Leme Dedicates Round 1 Win in Fort Worth to Newborn Son Theodoro
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – 2020 World Champion Jose Vitor Leme was all smiles on Friday night at Cowtown Coliseum at the PBR Can-Am Invitational.
Not only were his fellow riders and fans in attendance happy to see the defending champ back in action after he missed the last three events with a broken right ankle, but everyone also wanted to wish Leme, as well as his wife, Amanda, a belated congratulations on the birth of their son Theodoro on Feb. 13.
Leme has expressed in recent weeks how Theodoro will give him even further motivation to push for a second world title this season, and he made sure to dedicate his Round 1 winning ride of 91 points on Hundred Bad Days to his son.
“It is amazing. 91 points,” Leme told Kate Harrison of CBS Sports Network. “It is incredible for me. I am very happy. I am so happy about my son. He is born now. I am just so happy. My family support me during the injury. My fans. All my sponsors. I just thank God for all of this.
“It is amazing because this is my first ride after he is born. I am so happy. This ride is for him.”
Leme was outstanding in his first action since Dirty Sancho broke his right ankle 2.75 seconds into the season on Jan. 16.
The 24-year-old not only rode Hundred Bad Days flawlessly, but he landed confidently on that previously broken ankle, which he decided to let heal naturally rather than undergo surgery.
It was a great test to see how Leme’s ankle would hold up, and it will go down as another confidence boost for the four-time PBR World Finals qualifier.
“Well, I just come back earlier than I expected, but I feel good,” Leme told Harrison before the event.
“I feel ready. I practiced on some bulls this week, and I feel strong again. I feel ready to ride some bulls.”
Leme earned 29 world points on Friday – his first world points of 2021 – to rise to No. 32 in the world standings. He trails world leader Cooper Davis by 297.5 points in the world standings after Davis was dusted by Baby Gangster in 2.82 seconds in Round 1.
Leme now has 30 90-point rides in his career on the premier series since debuting at the 2017 PBR World Finals.
2002 World Finals event winner J.W. Hart is working this weekend’s broadcasts on CBS Sports Network, which also will carry the conclusion of the Can-Am Invitational on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
“This is just showing off,” Hart said of Leme’s Round 1 performance. “That is what bull riding is about; to show everybody I am better than you are, and I can ride any bull they run under me. Jose Leme is that guy. He is world-class, and right there is why he is your World Champion.”
There were 13 qualified rides in Round 1, including four by riders who needed a ride to advance to Round 2, seeing as they were competing as non-seeded alternates – Rafael Henrique dos Santos (88 points on House Mouse), Luciano de Castro (85.5 points on Large & In Charge), Marcus Mast (79 points on No Doubt) and Alex Cardozo (67.25 points on Ominous).
Leme will look to keep making up for lost time on Saturday night during Round 2 of the Can-Am Invitational (RidePass, 9 p.m. ET).
As he did in Round 1, Leme will be thinking about the motivation he has waiting for him at home.
“Now it is very different for me because with my baby, all my life change now,” Leme said earlier on Friday. “I am very happy and very confident too because now I have another motivation to do my job. I hope to continue to do my work and do it well, and do my job and bring something happy for him.”
Professional Bull Riders – PBR Can-Am Invitational
Fort Worth, TX, 2021 – Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Jose Vitor Leme, 91-0-0-91.00-29 Points.
2. João Ricardo Vieira, 89.5-0-0-89.50-18 Points.
3. Alex Cerqueira, 88-0-0-88.00-16 Points.
(tie). Dalton Kasel, 88-0-0-88.00-16 Points.
(tie). Rafael Henrique dos Santos, 88-0-0-88.00-16 Points.
6. Ezekiel Mitchell, 87.5-0-0-87.50-14 Points.
7. Eduardo Aparecido, 85.75-0-0-85.75-13 Points.
8. Luciano De Castro, 85.5-0-0-85.50-12 Points.
9. Boudreaux Campbell, 84.25-0-0-84.25-11 Points.
10. J.T. Moore, 82.25-0-0-82.25-10 Points.
11. Marcus Mast, 79-0-0-79.00-1 Points.
12. Kaique Pacheco, 77.5-0-0-77.50
13. Alex Cardozo, 67.25-0-0-67.25
Cooper Davis, 0-0-0-0.00
Junior Patrik Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0-0-0.00
Colten Fritzlan, 0-0-0-0.00
Cole Melancon, 0-0-0-0.00
Dener Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00
Marco Eguchi, 0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Teel, 0-0-0-0.00
Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0-0.00
Taylor Toves, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-0-0-0.00
Kyler Oliver, 0-0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0.00
Mason Taylor, 0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Rodrigo Melgar, 0-0-0-0.00
Chase Dougherty, 0-0-0-0.00
Dakota Louis, 0-0-0-0.00
Jess Lockwood, 0-0-0-0.00
João Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0-0.00
Ramon de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
J.B. Mauney, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Jesus, 0-0-0-0.00
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
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