Dalton Kasel, Jose Vitor Leme Rolling Up their Sleeves for Austin Gamblers
By: James Youness
AUSTIN, Texas – Coming back home can often involve a lot of emotions.
Whether you’re heading home for the annual family Christmas visit or returning to base after spending some time on vacation, there’s something comforting about that familiarity in which we embrace.
While this weekend’s Gambler Days competition marks just the second-ever PBR Teams event to invade Moody Center, the Austin Gamblers have very much settled in on home dirt.
Staying engaged with the community on the grassroots level while continuing to work with local organizations and businesses throughout the greater Austin area, ATX is officially home for three-time World Champion Adriano Moraes and his No. 1 squad.
“It’s always busy with the Austin Gamblers’ schedule. We have a lot of appearances and a lot of things that we are always doing, but they do a great job of taking care of the cowboys and us so that we have time to have fun and play also,” Moraes offered.
“Being at home, the guys are very excited because it’s one more opportunity to show what we are about. We are No. 1 for a reason. We’re working hard and we try hard to win. We feel like we have unfinished business. Last year, we pretty much dominated the season, but the Championship didn’t work out that well for us. This year we are going to go all the way through though, that’s the plan.”
If the green and black contingent hopes to be competing on Championship Sunday in Las Vegas, during the 2023 PBR Teams Championship, they’ll need to rely on superstars Dalton Kasel and Jose Vitor Leme.
But until that moment, it’s time to roll up the sleeves and punch the clock.
Both more than comfortable at this point with the emotions associated with climbing into the chutes, they’d lean on the rowdy Moody Center vibes as they enjoyed home field advantage once again.
Unafraid of a little pressure, Kasel put on a show inside the team’s home venue, now 2-for-2 throughout the weekend while playing a huge role in helping the Gamblers pick up a pair of victories.
Meeting the 8 Friday night during his opening night matchup paired against Pickle Moonshine, the 24-year-old single-handedly willed Austin to a tight 87-84.5-point win over the Kansas City Outlaws.
“Dalton rode good last year. This year he is riding even better,” Austin’s assistant coach said.
“He deals with injuries all of the time and I think that guy is one of the toughest we’ve got because he is always sore. He’ll never be 100% solid anymore; he’s going to be in pain constantly. He had to ride through the pain and is doing a great job and just getting better and better, so you’re going to see greater things from that boy.”
Effectively riding through any bumps and bruises that he continues to nurture, Kasel doubled down for his team, again providing some early waves of energy for the home crowd.
This time matching his animal athlete Pete’s Dejavu jump-for-jump en route to earning an 87.5-point mark during a Saturday night showdown against the Texas Rattlers, he gave his squad an early lead over the in-state rival while forcing attendees to their feet in approval.
Calm, cool and collected as always, the team’s pocket ace isn’t sweating anything this weekend. The fans are here to watch the best bull riders in the world duke it out, and Kasel is here for the show.
“It’s really been the same this whole time,” Kasel said.
“It still is the same where we’re all focused, but having fun too. Not trying too hard, because when you get to trying too hard at bull riding it doesn’t work out. So, we’re having fun and just enjoying ourselves.”
Had he not been selected to compete during the extra outs session in Nashville the weekend before, he’d be rocking a four-out ride streak heading into Championship Sundy, but regardless, is now 6-for-9 since honoring his nickname of “Mr. 90 Points” via a fancy 91-point dance atop DirtyBru back in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Very much putting on for the city while his teammate endured a bit of a rough stretch, Kasel enjoyed the spotlight and hero role for the Gamblers. But when we talk about greatness, the emotions are unlimited.
Just like the team’s closer.
Rising from the dead (an uncharacteristic four-out buckoff streak), two-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme again brought the crowd to its feet by converting against his bovine opponent Untested during the home team’s last attempt of the evening.
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With Dawson Gleaves eventually throwing down an 87.5-point ride, tying Kasel’s established mark, Leme’s ride eventually served as the difference-maker, but most would agree that seeing the veteran log a qualified ride and break out of the mini-slump felt just as good as Kasel’s game-winning ride earlier in the showcase.
But if you ask the three-time gold buckle recipient, it was just a matter of time before the all-world talent turned things around.
“In my time, they talked about me when I rode two bulls in a row, you know?” Moraes shared with a laugh.
“He bucks off of three bulls in a row and all of a sudden that’s what everyone is talking about. That’s how good he is. It was just a little bump on the road. Having one, let’s say, ‘bad,’ weekend, it doesn’t diminish his greatness. We still have a lot more to see from him and it started tonight.”
Seeing Kansas City Outlaws’ rising star Cassio Dias go the distance earlier in the evening en route to overtaking Leme in the 2023 PBR Teams MVP standings, Leme quickly reclaimed his lead with the successful dance, and is now 84.25 points ahead of the talented rookie.
Kasel, Leme, Moraes and company will look to improve to 3-0 in gameplay Sunday afternoon inside Moody Center during a day three showdown with the No. 2 Oklahoma Freedom, who have been enjoying their fair share of success the past few weeks.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
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