Leme Rides The Right Stuff for 95.5 Points and $10,000 in Bismarck
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – Reigning Stock Contractor of the Year Chad Berger had a feeling he was possibly throwing money away on Friday night, and his instincts were not wrong.
Defending World Champion Jose Vitor Leme dominated Berger’s World Champion Bull contender The Right Stuff for 95.5 points in a $10,000 bounty matchup Friday night at the Dakota Community Bank & Trust PBR Bull Riding Challenge.
“Jose is such a great rider,” Berger told in-arena announcer Matt West on RidePass. “I don’t know if I have ever seen a rider like this guy. Nobody works at it harder, studies the bulls harder, practices harder, and that is why he is No. 1 in the world.”
Leme was in near-total control of The Right Stuff inside a rocking Bismarck Events Center, especially once The Right Stuff turned into Leme’s left riding hand.
The No. 1 bull rider in the world then took over from there, earning the second-highest ride score of his career at all levels of competition. Leme clinched his world title last year with 95.75 points on current world No. 1 bull Woopaa.
The Right Stuff earned a bull score of 46.5 points.
“Well, first I want to thank Chad for the opportunity to come here and try to ride that bull because that one is not easy,” Leme said from the arena floor. “He is one of the best ones on the PBR tour right now. He is one of the most difficult bulls right now. I thank God I rode him today. We are now tied 2-2.”
Leme had put an end to The Right Stuff’s consecutive buckoff streak of 25 in a row on the premier series, and 26 overall, by riding the bovine athlete for 89.5 points during the championship round of the PBR Nampa Invitational on April 24.
The Right Stuff had previously bucked Leme off on two occasions. The 6-year-old bull first disposed of Leme on February 1, 2019, in 6.87 seconds in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Right Stuff then bucked Leme off in Kansas City, Missouri, last season in 6.24 seconds, breaking three of Leme’s ribs in the process.
The bounty matchup Friday was a battle between two of the sport’s title contenders. Leme is currently the No. 1 rider in the world standings, while The Right Stuff is ranked No. 5 in the YETI World Champion Bull Race.
The Right Stuff concluded the first half of the Unleash The Beast with a World Champion Bull average of 45.31 points. Berger is hopeful his bull can attempt to make a potential second-half push and challenge frontrunner Woopaa.
Leme will look to build on his 18.5-point lead in the world standings on No. 2 Kaique Pacheco Saturday when the Dakota Community Bank & Trust PBR Bull Riding Challenge concludes in Bismarck.
The 24-year-old went 2-for-2 in the event Friday before his matchup against The Right Stuff and tied for second place with Dakota Louis. Leme began the night with 88 points on WSM’s Foghorn Leghorn and then converted on Mr. Winston for 89.5 points in the championship round.
Dalton Kasel, competing for the first time since Feb. 27 after undergoing reconstructive right elbow surgery, won the first night of competition with a 94-point ride on Soup in a Group.
Fans can watch all the action Saturday night exclusively on RidePass, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Professional Bull Riders – Dakota Community Bank & Trust PBR Bull Riding Challenge
Bismarck, ND, 2021
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Round 4-Round 5-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Dalton Kasel [1], 84-94-0-0-0-178.00
2. Jose Vitor Leme [1], 88-89.5-95.5-0-0-177.50
(tie). Dakota Louis [1], 87-90.5-0-0-0-177.50
4. Fernando Henrique Novais [1], 86.5-88.5-0-0-0-175.00
5. Gage Gay [1], 85.5-89-0-0-0-174.50
6. Andrew Alvidrez [1], 90.5-0-0-0-0-90.50
7. Dylan Madsen [1], 88.5-0-0-0-0-88.50
8. Dener Barbosa [1], 87.5-0-0-0-0-87.50
9. Mason Taylor [1], 87-0-0-0-0-87.00
10. Jesse Petri [1], 86-0-0-0-0-86.00
(tie). Keith Hall [1], 86-0-0-0-0-86.00
(tie). Weston Hartman [1], 86-0-0-0-0-86.00
13. Casey Coulter [2], 85.5-0-0-0-0-85.50
14. Junior Patrik Souza [1], 84-0-0-0-0-84.00
(tie). Alisson De Souza [1], 84-0-0-0-0-84.00
João Ricardo Vieira [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Chase Dougherty [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Austin Richardson [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Ezekiel Mitchell [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr. [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Kyle Jones [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Marcus Mast [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Joe Hostetler [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Logan Biever [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Grayson Cole [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Stetson Lawrence [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Eli Byler [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Bob Mitchell [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Triston Dean [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Caden Bunch [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Justin Houston [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Daylon Swearingen [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Jake Lockwood [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Laramie Craigen [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
D.J. Parker [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Andy Guzman [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Lonnie West [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Riley Gagnon [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Matt Oliver [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Chase Wimer [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Deklan Garland [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Levi Hershberger [1], 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
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