What 2 Watch 4: Montanha Returning This Weekend in Fort Worth
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – The time has come for Claudio Montanha Jr. to get back to doing what he loves the most for a living, and that is riding bulls.
Montanha returned to the United States last week following a five-month stay at home in Brazil because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the PBR has cleared him to return to competition on Saturday at the PBR WinStar World Casino and Resort Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas. The three-time PBR World Finals qualifier was ranked 12th in the world standings when he decided to return home following the March 14-15 Gwinnett Invitational in Duluth, Georgia.
The now-No. 19-ranked bull rider admitted it was troublesome not being able to return for the start of the second half because of travel restrictions between the United States and Brazil.
“I was a little worried because I wanted to go back to the first UTB event, and I miss doing what I love most, but now I’m back and I’m going to look for a World Championship,” Montanha said.
Montanha is thankful that his family has remained healthy and safe throughout the pandemic, and he opted to limit himself to only training at home at his ranch in Brazil instead of traveling to any rodeo events in his native country.
“It was great to be near family and friends,” Montanha said. “About COVID, I am (taking necessary precautions) preventing myself and I have a lot of faith in God all this will pass soon. I only trained in my ranch at home in Brazil.”
Montanha has drawn The Sacred One (0-0, UTB) for Round 1 on Saturday night before squaring off against Honey Man (13-2, UTB/METC) in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.
WHO’S IN / OUT THIS WEEKEND
This weekend’s event at Dickies Arena is optional for all bull riders, and the PBR has invited 35 riders to compete. The first 30 draw spots were filled based on the 2020 world standings. Riders with World Champion exemptions, riders with guaranteed event exemptions or riders with approved injury exemptions filled remaining spots. The remaining draw spots were then filled based on the current season’s world standings.
Many of the PBR’s top international riders had returned home to Australia, Brazil and Canada once the PBR went on hiatus following the last Unleash The Beast event in Duluth, Georgia, on March 15, and some are still working on getting government approval to return for the second half.
Riders inside the Top 35 that are not competing this weekend
No. 3 Jess Lockwood (reconstructive hamstring surgery)
No. 8 Dener Barbosa (in Brazil)
No. 10 Fabiano Vieira (head injury)
No. 12 Eduardo Aparecido (in Brazil)
No. 13 Matt Triplett (groin)
No. 14 Ramon de Lima (in Brazil)
No. 18 Marco Eguchi (wrist)
No. 25 Aaron Kleier (in Australia)
No. 26 Dakota Buttar (in Canada)
No. 27 Tye Chandler (hip surgery)
No. 29 Ryan Dirteater (broken collarbone)
No. 30 Lachlan Richardson (in Australia)
No. 35 Brock Radford (in Canada)
Matt Triplett was injured last weekend during his 88-point ride on Tailgate Party, while Marco Eguchi is set to miss a second consecutive week because of a riding hand injury he sustained in the practice pen.
Alternates this weekend – Brittain returning from knee surgery
Bradley Brittain is one of nine alternates this weekend, and Fort Worth will be his first event since underdoing reconstructive right knee surgery in the spring.
The 28-year-old last competed on March 6 in Little Rock, Arkansas, when Young Man’s Blues, who was then known as Hurricane Party, bucked him off in 2.85 seconds. Brittain twisted his right knee during the buckoff and tore his ACL/MCL.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year contender was 29th in the world at the time of his injury, and now the No. 44-ranked bull rider will attempt to work his way back into the Top 35 to earn his first PBR World Finals qualification.
Brittain has drawn Bubba G (1-2, METC) for Round 1.
The Odessa, Texas, native is only 9.66 points outside of the Top 35.
Alternates for Fort Worth
No. 36 Rafael Henrique dos Santos (-0.66 points behind No. 35 Brock Radford)
No. 37 Cody Casper (-3.66 points)
No. 37 Dakota Louis (-3.66 points)
No. 39 Paulo Lima (-2.16 points)
No. 40 Jake Lockwood (-2.5 points)
No. 41 Keyshawn Whitehorse (-4.66 points)
No. 43 Marcus Mast (-9 points)
No. 44 Bradley Brittain (-9.66 points)
No. 53 Cannon Cravens (-37.16 points)
No. 54 Junio Patrik Souza (-38.16 points)
No. 54 Keith Hall (-38.16 points)
*Subject to change
Riders competing via exemption
No. 106 J.B. Mauney (-71.66 points)
No. 174 Cody Nance (-83.16 points)
Round 1 Rematches
J.B. Mauney takes on Yelawolf for the first time since the bovine nearly broke Mauney’s jaw when he jerked the legendary bull rider down in 5.53 seconds last year in Houston. Mauney sustained a TMJ (temporomandibular joint) sprain, four chipped teeth and one cracked tooth.
Here are the other three rematches for Round 1.
Derek Kolbaba vs. Wicked Hou (4.92 seconds last year in Houston)
Mason Taylor vs. Ain’t Easy Being Me (6.79 seconds last year in Sacramento, California)
Stetson Lawrence vs. Coal Train (2.6 seconds in Sacramento this season)
WORLD LEADER LEME ENTERS FORT WORTH WITH 365.75-POINT LEAD
Jose Vitor Leme will look to win a PBR-leading sixth event this season after going a flawless 3-for-3 last weekend in Salt Lake City.
Leme has drawn Dixie Explosion (6-2, UTB) for Round 1 on Saturday night before taking on Axle (1-0, UTB) in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.
The No. 1-ranked bull rider leads No. 2 Joao Ricardo Vieira by 365.75 points as the calendar gets closer to shifting over to September. It is the largest lead by any rider this season.
Meanwhile, No. 5 Colten Jesse is returning to competition after missing the last two events. Since winning the UTB event in Bismarck to climb within 358.5 points of the world No. 1 ranking, Jesse has since dropped to 525 points behind Leme.
Jesse has drawn Boss Hog (1-0, UTB) for Round 1 and Young Man’s Blues (6-0, UTB/METC) for the 15/15 Bucking Battle.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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