PUEBLO, Colo. – Joao Ricardo Vieira isn’t done just yet at the Calgary Stampede.
The current No. 1 bull rider in the world finished second on Wild Card Saturday by riding Wonder Boy for 87.5 points at the Stampede Fairgrounds to advance to Showdown Sunday.
Chandler Bownds won Wild Card Saturday with a 90-point ride on Chuckey.
It is the second consecutive year that Vieira has advanced to Showdown Sunday via the wild card round.
Last year, Vieira rode Good Time Earl for 87 points on Wild Card Saturday. He then rode Proper Ripped for 89.5 points before bucking off South Forkin Showdown Sunday’s championship round.
Vieira will look to finish the deal this time around.
He will go up against Bownds and the Top-4 finishers from Pool A and Pool B in Showdown Sunday’s long round. The top four riders from that round will compete in a winner-take-all championship round for the $100,000 title.
2013 Calgary Stampede runner-up Tanner Byrne won Pool A by riding his final three bulls after bucking off Fat Boy on day one. Byrne clinched the Pool victory with an 88.5-point ride on Sugar Smack. Also advancing from Pool A was 2004 World Champion Mike Lee, Aaron Roy and Dakota Buttar.
Vieira had appeared well on track to advancing to Showdown Sunday out of Pool A after beginning the Calgary Stampede with two rides, including an 88-point ride on Big Rig, but he then went on to buck off his last two bulls and miss out on the final qualifying spot by $2,500.
Although on Saturday, he was able to easily stay alive at the Stampede for another day as Wonder Boy turned into Vieira’s left-handed wheelhouse.
The other four riders advancing to Showdown Sunday from Pool B were 2014 PRCA champion Sage Kimzey, 2013 PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney, Stetson Lawrence and Wesley Silcox.
Kimzey ($16,500) won the Pool by going 4-for-4, but Mauney ($11,500) was right on his heels with a 3-for-4 showing.
Mauney previously won the Stampede in 2009 and 2013.
“It would be nice to win it a third time, that would be pretty cool,” Mauney told PBR.com’s Ted Stovin on Friday. “I like coming up here. I get along with all the people up here, it’s a really great rodeo they are really nice to you here.”
In other news, Guilherme Marchi withdrew from the Calgary Stampede on Saturday with a possible torn biceps that he sustained Friday during the conclusion of Pool B.
Marchi is expected to return to Texas and get an MRI this week.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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