Arizona Ridge Riders Defeat Oklahoma Freedom to Remain Perfect in North Carolina PBR Team Series Preseason Event
By: Kacie Albert
TRYON, N.C. – At the final PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Preseason event of the year in Tryon, North Carolina, no team was more dominant than the Arizona Ridge Riders. Rebounding from a dismal 0-2 showing at the first preseason event in Bismarck, North Dakota, the Ridge Riders were a picture of perfection at the PBR Tryon Chute Out, winning both of their games and posting the lone qualified ride of the Bonus Round.
“Well, we just wrapped up the big win here in Tryon at the last preseason,” said Arizona Ridge Riders Technical Coach Paulo Crimber. “Alisson de Souza was one of our heavy hitters. He’s going to be on the team going to Cheyenne for sure, and he pulled the weight. He led the way for the younger guys and showed them it’s possible to win, no matter what you’ve got. If you do what you’re supposed to do, it still works. I’m very proud. We’re going back to TR9 to get our camp going and get them guys more ready for Cheyenne.”
As action got underway at the Tryon International Equestrian Center Friday evening, the Arizona Ridge Riders earned the team’s first victory when they beat the Nashville Stampede, 170-86. Continuing their momentum Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd, the Ridge Riders won their second consecutive game, defeating the Oklahoma Freedom 255.5-86.
The Ridge Riders clinched the event win as the only team to be flawless in gameplay in Tryon.
With the Bonus Round remaining, the Ridge Riders used their first pick in the draft to have Alisson de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) take on Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage Cattle/American Spirits/Koe Wetzel). As the only team to reach the requisite 8, Souza punctuated the Ridge Riders’ dominant showing with an 89.5-point ride.
In the overall preseason standings, the Arizona Ridge Riders finished third, going 2-2 in gameplay and amassing 509.25 aggregate and 11 Bonus Round points.
The regular season for the 2022 PBR Team Series will begin July 25-26 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, held during the iconic Cheyenne Frontier Days. Action will begin nightly at 6:45 p.m. MT. CBS Sports Network will carry the action LIVE at 10 p.m. ET.
The game matchups for the first day of the regular season on July 25 are:
• Texas Rattlers vs. Missouri Thunder
• Carolina Cowboys vs. Nashville Stampede
• Oklahoma Freedom vs. Kansas City Outlaws
• Austin Gamblers vs. Arizona Ridge Riders
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of all the PBR Team Series action. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv. Tune to channel 720 for the latest programming schedule.
Arizona Ridge Riders: 255.50
Oklahoma Freedom: 86.00
In one of the best efforts delivered by a team throughout the preseason for the inaugural PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series, the Arizona Ridge Riders outscored the Oklahoma Freedom by two ride scores to win their second consecutive game at the Tryon Chute Out, beating the Sooner State team 255.5-86. Alisson de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) again set the tone early for the Ridge Riders, besting White Squirrel (Obernagel/Sho-Me Rodeo) for 82 points in their first attempt of the game. The score gave the Ridge Riders an early lead after the Oklahoma Freedom’s Dawson Branton (Jefferson, Oregon) was upended by Mic Drop (UTC/Sellers Bucking Bulls) in 3.01 seconds. In the next set of outs for each team, Ross Freeman (Kountze, Texas) was unable to continue the momentum for the Ridge Riders, and while Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) came down short of the requisite 8 for the Freedom, he was awarded a re-ride. With Vastbinder slammed down hard on the dismount, Freedom Head Coach Cord McCoy elected to sub in Branton for the re-ride, which would be the last out of the evening.
As the fierce game continued, both teams converted in their next outs. With Freedom rider Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) riding Light It Up (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Kinser/McCall) for 86 points and Ridge Riders contender Tyce Willis (Alvord, Texas) covering Uncle Gangster (Pick-It Hammers) for 87.25 points, the scoreboard read 169.25-86. The Ridge Riders held a slim 83.25-point lead as the game eclipsed the halfway mark. The fourth out for the Freedom and Ridge Riders both ended in buckoffs, and the tension was high as the fifth-slot riders readied for each roster. Following a heartbreaking 7.9-second buckoff by Trevor Kastner (Ardmore, Oklahoma) atop Keep ’em Guessin (UTC/Sellers Bucking Bulls), Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) had the chance to clinch the victory for his team, despite the Freedom still awaiting their re-ride attempt. Matching Feeling Dangerous (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Kinser/McCall) jump-for-jump, Hevalow reached the 8 for a victory-sealing 86.25 points. With Branton bucking off the Freedom’s re-ride bull, the Arizona Ridge Riders sealed their second victory in Tryon, beating the Freedom 255.5-86. The Arizona Ridge Riders advanced to the Bonus Round with an unblemished 2-0 record, while the Freedom fell to 1-1 following their stunning upset of the home-state favorite Carolina Cowboys on Friday night.
“Tonight, Arizona, we got another win on the board, and the greatest thing to me was Tyce Willis getting through, making a great ride,” said Arizona Ridge Riders Technical Coach Paulo Crimber. “And Koltin Hevalow, he got the bull once before and bucked off towards the whistle, but today, he finished him strong. All of the team is working together, and Alisson is leading the way, and it seems to be working, which is amazing. We are looking forward to the real season.”
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