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Swearingen Keeps up With Leme in Round 1 of PBR Cooper Tires Invitational, Presented by Ariat

By: Justin Felisko

PUEBLO, Colo. – Daylon Swearingen is the highest-ranked bull rider in the world standings behind No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme competing at the PBR Cooper Tires Invitational, presented by Ariat, this weekend and the 20-year-old made sure to strike on Saturday night.

Swearingen finished Round 1 in third place at the Lazy E Arena by riding Sitting Bull for 87.25 points and nine world points.

The No. 4-ranked bull rider was able to cut Leme’s lead on him in the world standings to 238.5 points after Leme gained 124.5 points on him two weeks ago at the Lazy E Arena.

“You cannot ride bulls any better than what Daylon Swearingen just did there,” two-time World Champion Justin McBride said on CBS Sports Network. “And I’m so happy to watch this guy grow in his career with the way that he rides. He uses his feet when he needs to, and then at the end, when he’s got everything under control, that’s when you see him let go and show the judges all the control that he’s got. That’s a really good job.”

 
Swearingen has had to learn how to control his aggressiveness during his two-year career, and McBride has seen Swearingen continue to improve in this department.

“Daylon was born with wanting to spur,” McBride added. “He’s got that in him. He’s had to dial it back and do it when necessary, because if you spur and get bucked off at 7 seconds, it just makes you a goofball.”

There were 14 qualified rides in Round 1.

Swearingen has drawn Crazy Times (12-4, UTB) for Round 2 on Sunday afternoon (CBS Sports Network/RidePass at 3 p.m. ET).

Time will tell if Swearingen has grown enough to truly challenge Leme in the 2020 world title race, and that is not to discredit whatsoever what Swearingen has already accomplished this season.

The problem for Swearingen is that Leme just continues to ride lights out.

Leme increased his riding percentage to 74.19% on the Unleash The Beast – Swearingen is riding at a career-best 45.45% — by riding Perfecto for 84.25 points.

The 23-year-old picked up 1.5 points toward the world standings with his 10th-place finish.

No. 3 Joao Ricardo Vieira and No. 5 Kaique Pacheco are in Brazil to be with their families amid the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.

The other Top 10 riders competing in Guthrie this weekend – Colten Jesse, Cole Melancon, Fabiano Vieira – all bucked off in Round 1.

Leme faces Sambuca (2-1, UTB) in Round 2.

McBride believes Leme is riding like never before, and that makes him that much more dangerous in the 2020 world title race.

Leme has continued to push forward instead of relaxing now that reigning and two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood is out until the middle of September with his torn left hamstring.

“I really feel like Jose is putting it all together,” McBride said. “Mind, body, everything. He’s hitting his very best right now. We’re getting to watch that out of Jose. And what’s been amazing to me, we’ve talked about him and Lockwood pushing each other. Well, with Lockwood being out with injury, Jose hasn’t weakened. He hasn’t let up. He has kept on pushing to get better and better.

“The control, everything about that was perfecto. In my opinion, Jose is at the best we’ve ever seen him right now.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

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