Oliveira Wins in Casper, Inches Closer to 2020 PBR World Finals Berth in Arlington, Texas

By: Kacie Albert

CASPER, Wyo. – With just four regular-season PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) events remaining in 2020, the action was fierce on Friday night for the first edition of the PBR Casper Invitational, driven by Wyoming Ford Dealers. Riders not only jockeyed for a coveted position to compete at the expansion series’ season culminating event in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Nov. 6-7, but also a more highly sought after berth to the 2020 PBR World Finals, slated to debut in Arlington, Texas, inside the iconic AT&T Stadium on Nov. 12-15.

Delivering a dominant 2-for-2 performance, veteran rider Wallace Vieira de Oliveira (Goiania, Brazil) captured the event win, collecting a critical 38 world points and $3,789.75.

Additionally, the seasoned Brazilian also earned an invite to compete on the elite Unleash The Beast on Oct. 10-11 at the PBR Express Ranches Classic, presented by Bass Pro Shops, at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The 41-year-old covered Life To Go (Pick-It Hammers) for 85.5 points in Round 1 before topping the championship round with a head-turning 88.5-point trip aboard Uncle Gangster (Pick-It Hammers).

Courtesy of the victory, Oliveira, who is seeking his third career qualification to the PBR World Finals, inched ever closer to cracking the Top 35, the threshold for the historic 2020 PBR World Finals inside the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

After beginning the event ranked No. 63 in the world, Oliveira is now No. 45, a slim 21.84 points behind three-time PBR World Champion and current No. 35 Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil).

Two-time and reigning PBR World Champion Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) also competed on Friday evening, tying for eighth.

Remaining No. 4 in the world, Lockwood delivered an 87-point ride on Empire (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/’Diggers Bucking Bulls) to gain two world points on No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil). He now trails the top ranking by 714 points.

Second was Luciano de Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil), who also gained significant ground in the world standings as he looks to return to the PBR World Finals for the fourth consecutive year.

Castro was also flawless, riding Simple Man (UTC/Sellers Bucking Bulls) for 87.5 points in Round 1 and Slumlord (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/’Diggers Bucking Bulls) for 85.5 points in the championship round.

He left the Casper Events Center $2,536.69 richer, having also netted a critical 24.5 world points.

Castro surged 21 positions in the world standings, now ranked No. 57 after climbing aboard his first round draw as No. 78. He is within 47 points of the Top 35.

Chase Dougherty (Canby, Oregon) was third at the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Casper Invitational, driven by Wyoming Ford Dealers.

As the third rider to be perfect at the event, he rode Flea Flicker (Richardson Land & Cattle Co.) for 87.5 points in Round 1, and City Slicker (American Dream Bucking Bulls) for 85 points in the final round.

The 22-year-old is eager to qualify for his career-first PBR World Finals when the event is held in the Lone Star state in mid-November. Dougherty is now No. 58 in the world, 47.5 points outside of the Top 35.

For 22-year-old Laramie Craigen (Stephenville, Texas), his trip to Wyoming concluded with a fourth-place finish Friday evening.

Craigen got off to a hot start in Round 1, covering Rank Frank (Richardson Land & Cattle Co.) for 85 points. The Texan followed that with an 84.5-point effort aboard Hustlin Child (CCC/Rafter O).

Garnering a check for $855.75, Craigen also netted seven world points.

Hoping to compete in his home state for the 2020 PBR World Finals, Laramie needs to continue his winning ways, as he is 89.17 points removed from the season-culminating event’s Top 35 threshold.

Rounding out the Top 5 was Marcus Mast (Middlebury, Indiana) in fifth.

He covered Mighty Mouse (American Dream Bucking Bulls) for 77 points and Slim Shady (Rafter JML Cattle/Lewallen) for 86.5 points to be propelled to an $880.20 payday and earn seven world points.

Mast gained one position in the world rankings, now No. 42 and within 11.34 points of the Top 35.

In the bull pen, King Herod (Topline Steel Buildings/Barrett Bucking Stock) was the high-marked bull of the event. He topped the leaderboard for the bovine athletes when he was marked 45 points for his 2.75-second buckoff of Rubens Barbosa (Iaciara, Brazil) in Round 1.

The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Casper Invitational, driven by Wyoming Ford Dealers, was also a stop on the 2020 Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge.

Nothin’ But Try Ranch-‘Diggers Bucking Bulls won the performance with 281.92 points courtesy of the trips notched by Blessed, Empire and Slumlord.

Fans can relive all the action from the first night of competition in the Cowboy State on Saturday, October 3 at 8:00 a.m. EST on RidePass, at RidePass.com or via the RidePass app available on iOS, Android and Roku.

PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour action from Casper, Wyoming and the Casper Events Center continues on Saturday, October 3. Action gets underway at 7:30 p.m. MDT.

PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour – PBR Casper Invitational, driven by Wyoming Ford Dealers
Casper Events Center – Casper, Wyoming
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

1. Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 85.5-88.5-174.00-38 Points.
2. Luciano De Castro, 87.5-85.5-173.00-24.5 Points.
3. Chase Dougherty, 87.5-85-172.50-14.5 Points.
4. Laramie Craigen, 85-84.5-169.50-7 Points.
5. Marcus Mast, 77-86.5-163.50-7 Points.
6. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 66-86-152.00-5 Points.
7. Michael Lane, 88.5-0-88.50-9 Points.
8. Jess Lockwood, 87-0-87.00-2 Points.
(tie). Boudreaux Campbell, 0-87-87.00-4 Points.
10. Hunter Ball, 86.5-0-86.50-1 Points.
11. Eli Vastbinder, 85.5-0-85.50-1 Points.
12. Alex Cardozo, 83-0-83.00
13. Junior Patrik Souza, 76.5-0-76.50
14. Thor Hoefer II, 73.5-0-73.50
Daylon Swearingen, 0-0-0.00
Joao Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0.00
Dakota Louis, 0-0-0.00
Cody Casper, 0-0-0.00
Keith Hall, 0-0-0.00
Grayson Cole, 0-0-0.00
Kyle Jones, 0-0-0.00
Alex Santana, 0-0-0.00
Tyler Werner, 0-0-0.00
Gage Gay, 0-0-0.00
Dylan Smith, 0-0-0.00
Lucas Fideles Souza, 0-0-0.00
Ouncie Mitchell, 0-0-0.00
Kyler Oliver, 0-0-0.00
River Stephenson, 0-0-0.00
Francisco Garcia Torres, 0-0-0.00
Rubens Barbosa, 0-0-0.00
Francisco Morales, 0-0-0.00
Cody Dollins, 0-0-0.00
Josh Frost, 0-0-0.00
Kache Moosman, 0-0-0.00
Caleb Christan, 0-0-0.00
Andre da Cruz de Souza, 0-0-0.00
Zac Harris, 0-0-0.00
Dalton Rudman, 0-0-0.00
Dylan Madsen, 0-0-0.00
J.T. Pettitt, 0-0-0.00
Trace Brown, 0-0-0.00
Sean Willingham, 0-0-0.00
Leonardo Lima, 0-0-0.00
Ky Hamilton, 0-0-0.00

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