2002 World Champion Caminhas Dreaming of Another World Finals Qualification
By: Justin Felisko
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – 2002 World Champion Ednei Caminhas was sitting in a plastic folding chair in the bowels of American Bank Center on Friday night when he looked down at his daughter, Chloe, in his arms and smiled.
Caminhas may have fallen 0.7 seconds short of possibly making PBR history last year at the 2021 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals, but the nine-time PBR World Finals qualifier was all smiles and thankful when he got home in time the next day for the birth of his daughter.
“I was worried last year about it because my wife was in the hospital waiting (to deliver) this one,” Caminhas said before rocking Chloe back and forth in his arms. “My wife stayed in the hospital for 15 days before she’s born. And then I was in Vegas, and then she’s in the hospital. A day after I rode the bull in Round 1, the doctor say, ‘Well, better fly back because she can’t hold anymore.’”
Caminhas admitted his mind was understandably elsewhere that following night, and he bucked off his last two bulls, including Crystal Fox in 7.3 seconds. He wound up placing ninth overall when a Top-5 finish would have clinched him a wild card berth to the PBR World Finals.
“When I fly to Texas that Sunday, I landed at 11:30 a.m. She was born 11:30 p.m. So close,” Caminhas said. “I got back in time, but my head was not concentrated on the bull riding the night before.”
Six months later, the 46-year-old is once again attempting to make history and become the oldest rider to qualify for the PBR World Finals with a Top-2 finish at the 2022 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals, presented by Coastal Bend Chevy Dealers, in Corpus Christi, Texas, with his family in attendance.
Caminhas finished Round 1 tied for fourth place with his 85.5-point ride on Old School Cool.
Wallace de Oliveira qualified for the 2020 PBR World Finals at 41 years old via the Velocity Tour end-of-year standings – the Top 2 finishers in the Velocity Tour standings who do not qualify for the World Finals via the world standings will also earn spots at the Finals at Dickies Arena on May 13-22.
Caminhas is ranked 37th in the Velocity Tour standings, so the pathway to the World Finals via the standings will be a tougher hill to climb as he is 40.17 points behind the Top 2 VT riders, Brandon Davis and Griffin Smeltzer.
However, if he could finish in the Top 2 of the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals event average, that would also result in a World Finals wild card berth.
“My goal is to come over here and finish in the Top 5 to try to make the World Finals next week,” Caminhas said. “And I don’t think about the age or nothing. I’m thinking about my performance. I ride nine or 10 horses a day every day, and that help me a lot to get in shape for ride the bulls.
“No worries this year. My family is healthy. I just need to ride my bulls and trust God.”
Round 2 of the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals can be watched live on RidePass on Pluto TV on Saturday at 6:45 p.m. ET.
There were 10 qualified rides in Round 1, and three of the four riders ahead of Caminhas are also in a battle to qualify for the World Finals. Round 1 winner Dustin Martinez (90 points on True Religion), VT leader Brandon Davis (89.5 points on Quick Trigger) and PRCA No. 2 bull rider Josh Frost (85.5 points on Out of the Blue) are all looking to qualify for their first PBR World Finals.
Caminhas has not ridden at the World Finals in 13 years (2009). The second-ever Brazilian bull rider to win a PBR world title has even tossed his name into the hat for the 2022 PBR Team Series Draft, presented by ZipRecruiter.
The Indaiatuba, Brazil, native is one of six PBR World Champions who have declared for either the primary draft or supplemental draft. Also officially declaring for the May 23 draft at Texas Live! are three-time World Champion Silvano Alves, 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco and reigning two-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme. Two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood and 2016 World Champion Cooper Davis have declared for the June 2 PBR Team Series Supplemental Draft.
Caminhas knows his chances of being drafted by a team are slim, but he would not mind being an asset to a team or being a potential free-agent signing later in the year.
“I don’t think I will be drafted, but I need to get winning again,” Caminhas said. “But if they pick me, I’m ready to go. Why? Because I’m riding really good now. It’s not about age. It’s about performance.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media
© 2022 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.