Potter Wins Clovis Rodeo PBR Touring Pro; Pacheco Extends World Lead
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – Maverick Potter went 2-for-2 at the Clovis Rodeo PBR Touring Pro Division event on Wednesday night to earn the first PBR victory of his young career.
The 20-year-old converted aboard Catfish Clinger for 85.5 points in the championship round to notch the victory after he was the only rider to ride both of his bulls at the Clovis Rodeo Arena.
Potter originally had drawn Johnny Sack in the championship round but was awarded a re-ride during his 4-second buckoff. The Waxahachie, Texas, bull rider began his evening with an 84.5-point effort aboard Two Chains.
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Wednesday night was Potter’s first PBR event outside of the Monster Energy Team Challenge, where he went 0-for-8 last year. Potter is one of the young riders to keep an eye on in bull riding and he is currently ranked 19th in the PRCA bull riding standings.
While Potter is currently primarily riding on the rodeo circuit, his TPD Major victory in Clovis also counts toward the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour standings. Therefore, Potter’s win has him ranked ninth in the PWVT standings and in a great position to ride at the 2021 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals on Oct. 30-31 in Las Vegas later this year. According to ProRodeo.com, Potter is 14-for-30 this year in the PRCA.
World No. 1 Kaique Pacheco finished tied for fourth-place with an 86-point ride on Black Cat in Round 1. Billy Hill, though, bucked Pacheco off in 5.51 seconds to prevent the 2018 World Champion for notching the victory.
Pacheco’s performance still pushed him 7.5 points further ahead of No. 2 Joao Ricardo Vieira, who was bucked off by Regular Wednesday in 6.44 seconds in Round 1.
Pacheco will take a 67-point lead into the PBR Nampa Invitational on Friday and Saturday at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho.
Round 1 airs on CBS Sports Network at 10 p.m. ET and RidePass at 9:45 p.m. ET.
Austin Richardson finished in second place on Wednesday night by winning Round 1 with 89 points on Monkey Punch. Mr. Moody then bucked him off in 2.27 seconds in the championship round. Richardson is up to No. 29 in the world standings – an increase of 30 positions – since he won the Velocity Tour’s Grand Forks Chute Out last weekend.
Eli Vastbinder (88 points on Bringin Trouble) finished in third, and Michael Lane (86 points on Bring On The Bucks) rounded out the Top 5 as he tied with Pacheco for fourth place.
Vastbinder earned an important 14 world points to move to No. 36 in the world standings. He began Clovis at No. 41 and was originally the final alternate for Nampa. The 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier is attempting to make his first PBR World Finals.
Professional Bull Riders – Clovis Rodeo PBR Touring Pro
Clovis, CA, 2021 – Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Maverick Potter, 84.5-85.5-170.00-38 Points.
2. Austin Richardson, 89-0-89.00-27 Points.
3. Eli Vastbinder, 88-0-88.00-14 Points.
4. Kaique Pacheco, 86-0-86.00-7.5 Points.
(tie). Michael Lane, 86-0-86.00-7.5 Points.
6. Hunter Ball, 85.5-0-85.50-4 Points.
7. Silvano Alves, 84-0-84.00-1 Points.
(tie). Derek Kolbaba, 84-0-84.00-1 Points.
(tie). Alex Cerqueira, 84-0-84.00-1 Points.
10. Cody Nance, 83-0-83.00
(tie). Jake Gardner, 83-0-83.00
12. Junior Patrik Souza, 81-0-81.00
13. Thor Hoefer II, 80.5-0-80.50
14. Dakota Louis, 80-0-80.00
João Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0.00
Boudreaux Campbell, 0-0-0.00
Chase Dougherty, 0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0.00
Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0.00
Paulo Ferreira Lima, 0-0-0.00
Shane Proctor, 0-0-0.00
Andrew Alvidrez, 0-0-0.00
Logan Biever, 0-0-0.00
Clayton Sellars, 0-0-0.00
Seth White, 0-0-0.00
Justin Houston, 0-0-0.00
Keith Hall, 0-0-0.00
Andy Guzman, 0-0-0.00
Vinell Mariano, 0-0-0.00
Alex Jenks, 0-0-0.00
Bradley Brittain, 0-0-0.00
River Stephenson, 0-0-0.00
Alex Santana, 0-0-0.00
Austin Covington, 0-0-0.00
Santiago Castellanos, 0-0-0.00
Wyatt Covington, 0-0-0.00
Chase Wimer, 0-0-0.00
Hazen Casperson, 0-0-0.00
Tyler Taylor, 0-0-0.00
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