2024 Unleash the Beast Game Notes: Albany
By: Andrew Hatfield
As PBR’s Unleash The Beast tour prepares to invade Albany, New York, Dec. 29-30 during the fifth event of the 2024 premier series campaign, the best bull riders in the world are set to compete inside MVP Arena throughout the two-day, three-round showdown:
EMPIRE STATE OF MIND: This weekend, PBR’s elite 2024 Unleash The Beast returns to Albany, New York, at MVP Arena. The fifth stop of the 24-event 2024 individual season will mark the third time in history and the second consecutive season the premier series has traveled to Albany. New York’s capital will host the PBR for two days of action on Friday, December 29, at 7:45 p.m. EST and Saturday, December 30, at 6:45 p.m. EST.
FIELDER BREAKS THROUGH, HOLDS OFF ICEMAN: Now ranked No. 4 in the Unleash The Beast standings, Brady Fielder broke through and won the first individual premier series event of his career by going a perfect 3-for-3 in Manchester, New Hampshire, two weeks ago, becoming the first Australian to win on the top tour since 2015. Fielder began his weekend by covering Tucker for 83 points in Round 1 and coming in second in Round 2 with an 86.25 point outing on Air Shift. Now in first place in the event, Fielder selected UTZ BesTex Smokestack and thundered out of the gate for a monstrous, career-high-tying 91 points, his third career 90-point ride on the premier series. Catapulting back to the top of the leaderboard, the Aussie edged out Kaique Pacheco, who was flawless in his return to action and finished second. The Ice Man, who is now ranked No. 10 in the standings after his perfect debut, topped Squealin’ Cat for 84.25 points in Round 1 in his first PBR action since early September. He moved into second in the event by scoring 84.75 points on One Man Gang in Round 2 before briefly taking the event lead by making the 8 on Lapua for 85.75 points in the championship round. Pacheco takes on Tucker in Round 1 on Friday while Fielder battles Little Hornet.
DIAS MAINTAINS NO. 1 RANK: Cassio Dias held onto the No. 1 spot in the Unleash The Beast standings despite being shut out for the first time this season in Manchester, New Hampshire, going 0-for-2. Prior to the event in Manchester, Dias had continued his red-hot start to the 2024 Unleash The Beast season by going 3-for-4 and winning his second-straight event in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. In Round 1, the Brazilian topped The Judge for 89.25 points and tied for third entering the second day of action. On Saturday, the Kansas City Outlaws’ rising superstar in the separate PBR Teams league was unseated for the first time in 2024, as Train Station shook him off the track to perfection in 4.07 seconds. Undeterred, Dias stormed back, making the 8 for 86.25 points on Strong Arm in Round 3 and winning the championship round with a monstrous, career-high, 91.75 points on Cy Young to overtake the lead. Dias is matched with Nighttime Crime in Round 1 on Friday.
Fans can tune into this weekend’s PBR Albany beginning Friday night, with Round 1 set to start Friday, Dec. 29 at 7:45 p.m. EST airing live via RidePass on Pluto TV. The Top 15 riders from Friday’s Round 1 will be broadcast on CBS Television Network on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 12:30 p.m. MST.
Round 2 and the Championship go are primed to start at 6:45 p.m. EST on Saturday, Dec. 30, followed by the championship go, with all of Saturday’s action set to debut on CBS Sports Network starting Sunday, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. EST.
Photo courtesy of Todd Brewer/Bull Stock Media
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