Challenger Series Roundup: Chandler Wins Deadwood, Branton Victorious in Twin Falls
By: Darci Miller
PUEBLO, Colo. – It was a busy weekend on the PBR Challenger Series schedule, with three events in three different states.
Earlier in the weekend, however, the Challenger Series also stopped in Deadwood, South Dakota, for the Do Deadwood PBR. Tye Chandler walked away with the win as one of three riders to go a perfect 3-for-3, topping the weekend with an aggregate score of 263 points.
View this post on Instagram
Chandler opened the event with an 87.5-point ride on Far West and followed that up with 85.5 points on Lil Bit Crazy in Round 2. He then won the championship round with 90 points on Gambini – the first 90-point ride of his PBR career at any level of competition.
For his efforts, Chandler earned 41.66 Challenger Series points and is ranked No. 2 in the tour standings.
The event win is Chandler’s second of 2022. He also won the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Knoxville Invitational in Knoxville, Tennessee, in February.
Gage Gay (3-for-3, 259.5 points) and 2019 Rookie of the Year Dalton Kasel (3-for-3, 258.5 points) were also perfect in Deadwood and finished second and third, respectively.
Rounding out the Top 5 were Cody Casper (2-for-3) in fourth and Brady Oleson (1-for-3) and Elijah Mora (1-for-3) tied for fifth.
Meanwhile, in Twin Falls, Idaho, at the Idaho Coors PBR Classic, PBR Team Series free agent Dawson Branton earned the second win of his PBR career.
Branton went 1-for-2, winning Round 1 with an 87-point ride aboard Brindle Jacket. That was good to hold onto the event win, as Maverick bucked him off in 3.06 seconds in the championship round.
The bovine superstars of the PBR reigned supreme in Twin Falls, giving up just four qualified rides in two rounds of competition. The other riders to make the 8-second whistle were Jaquez Antonio (84.5 points on Shark Worm) in second place, Wyatt Moulton (81.5 points on Five-O) in third place, and Bruin Bradshaw (81 points on Black Zone) in fourth place.
Branton earned 15 points towards the Challenger Series standings, where he is ranked No. 15.
NEXT UP
The Challenger Series next heads to Erick, Oklahoma, for the Nothin’ But Try Ranch PBR on June 15, and Marion, Illinois, for Bulls at the Ballpark on June 18.
The residency at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, continues as well with PBR Sunday at Cowtown on June 19. Catch all the action from Cowtown on RidePass on Pluto TV at 3 p.m. ET.
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media
© 2022 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.