Starting Lineups and Draw Revealed for Thunder Days
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – Arizona Ridge Riders technical coach Paulo Crimber understands how hard it can be to be stuck on the sidelines injured.
Crimber sustained a career-threatening broken neck and had a multitude of injuries throughout his career that should have forced him to the sideline. At times, the now 42-year-old coach admits he should have taken more time to recover and rest.
Sometimes “cowboying up” is not always the best idea, Crimber believes.
“I did that my whole career, always coming back too soon,” Crimber said.
It is a message Crimber, as well as team manager Colby Yates, have been stressing to the Ridge Riders as the PBR Team Series heads into Thunder Days, the eighth of 10 regular season events on the season schedule.
“If you wait an extra week, it is ok,” Crimber said. “You come back when you’re ready. Because that’s what we need. We don’t want a guy half-assed or having a chance to get hurt again. I want our guys to be 100% confident and wait to come back.”
Crimber has anxiously been anticipating the return of two riders on the Arizona roster in Mauricio Moreira and Chase Dougherty.
Moreira is arguably one of the most talented young Brazilian up-and-comers in the PBR, and the 23-year-old would have been a Top-5 pick at the draft if not for his hip injury. Instead, Moreira, who needed the surgery since at least the end of the 2021 season, fell into the second round before the Arizona Ridge Riders happily selected him with the 11th pick overall.
Moreira got on some practice bulls for the first time since he had the surgery, and Crimber says Moreira looks close to ready.
“I found some easier bulls for him to get on, just to get the feeling and for him to step up slowly,” Crimber said. “When he feels that he can trust his (body) – it didn’t hurt. The good thing about it is it didn’t hurt. It’s just sore. But I told him, ‘You need to get the confidence in your head. No doubts. Clear. 100%.’ That’s what he’s going to do.”
During his recovery, Moreira recently went home to Brazil for a surprise visit to his family and friends.
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Dougherty, the 2018 Wrangler National Finals bull riding event winner and Arizona’s fourth-round pick at the 2022 PBR Team Series Draft, presented by ZipRecruiter, broke his kneecap during the preseason event in Bismarck, North Dakota. Yates told PBR.com that he has been pleased to see Dougherty’s rededication to the sport and how he has been laser-focused on strengthening his knee for a return to action.
Arizona’s roster will look a little different this weekend now that Moreira and Dougherty were activated from Injured Reserve. The Ridge Riders were unable to find a trade partner to move 2018 World Finals event winner Marco Eguchi or Sandro Batista earlier this week. Both were sent down to the practice squad and multiple teams are likely interested in the two riders. (Opposing teams can sign a rider off a team’s practice squad as long as they are signed to their new team’s protected roster).
Let’s take a look at the starting lineups and draw for Friday night at Thunder Days (8:45 p.m. ET RidePass on Pluto TV)
Austin Gamblers (10-9) vs. Kansas City Outlaws (7-12)
Ezekiel Mitchell (AG) vs. Savage
Dalton Kasel (KCO) vs. Lone Survivor
Lucas Divino (AG) vs. Juice
Marcus Mast (KCO) vs. Spotted Demon
Conner Halverson (AG) vs. Red River
Dalton Rudman (KCO) vs. Trump Train
Ramon de lima (AG) vs. Day Late
Kyler Oliver (KCO) vs. Tiger
Jose Vitor Leme (AG) vs. Schott in the Dark
Bob Mitchell (KCO) vs. Kong
REMATCHES
Dalton Kasel vs. Lone Survivor (2021 Cowtown Classic TPD – 86 points)
Kyler Oliver vs. Tiger (2022 Cowboy Days vs. Texas Rattlers – 86 points)
Marcus Mast vs. Spotted Demon (2022 Gambler Days vs. Carolina Cowboys – 3.91 seconds)
AUSTIN RIDER TO WATCH: Jose Vitor Leme is set to return to competition after missing the last two events (six games) because of broken ribs. Leme is matched up against Schott in the Dark and could easily surpass the 90-point threshold. Derek Kolbaba rode Schott in the Dark for 90.25 points last weekend in Oklahoma City. Leme is no stranger to riding banged up, having once ridden 2021 YETI World Champion Bull Woopaa for 94.75 points with broken ribs inside the Cowtown Coliseum in February 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas.
KANSAS CITY RIDER TO WATCH: Dalton Kasel bucked off six of his last seven bulls prior to riding American Gangster for 89.25 points last weekend. Kansas City coach J.W. Hart used Kasel in the leadoff role in that game, and Kasel responded with getting the team on the board immediately. Instead of saving Kasel for the end of the game, having him ride earlier in the game may help Kasel not feel as much pressure to put the team on his back with the Outlaws struggling lately. Kansas City has lost four consecutive games.
Nashville Stampede (5-13-1) vs. Oklahoma Freedom (11-8)
Kaique Pacheco (NS) vs. Black Friday
Chase Outlaw (OF) vs. Roll Tide
Joao Henrique Lucas (NS) vs. Happy Gambler
Briggs Madsen (OF) vs. Midnight Flyer
Thiago Salgado (NS) vs. Norse God
Casey Roberts (OF) vs. Falcon Eddie
Matt Triplett (NS) vs. Hawkeye
Eli Vastbinder (OF) vs. Chanler’s Dream
Ryan Dirteater (NS) vs. Blazer
Derek Kolbaba (OF) vs. Casper
REMATCHES
Casey Roberts vs. Falcon Eddie (2022 Freedom Fest vs. Carolina Cowboys – 4.63 seconds)
Eli Vastbinder vs. Chanler’s Dream (2021 Last Cowboy Standing – 84.75 points)
Joao Henrique Lucas vs. Happy Gambler (2022 Freedom Fest vs. Arizona Ridge Riders – 5.60 seconds)
NASHVILLE RIDER TO WATCH: With Silvano Alves slated to ride in Minot, North Dakota, this weekend as he continues his pursuit of Chad Berger’s King of the North $100,000 championship, that leaves a hole in Nashville’s lineup. Who can thrive in the closer role like Alves? First up will be Ryan Dirteater on Friday night. Dirteater is no stranger to the role, having delivered the Stampede a victory in Cheyenne, Wyoming, over the Carolina Cowboys with a ride from the closer position. Dirteater also has posted back-to-back qualified rides for the first time this season.
