GET SOCIAL 
SHOP NOW AT:
WRANGLER.COM

What to Watch For: 2023 World Finals: 50 Days Out

By: James Youness

PUEBLO, Colo. — With the 2023 PBR World Finals set to invade Fort Worth, Texas, May 12-21 as the best bull riders in the world compete for a gold buckle, we’re officially just 50 days away from the season-ending spectacle.

With a variety of ride streaks, buckoff stints, injuries and beyond impacting a majority of the ever-competitive Unleash The Beast pack, if there’s ever been a time to boil it down to staying on your bull for eight seconds and doing your job, it’s right about now.

Whether riders are making a push to stay away from the cut line or currently defending a Top 10 spot, each out in the remaining eight UTB regular season events will be crucial to positioning themselves for a run at the honors of being crowned the 2023 World Champion.

For current No. 1-ranked rider Jose Vitor Leme, who seemed to get a bit banged up last weekend in New Orleans during his out, defending his 107.5-point lead over No. 2 Dalton Kasel and the rest of the pack may likely be a secondary objective for the talented Brazilian, who’s now expected to miss out on this weekend’s action in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Regardless if he’s able to ride or not, Leme, and all riders with championship aspirations, have surely noticed the aforementioned Kasel, who’s been enjoying a standout season. Able to hold his own in standard three-round events as well, now with two event titles to his name this season after winning consecutive events in Los Angeles, California, and Little Rock, Arkansas, it’s been the 15/15 Bucking Battles where the newly-crowned Mr. 90 Points has excelled most.

Bringing a pair of the exclusive one-round wins into this weekend’s PBR Ty Murray Invitational, presented by The Downs Racetrack & Casino 15/15 Bucking Battle, alongside a close second-place effort in Indianapolis, Indiana, via an epic 92-point score atop Tulsa Time, Kasel has to be the odds-on favorite to make some noise this weekend inside The Pit as the tour’s hottest rider will look to surpass Leme for the first time this season. Especially considering he’s exited five out of the last 10 15/15 Bucking Battles as the event winner.

That doesn’t mean we’re counting the likes of No. 3 Kaique Pacheco out of anything, though, as he was the lone rider to best Kasel’s 92-point effort in Indianapolis with a stunning 93-point conversion aboard Ricky Vaughn. He will surely be eager to take advantage of the additional opportunity to garner UTB points in the 15/15 Bucking Battle format, especially if Leme, who holds just a 135.5-point lead over Pacheco, misses this weekend.

Pacheco will keep his concentration on his next opportunities to collect crucial points as the tour’s regular season begins to conclude, but the 2018 World Champion understands what it takes to be well-positioned heading into the Fort Worth finale.

While No. 7 Rafael Jose de Brito and No. 8 Daniel Keeping have an idea for what an ideal seasonal resume should look like heading into World Finals should look like, the pair of rookies haven’t endured the brightest lights in the business just yet, but if they continue to capitalize during their first seasons on tour, there’s no telling who could win this thing in 50 days.

No. 4 Andrew Alvidrez has cooled off a bit since his early-season run as the tour’s top contender, while No. 5 Cooper Davis, the 2015 World Finals event winner and 2016 World Champion, has continued to defend his Top 5 spot, and will surely have something to say once assembled in Dickies Arena, too.

As the race to be crowned 2023 World Champion continues to show hints of who may be duking it out for the world-best honors May 12-21 in Fort Worth, let’s take a look at who’s drawing into the lineup during this weekend’s PBR Ty Murray Invitational, presented by The Downs Racetrack & Casino in Albuquerque:

