULSA, Okla. – Here are three things we learned from the Express Employment Professionals Classic, presented by Osage Casino, this weekend at the BOK Center.

Pacheco Misses Final Day With Groin Injury 8-13-17

Kaique Pacheco had a slight limp in his step late Saturday night after riding Lester Gillis for 85.5 points during the 15/15 Bucking Battle.

At first, Pacheco brushed it off as no big deal, but on Sunday morning the injury had worsened to the point where he met with Dr. Tandy Freeman and the PBR Sports Medicine Team.

Pacheco was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the weekend with a right groin strain.

The No. 2 ranked bull rider in the world said he will “100 percent” be in Nashville for the final PBR Major of the season – The Built Ford Tough Music City Knockout – next weekend despite the injury.

“I want to be ready for Nashville,” Pacheco said. “There are more points (available) there. It is better for me to rest and workout for Nashville then get on.”

The 22-year-old had been bucked off by Hangman in 5.22 seconds in Round 1 Saturday.

Pacheco, who iced the injury and received a massage/treatment in the PBR Sports Medicine room, said he believes the injury is unrelated to the right groin/pelvis injury he sustained in Oklahoma City in January.

However, Pacheco is going to meet with Freeman on Tuesday to go over a precautionary MRI he had done in Brazil once the first half of the BFTS came to a conclusion with Pacheco winning Last Cowboy Standing.

“I think I am OK, but I want to make sure,” Pacheco said. “I will begin to rehab at Fit-N-Wise Rehabilitation and Performance Center in Decatur, Texas.”

Head Athletic Trainer Rich Blyn of the PBR Sports Medicine team said Freeman will review the MRI and the team can work with getting Pacheco on a rehab schedule.

“He has a history of an injury and it was bothering him again in Brazil, but the MRI hadn’t reviewed it by anyone here in the United States,” Blyn said. “It is the same groin, but it doesn’t mean the injury is exactly the same. We will then probably start him with some physical therapy once Tandy sees exactly what it is. That is the problem. Guys are mild and they don’t take the time off, but then they deal with it longer. Instead of taking the time to let it heal, get it better and then come back strong.”

Aparecido Extends Lead With Round 2 Win

It didn’t take long for Eduardo Aparecido to strike against Pacheco with the man on his heels out of the competition.

Aparecido rode Shownuff for 87.25 points to win Round 2 Sunday afternoon for 100 world points.

It was Aparecido’s sixth round win of the season.

“That was a good bull,” Aparecido said. “J.W. Hart said the bull would go right. It worked out good and I got a good score.”

The 27-year-old finished the weekend 2-for-3, not including his 15/15 Bucking Battle buckoff against Mystikal, after bucking off Alligator Arms in the championship round. He picked up an additional 10 world points for finishing tied for ninth in the event average.

Aparecido said he was happy to bounce back from his mental lapse during the 15/15 Bucking Battle when Mystikal turned back on him in the final second and caused him to lose his rope.

“That was no good,” Aparecido said. “I was telling Emilio (Resende) I felt good and the bull was going to (keep) going right. I made a mistake in my head.”

The Gouvelandia, Brazil, bull rider now leads Pacheco by 170 points with nine regular-season events remaining before the Built Ford Tough World Finals.

Lockwood Caps off Sensational Weekend with Victory

Jess Lockwood began the season with a PBR Major victory in New York and the 19-year-old began the stretch run to the World Finals by winning the first BFTS event of the second half.

Lockwood rode Pick-It Construction’s Find Jesus for 89.25 points on the final ride of the Built Ford Tough Championship Round to cap off a perfect 3-for-3 weekend and earn 560 points toward the world standings.

“Heck, I knew that bull of J.W. Hart’s was going to be a good one,” Lockwood said. “Cooper (Davis) and I were talking, I didn’t really know I had a hold of him so I had to start spurring him. I couldn’t ask for any better of a bull.”

The Volborg, Montana, bull rider moved up to No. 3 in the world standings and now trails Aparecido by 340 world points.

Both riders are tied for the PBR-lead with three event wins in 2017.

“Heck, you have to make the most of each bull you get on and ride every one you get on,” Lockwood said. “You can’t win world titles without being consistent and I am just trying to take it one bull at a time and it is working.”

Lockwood’s victory came 24 hours after riding Seven Dust for 87.5 points and a third-place finish in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.

The 2016 Rookie of the Year didn’t underestimate Force Awaken in Round 2 either and covered the bull for 85.25 points to head into the championship round leading the event average.

Lockwood then selected Find Jesus in the championship-round draft and cake-walked his way to the victory.

The second-year pro began his weekend by winning Round 1 Saturday night with an 87.5-point effort on Astro.

Just like that and Lockwood is right on the doorstep of the world No. 1 spot heading into the most important event of the season remaining outside of the World Finals.

Rounding out the Top 5 in Tulsa was Ryan Dirteater (3-for-3, 340 world points), Cooper Davis (3-for-3 270 world points), Chase Outlaw (2-for-3, 215 world points) and Cody Nance (3-for-3, 205 points).

Outlaw’s championship-round winning 89.75-point ride on Air Marshallpropelled him to his fourth-place finish. Outlaw bounced back from two buckoffs Saturday night by riding Dirt Man Do for 87 points in Round 2.

“We are supposed to bounce back from it and that is why we are the best bull riders in the world,” Outlaw said. “We are supposed to be able to handle adversity.”

Outlaw slipped ahead of Derek Kolbaba for fourth-place in the world standings and trails Aparecido by 873.34 points.

Dirteater (88 points on Cooper’s Comet), Davis (88 points on Nailed) and Nance (88 points on Wiley) all tied for third-place in the championship round.

Dirteater came up just short of his first win in Oklahoma, but his perfect weekend that pushed him from 22nd to 16th in the world standings.

The Hulbert, Oklahoma, had bucked off eight in a row at the BFTS level before this weekend. He also hadn’t ridden three consecutive bulls since January.

Davis moved up three spots in the world to No. 7, while Nance jumped up four spots to No. 11.

Injury Updates

Troy Wilkinson (2-for-2) was in contention for the event victory after riding Big Lew for 84.25 points on Sunday in Round 2, but the bull stepped on the back of his right knee during Wilkinson’s dismount.

Wilkinson was diagnosed with a large contusion and abrasions and was ruled out for the championship round. According to Freeman, the 2017 PBR Australia champion is questionable for Nashville.

J.W. Harris did not compete in the championship round after straining his abdomen during his Round 1 ride on Sitting Bull (83 points) Saturday and then attempting to ride South Texas Gangster (2.1 seconds) in Round 2 Sunday. He is questionable for Nashville.

Mason Lowe and Brennon Eldred both passed the PBR’s concussion protocol Sunday morning and returned to competition.

Lowe finished in 16th place after riding Little Red Jacket for 84 points in Round 2 and bucking off Shakey (2.88 seconds) in the championship round.

Eldred was bucked off by Sam in 6.01 seconds in Round 2.

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

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