OKLAHOMA RIDER TO WATCH: Some people may be tired of hearing about Derek Kolbaba’s three walk-off winning rides for the Oklahoma Freedom last week, but that feat was truly something special. Now, can the red-hot rider keep this hot streak going? Kolbaba is one of the cowboys truly thriving in PBR Teams. Kolbaba has a 47.37% riding average for the Freedom, which is 17% higher than his premier series career average of 30%. Freedom coaches Cord McCoy and Kody Lostroh have done a phenomenal job pairing Kolbaba up with strong matchups, and the 26-year-old has not disappointed.
Texas Rattlers (7-12) vs. Arizona Ridge Riders (11-7-1)
Daniel Keeping (TR) vs. Wasted Nights
Luciano de Castro (ARR) vs. Big Black
Ednei Caminhas (TR) vs. Mike’s Motive
Chase Dougherty (ARR) vs. Lips
Joao Ricardo Vieira (TR) vs. Problem Child
Vitor Losnake (ARR) vs. Do Dat Eddie
Braidy Randolph (TR) vs. Baptism By Fire
Eduardo Aparecido (ARR) vs. Rockville
Rafael Jose de Brito (TR) vs. Back Yard Boogie
Mauricio Moreira (ARR) vs. Zip Code
REMATCHES
Braidy Randolph vs. Baptism By Fire (2022 Freedom Fest vs. Kansas City Outlaws – 4.30 seconds)
Luciano de Castro vs. Big Black (2022 PBR World Finals – 91 points; 2017 Velocity Tour Finals – 90.5 points)
ARIZONA RIDER TO WATCH: All eyes will be on Mauricio Moreira. The Ridge Riders have been in search of a lightning-rod, home-run style hitter and Moreira, who averages 88.13 points per ride on the premier series, could give them just that. Arizona has only 25 Bonus Round points, which is the first tiebreaker in the PBR Team Series standings, and Moreira could help improve Arizona’s performance at the final three tour stops of the regular season. No. 3 Oklahoma has five more points in the Bonus Round than Arizona heading into Ridgedale. Bonus Round wins are worth eight points, but Arizona will still fall short of catching No. 1 Carolina (53 Bonus Round points) even if they swept the last three Bonus Rounds. However, they still could try to finish with the second-most Bonus Round points in the league in an attempt to secure the second, first-round bye in November’s PBR Team Series Championship.
TEXAS RIDER TO WATCH: 2002 World Champion Ednei Caminhas is 47 years old, yes, but just how improved has he been since the end of the 2022 World Finals? Caminhas has 16 qualified rides at all levels of competition (10 at PBR Challenger events and six for the Texas Rattlers during PBR Teams) since the PBR started its summer run. That total alone would be the most rides in an entire SEASON for Caminhas since he posted 27 rides during the 2010 season, which was his last as a full-time rider on the PBR premier series when he was 35 years old. Caminhas went 9-for-30 during the 2022 season when he qualified for the World Finals as a Velocity Tour Wild Card winner.
Carolina Cowboys vs. Missouri Thunder
Mason Taylor (CC) vs. Theodore
Adriano Salgado (MT) vs. Willis
Lane Nobles (CC) vs. Preachers Kid
Leandro Machado (MT) vs. Chief
Boudreaux Campbell (CC) vs. Big Sugar
Alvaro Alvarez Aguilar (MT) vs. War Cry
Wingson Henrique da Silva (CC) vs. War Dress
Marcelo Procopio Pereira (MT) vs. Magic Potion
Cooper Davis (CC) vs. Big Deal
Andrew Alvidrez (MT) vs. God Bless America
REMATCHES
Alvaro Alvarez Aguilar vs. War Cry (2022 Freedom Fest vs. Kansas City Outlaws – 6.50 seconds)
Mason Taylor vs. Theodore (2022 Freedom Fest vs. Arizona Ridge Riders – 6.52 seconds; 2022 Indianapolis – 89.25 points)
CAROLINA RIDER TO WATCH: Carolina is in a similar position as Nashville with 2022 World Champion Daylon Swearingen headed to Minot, North Dakota, to make a run at clinching Berger’s King of the North championship. Swearingen and Alves may try to make it to Ridgedale for Sunday’s slate of games, but that will depend on their travel schedule. In the meantime, Cooper Davis gets his first crack in the closer role for the Cowboys. Davis has looked extremely strong for Carolina with his 4-for-6 start in six games and Carolina will certainly need him with their heavy hitter up in North Dakota on Friday and Saturday.
MISSOURI RIDER TO WATCH: Leandro Machado has appeared in limited action for Missouri, going 0-for-4. However, the practice squad rider has flashed some of his talent recently on the Challenger Series with a third-place finish Lewisville, Texas, and a second-place showing in Window Rock, Arizona. Machado heads into Ridgedale having ridden three of his last four.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
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