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Marchi: ‘My family is my gold buckle’

By: Justin Felisko
January 20, 2018

Guilherme Marchi welcomed a new member to his family in the offseason.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The elder statesmen of the PBR may have some gray hairs sprinkled throughout his beard these days, but the salt and pepper look still can’t take away from the smile that has always accompanied 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi.

Marchi – the PBR’s all-time qualified rides leader (616) – is now the longest-tenured rider on The 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast with 2004 World Champion Mike Lee deciding to rodeo in 2018.

“I keep saying, ‘Next year, next year I retire,’ but I don’t want to retire because I love what I do,” Marchi said. “That is why I push myself hard. Be strong, lean and get on practice bulls every week at home. Do some good cardio at home. Do some swimming and balance circuit helps a lot too.

“You need to be strong mentally, so you know what you need to do.”

That last comment by Marchi, though, exemplifies where Marchi’s head is at as he pursues a 15th consecutive trip to the PBR World Finals.

Marchi has some extra, mental motivation with the birth of his third child – Guilherme Jr. – on Nov. 30. It is Marchi and his fiancée, Maria Augusta Seade Guerra, first child together.

“My little baby inspires me,” Marchi said. “My kids are everything for me. My family is my first gold buckle. I can win five titles. The money will go. The buckles will stay, but my family is my gold buckle.”

Marchi is 4-for-7 with a sixth-place finish in Chicago and is ranked 23rd in the world standings heading into this weekend’s Express Employment Professionals Invitational in Oklahoma City.

The 35-year-old has drawn Bad Manners (0-0, PBR UTB) for Round 1.

This weekend will be Guilherme Jr.’s first event.

Guilherme Jr. is already following in his daddy’s footsteps in popularity. The less than 2 months old child already has nearly 3,000 followers on Instagram.

Marchi Sr. admits it doesn’t get any easier being away from home every weekend as his eldest children, J.G. and Manuela, continue to get older, while Maria has her hands full with the couple’s new born.

It will be refreshing to have them with him in Oklahoma City.

“I am so blessed with three beautiful kids,” Marchi said. “I have a great dad. Great mama. Great fiancé. Great siblings. They give everything they have to support me and be strong. PBR is my family too. When I leave this sport I will for sure miss everybody. If I was here by myself, I am nothing. I am glad to be here with you guys and do what I do.”

Marchi may be appreciating the moments inside the arena a little more these days as he enters the twilight years of his career, but that still doesn’t mean he is here simply for a good time.

“I have a beautiful fiancé,” he said. “She is with me all the time. She said, ‘You can still be a champion, just believe in yourself.’ Everything is great right now. It is perfect.”

The Leme, Brazil, native is still committed on trying to win that second gold buckle and to even make a run at the 700-qualified ride mark.

“I know it is going to be hard to break this record,” Marchi said. “I just say I am so glad to be here again another year and ride good. I am in good shape. My goal is to reach 700. It is possible. I still ride and am still feeling great. I have tried to lose some weight and be strong. Whatever you want to do, you can do. When you have a dream, you can reach your dream.”

Marchi hasn’t ridden more than 40 bulls in one season since 2014, therefore he will likely need to compete into 2020 to reach 700 rides at his current pace.

He understands he has to work even harder in the gym now if he hopes to remain competitive in a young man’s game.

Last year, Marchi finished a career-worst 23rd in the world standings after going 31-for-77 for a career-low 40.26 percent.

However, two years ago Marchi finished second at the PBR World Finals and finished sixth in the world standings.

“I had a nice Finals in 2016 and last year I came in strong to the Finals and I didn’t finish. My goal this year is to win the title again. I know it is kind of hard, but it is never impossible. When you believe in yourself and are strong mentally, I think things turn better for you.

“It is not easy to ride with the young guys, but I am still happy. I still enjoy it. I love it.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

© 2018 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.

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