GET SOCIAL 
SHOP NOW AT:
WRANGLER.COM

Caminhas Attempting to Become Oldest World Finals Qualifier in PBR History via Velocity Tour Finals

By: Justin Felisko

LAS VEGAS – Ednei Caminhas’s son, Joao Paulo, was curled up on a chair inside the South Point Arena & Equestrian locker room as Caminhas began to pack up his bull rope and riding gear on Saturday night.

The 2002 World Champion looked over at his son and smiled as Joao’s hair draped over the back of the chair.

Caminhas admitted his mind was elsewhere this weekend during the 2021 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals with his wife, Gabby, expected to give birth any day now with the couple’s third child.

“Oh my God, I’m not concentrating here 100%,” Caminhas said as he shook his head after riding Heart & Soul for 86 points. “My wife is at the house waiting for our baby girl to come any minute. Any minute. I hope not today and not tomorrow.”

Caminhas placed seventh in Round 1. There were 17 total qualified rides.

“(Heart & Soul) is a real nice bull,” Caminhas said. “I didn’t see video. I don’t know him. I saw him today, and God’s grace helped me. I’m happy.”

Caminhas is attempting to make PBR history this weekend at the 2021 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals and qualify for the PBR World Finals on Nov. 3-7 at T-Mobile Arena. If he can punch his ticket to the Finals on Sunday, the 46-year-old would become the oldest rider in PBR history to compete at the PBR’s marquee event.

It was only a year ago that Wallace de Oliveira qualified for the 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 T-Mobile Arena.

Caminhas is ranked 57th in the Velocity Tour standings, so that pathway to the World Finals is a pipe dream. 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.

“I come over here to try to ride really good over here, get enough points and go over there for the World Finals one more time,” Caminhas said. “I trust in myself, and I believe in God. When you believe in God, you can do anything in your life. And I have a real good support with my family.”

Caminhas has drawn Crystal Fox for Round 2 (6:30 p.m. ET on RidePass on Pluto TV).

“Nice bulls,” Caminhas said. “Real good bulls. If I stay on, it’s God’s hand.”

Caminhas is a nine-time PBR World Finals qualifier, but he has not ridden at the World Finals in 12 years (2009).

The second-ever Brazilian bull rider to win a PBR world title says he will officially retire for good if he does indeed qualify for a 10th World Finals this year.

“If I go over there, it’s going to be my last time. I’ll retire for real,” Caminhas concluded. “Yeah, I’m sure this time. But I need to make the World Finals one more time. That’s my goal.”

Professional Bull Riders – PENDLETON WHISKY VELOCITY TOUR FINALS
Las Vegas, NV, 2021
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

1. Boudreaux Campbell, 90-0-0-90.00-15 Points.
2. Daylon Swearingen, 89.5-0-0-89.50-8 Points.
3. Adriano Salgado, 88.5-0-0-88.50-7 Points.
4. Ezekiel Mitchell, 86-0-0-86.00-3 Points.
(tie). Lane Nobles, 86-0-0-86.00-3 Points.
(tie). Ednei Caminhas, 86-0-0-86.00-3 Points.
7. Fernando Henrique Novais, 85.5-0-0-85.50-1 Points.
8. Kaique Pacheco, 85-0-0-85.00
(tie). Austin Richardson, 85-0-0-85.00
10. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 84-0-0-84.00
11. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 83-0-0-83.00
(tie). Eli Vastbinder, 83-0-0-83.00
13. Cody Jesus, 82.5-0-0-82.50
(tie). Hunter Ball, 82.5-0-0-82.50
15. Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 82-0-0-82.00
16. Dalton Rudman, 81-0-0-81.00
17. Ramon de Lima, 51-0-0-51.00
João Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-0-0.00
Junior Patrik Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Andrew Alvidrez, 0-0-0-0.00
Eduardo Aparecido, 0-0-0-0.00
Manoelito de Souza Junior, 0-0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Nance, 0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0-0.00
J.T. Moore, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Casper, 0-0-0-0.00
Grayson Cole, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcos Gloria, 0-0-0-0.00
Alvaro Aguilar Alvarez, 0-0-0-0.00
Leonardo Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Cole Skender, 0-0-0-0.00
Kyle Jones, 0-0-0-0.00
Davi Henrique de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Fideles Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Carlos Garcia, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0-0.00
Bob Mitchell, 0-0-0-0.00
Quentin Vaught, 0-0-0-0.00
Venn Johns, 0-0-0-0.00
Jory Markiss, 0-0-0-0.00
Austin Beaty, 0-0-0-0.00
Josh Frost, 0-0-0-0.00

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media

© 2021 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.

Related Content