WHO’S IN FOR ALBUQUERQUE

Dalton Kasel
Kaique Pacheco
Andrew Alvidrez
Cooper Davis
Boudreaux Campbell
Rafael Jose de Brito
Daniel Keeping
Jesse Petri
Dener Barbosa
Wingson Henrique da Silva
Keyshawn Whitehorse
Eduardo Aparecido
Joao Ricardo Vieira
Silvano Alves
Kyler Oliver
Eli Vastbinder
Tate Pollmeier
Rafael Henrique dos Santos
Marcelo Procopio Pereira
Koltin Hevalow
Derek Kolbaba
Manoelito de Souza Junior
Ramon de Lima
Braidy Randolph
Ezekiel Mitchell
Colten Fritzlan
Marcus Mast
Austin Richardson
Chase Outlaw
Nick Tetz
Flavio Zivieri
Dakota Louis
Mauricio Gulla Moreira
Alex Cerqueira
Adriano Salgado
Chase Dougherty
Vitor Losnake
Aaron Williams
Conner Halverson
Cody Jesus
Griffin Smeltzer
Alex Marcilio
Dalton Rudman
Claudio Montanha Jr.
Dawson Branton
Dustin Martinez
Cody Coverchuk
Bill Henry
Kyle Jones
Ray Mayo
Josh Frost
Dakota Eagleburger
Jaxton Mortensen
Brandon Chambers
Robbie Taylor Jr.
Garrett Jones
Cassio Dias
Brandon McDowell
Guilherme Valleiras
Dakota Warnken

15/15 BUCKING BATTLE RIDERS

Dalton Kasel
Kaique Pacheco
Andrew Alvidrez
Cooper Davis
Boudreaux Campbell
Rafael Jose de Brito
Daniel Keeping
Jesse Petri
Dener Barbosa
Wingson Henrique da Silva
Keyshawn Whitehorse
Eduardo Aparecido
Joao Ricardo Vieira
Silvano Alves
Kyler Oliver

OUT BECAUSE OF INJURY/OTHER

Jose Vitor Leme
Luciano De Castro
Thiago Salgado
Mason Taylor
Brady Oleson
Sandro Batista
Jess Lockwood
Casey Roberts
Bob Mitchell
Tyler Manor
Briggs Madsen
JP Souza
Ednei Caminhas
Daylon Swearingen
Wyatt Rogers

ROUND 1 REMATCHES

Alex Cerqueira vs. Drago (5.24 seconds at PBR Caterpillar Classic in Kansas City, Missouri, 3.373 seconds at PBR Express Ranches Classic, presented by Bass Pro Shops in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 4.33 seconds at PBR TicketSmarter Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires in Salt Lake City, Utah)
Claudio Montanha Jr. vs. Casper (3.81 seconds at 2022 PBR World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, 4.33 seconds at PBR First Premier Bank BankCard Last Cowboy Standing, presented by Cooper Tires in Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
Dalton Kasel vs. Tortuga (2.93 seconds at PBR Caterpillar Classic, presented by Union Home Mortgage in Kansas City, Missouri)
Dener Barbosa vs. Skeeter Peter (87.25 points at PBR First Premier Bank/Premier BankCard Invitational in Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Oilfield Outlaw’s Yellow Feather (88.5 points at PBR Can-Am Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas)
Kaique Pacheco vs. Tested’s Viper (87 points at Outlaw Days in Kansas City, Missouri)
Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Kid Knapper (91 points at PBR Monster Energy Invitational in Tucson, Arizona)
Silvano Alves vs. Hang Em High (2.30 seconds at PBR U.S. Border Patrol Invitational in Little Rock, Arkansas)

15/15 BUCKING BATTLE REMATCHES

Andrew Alvidrez vs. Man Hater (5.75 seconds at PBR Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden, presented by Ariat)
Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Ridin Solo (4.8 seconds at 2022 PBR World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, 5.5 seconds at PBR Ariat Invitational 15/15 Bucking Battle in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Kaique Pacheco vs. Alakazam (3.42 seconds at Freedom Days Bonus Round in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Snake Eyes (Re-ride offered at PBR Minneapolis Invitational in Minneapolis, Minnesota)

FOLLOW ALONG

As the best bull riders in the world prepare to keep the momentum flowing March 24-26 during this weekend’s southern showcase, the action is set to begin Friday, March 24 at 7:45 p.m. MST.

Fans can stay tuned to PBR.com and PBR social media channels throughout the weekend for the latest scores, wrecks, injury updates and beyond as the Unleash The Beast tour prepares to invade The Pit during this weekend’s PBR Ty Murray Invitational, presented by The Downs Racetrack & Casino in Albuquerque March 24-26.

Photo courtesy of Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media

© 2023 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.

Related Content