Andrew Alvidrez, Kyler Oliver and Cassio Dias Split Round 1 Win at 2024 Season-Opener in Tucson

By: Mandi McCary

TUCSON, Ariz. – Marking the start of the 2024 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast (UTB) individual competition season, dirt was flying as 21 qualified rides were recorded and three cowboys shared the PBR Tucson Round 1 win. Ten of the qualified rides were 86 points or higher.

In a three-way tie for first place, Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) and 2023 Kansas City Outlaws teammates Kyler Oliver (Roy, Utah) and Cassio Dias (Sao F. de Sales. Brazil) had the Arizona crowd at full volume as they recorded matching 89-point scores.

First up in the trio was Dias, paired with the previously unridden Younts Brody’s Pet (Farris Cattle/ Big Schott Rodeo). Sailing from the chutes showcasing the same disciplined athletic talent that made him one of the standout riders in the MVP race of the recently concluded 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series, the 22-year-old Brazilian matched the agile bovine jump-for-jump as the buzzer sounded.

 
Dias’s Outlaws teammate, 24-year-old Oliver, who has battled through injuries since 2022, stood on the back of the chutes Friday night with his bovine opponent, Taylor’s Cowtown Throwdown (Farris Cattle/ Big Schott Rodeo/ Triple T Livestock), as his only teammate. Despite what appeared to start as a steady ride, red flags flew through the air, determining Oliver would be awarded a re-ride.

Paired with Concho (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger/ Pronghorn Well Service), the Utah native redeemed himself.

The last in the group to lock in an 89-point score was Alvidrez, who rode for PBR Teams’ Missouri Thunder. Alvidrez, too, was given a re-ride. Paired with Sneaky Situation (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger/ Lacey Scott/ Lucky Blue Crab Bucking Bulls), as the clock neared 8, the seasoned Texan looked as though he might be tossed by his powerful opponent but hung on to make the whistle.

All three riders collected 21 points for the inaugural round victory of the 2023 season and now share the No. 1 spot in the UTB standings.

Tucson’s opening night – the fifth time in history that the world’s premier bull riding organization has visited the city – saw two-time PBR World Champion and 2023 PBR Teams MVP Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) claim fourth place in Round 1. Leme, on the hunt for a third world title, was matched with Hostage (Hart Cattle Co/ Hale/ Randy Wood). In typical perfect form, his 88.75-point score earned 16 points as the 2024 title race commenced.

 
Arizona’s own Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona) rounded out the Top 5 on night one of two in Tucson. With a determined look on his face, fresh off his win in Las Vegas with the Texas Rattlers to clench the 2023 PBR Teams Championship title, Jesus readied for his ride aboard July (Leffew Bucking Bulls). The newly engaged, soft-spoken 25-year-old launched from the chutes as the crowd’s excitement intensified. As his 88.5-point score was announced, Jesus strode calmly off the dirt as Arizona fans roared and he earned 15 points.

Despite arriving in Arizona with 10 event wins under his belt after getting his PBR card in August, night one proved disappointing for 18-year-old phenom John Crimber (Decatur, Texas). Border Wall (Hart Cattle Co/ Hale) dispatched the talented young rider after a mere 3.71 seconds, leaving him tied at No. 21 in the UTB standings with a lot of ground to gain in Saturday’s Round 2.

The PBR Tucson will continue on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 6:45 p.m. MST, with Round 2 followed by the championship round to determine the winner of the season-launch event. Championship Saturday will be televised on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 12.

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of every PBR UTB event. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv.

PBR Unleash The Beast – Monster Energy Invitational
Tucson Arena -Tucson, Arizona
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

1. Andrew Alvidrez, 89-0-0-89.00-21 Points.
(tie). Kyler Oliver, 89-0-0-89.00-21 Points.
(tie). Cassio Dias, 89-0-0-89.00-21 Points.
4. Jose Vitor Leme, 88.75-0-0-88.75-16 Points.
5. Cody Jesus, 88.5-0-0-88.50-15 Points.
6. Brady Oleson, 87.25-0-0-87.25-14 Points.
7. Ednélio Almeida, 86-0-0-86.00-11.5 Points.
(tie). Caden Bunch, 86-0-0-86.00-11.5 Points.
(tie). Paulo Eduardo Rosseto, 86-0-0-86.00-11.5 Points.
(tie). Sage Steele Kimzey, 86-0-0-86.00-11.5 Points.
11. João Ricardo Vieira, 85.75-0-0-85.75-9 Points.
12. Lucas Divino, 85.5-0-0-85.50-8 Points.
13. Daniel Keeping, 85.25-0-0-85.25-8 Points.
14. Austin Richardson, 85-0-0-85.00-8 Points.
15. Conner Halverson, 84.5-0-0-84.50-8 Points.
16. Wyatt Rogers, 83-0-0-83.00-8 Points.
17. Daylon Swearingen, 82.25-0-0-82.25-8 Points.
18. Chase Dougherty, 74.5-0-0-74.50
19. Trace Redd, 73.75-0-0-73.75-7 Points.
20. Bob Mitchell, 73.25-0-0-73.25-7 Points.
21. Julio Cesar Marques, 71.75-0-0-71.75-7 Points.
Dalton Kasel, 0-0-0-0.00
Boudreaux Campbell, 0-0-0-0.00
Jesse Petri, 0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Rafael dos Santos, 0-0-0-0.00
Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-0-0-0.00
Eli Vastbinder, 0-0-0-0.00
Koltin Hevalow, 0-0-0-0.00
Casey Roberts, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cerqueira, 0-0-0-0.00
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0-0-0.00
Briggs Madsen, 0-0-0-0.00
Ednei Caminhas, 0-0-0-0.00
Cladson Rodolfo, 0-0-0-0.00
Kaiden Loud, 0-0-0-0.00
John Crimber, 0-0-0-0.00
Jean Fernandes Pereira, 0-0-0-0.00

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