Ridge Riders Fall to Stampede as Nashville’s Alves Records 499th Career Ride
By: Andrew Hatfield
GLENDALE, Ariz. – On the first day of the second annual PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series event at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, the hometown Arizona Ridge Riders fell to the Nashville Stampede, 86.75-85.25.
While Arizona’s Eduardo Aparecido gave the Ridge Riders an early lead, Nashville’s veteran closer Silvano Alves broke the hearts of the Arizonan faithful, converting for his 499th career ride to steal the victory in the second to final out.
In the first matchup of the evening, Cassio Dias stayed red-hot to help lead his No. 2 Kansas City Outlaws to a 263-82.25-point victory over the Carolina Cowboys. Dias has now converted in his last four outs and in five of his last six as he builds his lead in the Rookie of the Year race.
In one of the most entertaining games of the year, the Oklahoma Freedom hung on to defeat the Austin Gamblers in the second matchup, as Freedom closer Caden Bunch gave his team a 92-point lead before Austin’s Jose Vitor Leme posted an event-high 91.5 points in the final out of the matchup.
Finally, the Texas Rattlers’ Eli Vastbinder continued the trend of newly acquired riders converting for their team, as his 89-point ride helped Texas shut out the Missouri Thunder 175.5-0 in the third game Friday evening.
Ridge Rider Days continues on Saturday, September 30 at 6:45 p.m. MST. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the Desert Diamond Arena box office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Teams Camping World Series action from Glendale, Arizona. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.
Ridge Rider Days Team Standings:
Here are the current Team standings for the Glendale PBR Camping World Team Series event after the opening day of competition for PBR Ridge Rider Days:
1 Kansas City Outlaws 1-0-0 – 263.00
1 Nashville Stampede 1-0-0 – 86.75
1 Oklahoma Freedom 1-0-0 – 173.75
1 Texas Rattlers 1-0-0 – 175.50
5 Austin Gamblers 0-1-0 – 173.25
6 Arizona Ridge Riders 0-1-0 – 85.25
7 Carolina Cowboys 0-1-0 – 82.25
8 Missouri Thunder 0-1-0 – 0.00
PBR Teams Season Standings:
Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the opening day of competition for PBR Thunder Days in Glendale, Arizona:
1 Austin Gamblers 17-6-0 – 3,755.50
2 Kansas City Outlaws 13-10-0 – 4,077.00
3 Texas Rattlers 12-11-0 – 3,896.00
4 Oklahoma Freedom 12-11-0 – 2,652.50
5 Carolina Cowboys 10-13-0 – 3,109.50
6 Arizona Ridge Riders 10-13-0 – 2,866.50
7 Nashville Stampede 9-14-0 – 2,503.50
8 Missouri Thunder 7-16-0 – 1,997.50
September 30 Game Schedule:
Here are the game matchups for the second day of action for PBR Ridge Rider Days in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday, Sept. 30:
Austin Gamblers @ Kansas City Outlaws
Nashville Stampede @ Oklahoma Freedom
Texas Rattlers @ Carolina Cowboys
Missouri Thunder @ Arizona Ridge Riders
October 1 Game Schedule:
Here are the game matchups for the third day of action for PBR Ridge Rider Days on Sunday, Oct. 1:
Nashville Stampede @ Austin Gamblers
Missouri Thunder @ Carolina Cowboys
Texas Rattlers @ Kansas City Outlaws
Oklahoma Freedom @ Arizona Ridge Riders
SCORE BULLETINS
Outlaws’ Dias Continues to Roll, Closes Out Victory Over Carolina
Kansas City Outlaws: 263
Carolina Cowboys: 82.25
The Kansas City Outlaws (13-10) defeated the Carolina Cowboys (10-13) in convincing fashion in the first game of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Ridge Rider Days. After both leadoff riders bucked off, Kansas City’s Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) was the first rider to break through, posting 87.75 points atop Happy Hour (Hawkins Bucking Bulls).
Carolina’s Daniel Feitosa (Guaraci, Brazil) was unable to match after Dynamite (Evan Matthews) unseated him in 4.6 seconds, allowing the Outlaws’ newly acquired Sandro Batista (Pedra Preta, Brazil) the chance to extend the lead against his former team. Batista locked in and rocketed out of the chutes on Jasper (Hawkins Bucking Bulls), providing an 87.25-point conversion for his squad.
Now in a deep hole, the Cowboys turned to their own new rider, Conner Halverson (Gordon, Nebraska). In his first out of the 2023 PBR Teams season, Halverson converted for 82.25 points on All Shook Up (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Ken Barnhart) to keep Carolina within striking distance.
However, after two consecutive buck offs, Rookie of the Year frontrunner Cassio Dias (Sao F. de Sales, Brazil) put the game out of reach, topping Sky Walker (Lacey Scott/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/M Rafter E) for a game-high 88 points.
