Leme Happy with the Improvement he Is Beginning to Show With Bulls Away From His Hand

By: Justin Felisko

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In the practice pen.

In the weight room.

At home in Decatur, Texas.

Jose Vitor Leme is either putting in the time to improve at riding bulls away from his hand or thinking about riding them to the right on a daily basis.

Leme is well aware that his kryptonite has been his failure to convert on bulls away from his left riding hand compared to how dominant he is when they turn into his wheelhouse.

It is why Leme has expressed serious displeasure when he has bucked off bulls away from his hand this season. That frustration is not because he has bucked off, but rather because he is being defeated at something that he is trying to work on throughout a daily basis.

“I get so pissed off at my house because this is the most I train for,” Leme said with the help of Paulo Crimber translating. “I am focusing all the time on my mistakes. I am trying to get better and better.”

Leme’s dedication to improving paid off on Saturday night during Round 2 of the Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic.

The 23-year-old’s 84.75-point ride on Newsom was far from one of his best, but Leme was able to stay in prime position as Newsom turned away from Leme’s hand. Instead of becoming too wild or out of control, Leme whipped his free arm with controlled aggression, maintaining proper position throughout the 8 seconds.

“It is really great,” Leme said. “I feel really good because lately I have probably bucked off 90% of the bulls going away from my hand. Just to be able to ride this bull with control and just doing great makes me feel really good because I have been working very hard to get that corrected. To get better. This proves that it is working.”

Two-time World Champion and CBS Sports Network analyst Justin McBride spoke about Leme’s struggles prior to Leme reaching the 8-second mark.

“If the bull goes to the right, Jose can’t get back and to wild with his free arm,” McBride said. “Even if he makes a big move, he has to get back to home base.”

McBride made sure to give Leme credit immediately following the ride.

“This is nice,” McBride said. “You can see he is still making that big whip with his free arm, but watch his upper body and what where his free arm finishes. Back to the front. Back to the front. Every jump just like the one before. Really good job by Jose.”

Leme heads into Championship Sunday in Sacramento atop the leaderboard after also winning Round 1 with an 88-point ride on Anthrax.

He is one of four riders a perfect 2-for-2. Right on Leme’s heels is Daylon Swearingen, Ezekiel Mitchell and Marco Eguchi.

Leme has drawn Danny Boy (3-1, UTB) for Round 3 at the Golden 1 Center. Round 3 airs live on CBS Sports Network at 6 p.m. ET and 5:45 p.m. ET.

Danny Boy is the bull that ultimately played a major role in Leme losing out on the 2019 world title last year. Danny Boy bucked Leme off in 1.9 seconds during Round 2 of the 2019 PBR World Finals. It was one of only two buckoffs in Las Vegas for Leme, who finished 4-for-6 at the Finals compared to Jess Lockwood’s 5-for-6 showing.

Leme is No. 5 in the world standings and trails world leader Joao Ricardo Vieira 141.5 points.

Leme is still riding extremely well this season overall – 10-for-14 – and is very much in the hunt for the 2020 world title.

Still, he wants to keep improving and finally get over the championship hump following back-to-back, runner-up finishes.

Leme has started to have his friends bring bulls to his ranch in Decatur, Texas, that spin away from his hand seeing as the majority of his practice bulls go to the left. If he can’t find someone to bring him a bull, he will travel somewhere in Decatur or nearby to get on a bull that goes right.

At the gym, Leme has been using resistance bands to work on his technique, and sometimes he will also sit on a medicine ball and perform exercises that can simulate the motions needed to ride a bull away from his hand.

“I just want to continue to ride my bulls like I did today, into my hand and away from hand, and just have a great year,” Leme concluded.

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

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