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Unleash The Beast Returns to St. Louis for 24th Time in League History Feb. 18-19

By: Kacie Albert

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – For the 24th time in league history the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) elite Unleash The Beast will buck into St. Louis, holding the St. Louis Invitational on Feb. 18-19 at Enterprise Center.

For two nights only, the Top 30 bull riders in the world will compete in one of the most exciting live sporting events to witness. Going head-to-head against the sport’s rankest bovine athletes, the tour stop will showcase the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast.

When PBR last traveled to the Gateway to the West in 2020, Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) won his third premier series event of the year, extending his lead atop the world rankings.

On the opening night of competition, Leme leap-frogged countryman Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) for the No. 1 ranking in the world standings after covering his draw in both the tour stop’s accompanying 15/15 Bucking Battle, an 89.75-point ride on Jive Turkey (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/MAGA Cattle/Roper Angus), and Round 1 of the main event, an 84.75-point trip aboard Air Tight Alibi (L&E Bull Co./FT Bulls).

As a result, Leme entered the final night of competition for the seventh Unleash The Beast event of the year third in the event aggregate, with a 26.25-point lead atop the rankings.

Once inside the Enterprise Center for Championship Sunday, Leme’s momentum continued to mount.

The former semi-pro soccer player recorded the top marks of Round 2 in covering Inferno (K-C Bucking Bulls/Spark-lin Acres) for 89 points, marking his seventh round win of the year and propelling Leme to second in the event aggregate.

In the championship round, Leme then drafted Night Shift (L&E Bull Company/Crazy 8 Cattle/FT Bulls), a bovine athlete who had only been ridden once prior in nine outs on record across all levels of competition. Undaunted by the bull’s record, Leme reached the 8-second whistle with ease, cementing the win with an 88.75-point score.

Earning 119 crucial world points, Leme surged to the then-largest lead of the season atop the world rankings, climbing 115 points in front of new No. 2 Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana).

As the unique 2020 season unfurled, Leme would win a league-leading seven elite tour events and 16 rounds, going a torrid 44-for-65 in covering a superlative 67.69% of the planet’s rankest bovine athletes en route to the 2020 PBR World Championship.

In 2021, Leme’s dominance continued. Shattering nearly every league record, including twice breaking the all-time high-marked ride record, Leme repeated as the PBR World Champion, becoming just the second back-to-back titleholder and seventh multi-time Champion in league history.

Historically, more than half (12 of 23) of the PBR’s past events in St. Louis have been won by World Champions. Prior to Leme’s win in 2020, 2018 PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) was the last rider to accomplish the feat, victorious in both 2017 and 2015.

A complete list of past World Champion event winners in St. Louis includes: three-time PBR World Champion Adriano Moraes (1997, 1998, 2004), two-time PBR World Champion Chris Shivers (2000, 2001), two-time PBR World Champion Justin McBride (2003, 2005), 2010 PBR World Champion Renato Nunes (2008), and 2008 PBR World Champion Guilherme Marchi (2011).

The remaining PBR St. Louis Invitational event winners are: Charles Litchfield (1999), Gary Richard (2002), Dustin Hall (2006), Matt Bohon (2007), Wiley Petersen (2009), Jody Newberry (2010), Fabiano Vieira (2013), Joao Ricardo Vieira (2014), Shane Proctor (2016), Tanner Byrne (2018) and Chase Outlaw (2019).

The bull riding action for the 2022 PBR St. Louis Invitational begins with Round 1 at 7:45 p.m. CST on Friday, February 18, followed by Round 2 and the championship round at 6:45 p.m. CST on Saturday, February 19. All competing bull riders will get on one bull each in Rounds 1-2. Following Round 2 Saturday evening, the riders’ individual two-round scores will be totaled with the Top 12 advancing to the championship round for one more out and a chance at the event title.

Tickets for the two-day event go on sale Monday, November 22 at 10:00 a.m. CST, and start at $15, taxes and fees not included. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early, with all price levels increasing $5 on event day. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.

Two-day ticket packages will also be available, offering fans up to a 20% discount on select price levels.

All guests age 12 and older are required to provide proof of full COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 PCR or rapid test. Enterprise Center’s comprehensive COVID-19 guidelines, including those regarding children under 12, can be found here.

PBR Elite Seats are available for avid fans who want an exclusive VIP experience while enjoying the world’s top bull riding circuit. These tickets, available in three tiers, offer premium seats, a question-and-answer presentation with some of the top bull riders and stock contractors in the world, a behind-the-scenes look at the event from the back of the bucking chutes, a $10 concession voucher, and souvenir credential and lanyard.

Available for $450 is the PBR Premier Elite Seat with souvenir chair. Offering the best views in the venue, fans will receive a limited-edition PBR folding chair to take home following the event.

Fans will also have the chance to purchase the PBR VIP Elite Seats, which include an exclusive merchandise gift and post-show photo opportunity from the dirt, and the PBR Elite Experience Seats, which include an exclusive merchandise gift.

For an enhanced PBR experience, fans can now purchase add-on PBR Premium Experiences which will include the Elite Experience on both Friday, February 18, and Saturday, February 19.

The Elite Experience, available for $75, will include a Q&A session with a select group of the league’s top riders, bullfighters and stock contractors, pre-event photo on the bucking chutes, arena concession voucher, Stars of the PBR book, and commemorative credential and lanyard.

For more information on PBR Elite Seats and PBR Premium Experiences, or to purchase the Elite Experience for the PBR St. Louis Invitational in Missouri visit https://pbr.com/tickets/premium-experiences/.

© 2021 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.

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