Caminhas Notches First Ride at a World Finals in 13 years

By: Darci Miller

FORT WORTH, Texas – In 2000, Ednei Caminhas received his first jacket given to PBR World Finals qualifiers.

Then 24 years old, Caminhas was excited, but he was more excited to just get to the bull riding.

“I was aggressive for riding bulls,” Caminhas said. “I wanted to see the bulls.”

He went on to win the 2002 World Championship and retired several times, qualifying for his last World Finals in 2009.

Or so he thought.

Now 46, Caminhas is back at the World Finals, and receiving his jacket Thursday night at the World Finals Opening Gala had a whole new meaning for the oldest World Finals qualifier in PBR history.

“This one, when they invite me to go get my new jacket, my heart started pounding,” Caminhas said. “‘Wow, I’m back. What’s going on?’ And my emotions felt like 2002.”

He had a rough return to the World Finals stage on Friday night, hurting his knee on Charmer, earning a re-ride and ultimately being bucked off Crossover in 4.69 seconds.

But Caminhas returned energized on Saturday. The first man out of the chutes in Round 2, he rode Mr. Clean for 87.25 points – his first ride at a World Finals in 13 years – to eventually place ninth in the round.

 
“That’s pressure because it opens the rodeo,” Caminhas said. “If you stay on, it encourages the other riders. If you fall off, they say, ‘Wow, I need to stay on. I need to stay on.’ But I thank God I stay on, and for me, it’s amazing.

“I got the 20th pick yesterday. I don’t know any bulls here. Only two bulls, Woopaa and Juju, but I’m a lower pick. And Kaique (Pacheco) say (Mr. Clean is) really good for me, and I pick him, and it worked well for me. God give me the power, and I stay on.”

Pacheco, meanwhile, rode Bread Basket for 91.75 points as he attempts to keep pace in a tight world title race.

Of 10 rides in Round 2, seven were for 90 points or more. Mauricio Moreira won the round with 94.25 points on WSM’s Jive Turkey.

Caminhas is by far the oldest of the group, sharing a locker room with a number of riders who weren’t even born when he won his world title.

“We are family back there, and friends,” Caminhas said. “They encourage me. When I ride one, they say, ‘Good job. You ride good. You look like a kid.’ And that’s really fun for me.

“I think I encourage them, and they say, ‘Well, I need to ride better because he’s riding. I need to ride my bull,’” he added with a laugh.

Also different for Caminhas in 2022 is the fact that he’s in Fort Worth with his family.

Last year, he failed to qualify for the World Finals via the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals as his wife was in the hospital for 15 days before giving birth to their daughter, Chloe. After competing on Saturday, he raced home for her birth on Sunday and admits that he wasn’t the most focused on his bulls.

Now, he’s here with Chloe in tow.

“Family is important,” Caminhas said. “First God and family that’s supporting give us a power. From my little boys, my girls. This is amazing.

“Everything is God’s timing. This is the time. She is here, my wife is safe and everything. Her name is Chloe. She’s beautiful, chubby,” he said, laughing.

Caminhas has drawn Gangster Rock for Round 3 (3 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network) on Sunday afternoon.

The 2022 PBR World Finals is a marathon, with six rounds remaining before a World Champion is crowned. Caminhas came to Fort Worth with measured expectations, and he relishes the opportunity to be back out there on the sport’s biggest stage, showing the kids how it’s done.

“The last one was in 2009, and it’s my last PBR Finals, my last PBR,” Caminhas said. “And then God brought me back, and I’m very excited. Step by step.

“Today is the miracle today. Today is a Saturday. God gave me the miracle.”

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