The Outlaws look to keep it rolling against the league-leading Austin Gamblers (17-6) in the first game on Saturday, while Carolina tries to bounce back against the Texas Rattlers (12-11).
Freedom Hang on for Narrow Victory After Gamblers’ Leme’s 77th Career 90-point Ride
Oklahoma Freedom: 173.75
Austin Gamblers: 173.25
The Oklahoma Freedom (12-11) outlasted the Austin Gamblers (17-6) in one of the closest matchups in PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Teams history.
Once again, both team’s leadoff riders failed to convert, leaving the Freedom’s Alex Cerqueira (Iguatemi, Brazil) the opportunity to start the scoring. The Brazilian shot out of the gate on Smoked Down (D&H Cattle Company) and gave his team the lead, scoring 86.5 points.
The Gamblers’ Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Brazil) put Austin on the board, covering Grey Smoke (Tyler Farris Bucking Bulls) for 81.75 points. Oklahoma’s Grayson Cole (New Ringgold, Pennsylvania) next strapped in but he was bested by Time Bomb (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Mark Baker) in 3.89 seconds in his first PBR Teams out.
After Austin’s Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) was also unable to make the horn, all eyes turned to Freedom closer Caden Bunch (Tahlequah, Oklahoma).
With 2023 MVP favorite Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) waiting in the wings, Bunch knew that an 86.5-81.75-point lead was not enough. The Oklahoman came in clutch, topping Sweet Train (D&H Cattle Co/Gordon/OK Corralis) for 87.25 points to give the Freedom a commanding 92-point lead.
However, no one-ride deficit feels safe with Austin’s Leme in the chutes, and he thundered out of the gate atop Flapjack (Parker/OK Corralis/Gordon/D&H Cattle) and converted. With Desert Diamond Arena in an uproar, all eyes turned to the judges, who marked Leme 91.5 points, giving the Freedom a slim 173.75-173.25-point victory over the league’s best team.
Oklahoma takes on the Nashville Stampede (9-14) on Saturday, while Austin takes on the No. 2 Kansas City Outlaws (13-10).
Rattlers Shut Out Thunder as Vastbinder Converts in First Out with Texas
Missouri Thunder: 0
Texas Rattlers: 175.5
In the third game of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Ridge Rider Days, the Texas Rattlers (12-11) defeated the Missouri Thunder (7-16). Missouri captain Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) was bucked off by Two Socks (Dakota Rodeo/Mark Baker/Clay Struve/Chad Berger) in the first out of the matchup before the Rattlers’ Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) put Texas on the board by topping Pete’s Dejavu (JD Nix Rodeo Co.) for 86.5 points.
After three consecutive buckoffs, Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) hunkered down for his first out with the Texas Rattlers since being traded away from the Oklahoma Freedom. The veteran converted, topping the always-rank War Department (M Rafter E Bucking Bulls/Rocking T Ranch) for an impressive 89 points.
Now down 175.5 points, the Thunder turned to Manoelito de Souza Junior (Itamira, Brazil) to get Missouri on the board. Paired with Cool Whip (Julian/Staci Addison/D&H/Crooked W), the Brazilian knew he had a tall task in front of him as he rocketed out of the chutes, and the dominant animal athlete bested him in 2.9 seconds, securing the victory for the Rattlers.
Texas faces the Carolina Cowboys (10-13) tomorrow night, while Missouri is tasked with taking on the hometown Arizona Ridge Riders (10-13).
Stampede’s Alves Makes Ride 499 Count, Outduels Aparecido and Ridge Riders
Nashville Stampede: 86.75
Arizona Ridge Riders: 85.25
The Nashville Stampede (9-14) came back to defeat the Arizona Ridge Riders (10-13) in the final outs of the fourth game of the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team series return to Glendale.
In the third game of the evening where both leadoff riders failed to make the 8, the Stampede turned to Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil) to get the scoring started. The Brazilian shot out of the gate on Cyrus (Evan Matthews) but was bested in 3.43 seconds by the powerful bovine competitor.
Arizona’s Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) was similarly dispatched by Macho Man (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger), leaving the game knotted at zero after the first four outs.
The shutout was extended to five before Arizona’s Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) finally solved I’m Your Daddy (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls) for 85.25 points, reviving the Glendale faithful and giving the hometown Ridge Riders the lead. After two more buck offs, the Stampede were down to their final rider, three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil).
The veteran closer came through, covering Ah Hell (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls) for 86.75 points to give Nashville a 1.5-point lead. Now with Desert Diamond Arena at a fever pitch, Ridge Riders closer Keyshawn Whitehorse (McCraken Spring, Utah) catapulted out of the chutes on Night Hawk (Logan Clancey/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger).
After a thrilling 2.28 seconds, Whitehorse was thrown to the dirt, leaving the Stampede victorious. Nashville takes on the Oklahoma Freedom (12-11) tomorrow while Arizona looks to bounce back in front of their fans against the Missouri Thunder (7-16).
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
Courtesy of PBR Inc. All rights reserved.