What to Watch for: Pacheco Heads to Omaha Ready to Keep Doing his Job

By: Justin Felisko

PUEBLO, Colo. – One of 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco’s biggest strengths is not becoming enthralled with the possibilities that may be within his future reach.

The world No. 1 bull rider is off to the best start of his seven-year career, and a second gold buckle may just be in the cards for the 26-year-old later this year.

Pacheco, however, has kept the same mentality, the same quiet determination and the same focus that helped him win the 2018 world title.

The 26-year-old knows he just needs to put on his construction hat, grab a lunch pail and head into the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, this weekend ready to go back to work his blue-collar mentality.

The 2015 PBR Rookie of the Year is now halfway to two-time World Champion Justin McBride’s PBR single-season event wins record (8) after his 3-for-3 victory last weekend in Nampa, Idaho. Pacheco’s fourth win came at his 11th premier series event, which is the same as McBride’s fourth win during his record-breaking season.

 
“That’s really good, but I don’t think about it,” Pacheco told PBR.com on Wednesday, “because the most important thing is, I just want to do my job and ride my bulls, and with that, I will have good results.”

The result, of course, may be a second world title, just like McBride notched during his 2007 season.

Pacheco has drawn DJ Long John (1-0, UTB) for Round 1 of the PBR Union Home Mortgage Invitational on Saturday night (10 p.m. ET CBS Sports Network | 7:45 p.m. ET RidePass). He will then take on I’m Legit Too in the 15/15 Bucking Battle (CBS National Television Sunday at 2 p.m. ET; check local listings).

The No. 1 bull rider in the world is 21-for-35 (60%), with three 90-point rides to go along with those four victories and a 15/15 Bucking Battle win. Pacheco leads No. 2 Jose Vitor Leme by 66 points in the world standings.

Pacheco earned his fourth win via a 90.25-point ride on No. 2 World Champion Bull contender Chiseled. Pacheco previously won the Oklahoma City 15/15 Bucking Battle with a career-best, 94-point ride on Chiseled. D&H Cattle Company had switched Chiseled to the left-handed delivery in Nampa, but Pacheco said it did not influence his decision-making process. He expected Chiseled to be just what he needed to earn the event win in Nampa.

“I was confident he would have the same result on the left side,” Pacheco said. “He’s an excellent bull. Unfortunately, he fumbled a bit when he left the side, but we still had a good result.”

Pacheco’s riding percentage is the highest of his career, and he is one win away from matching his career-best of five event wins in 2018. There is also an opportunity for him to break his personal high of 52 qualified rides in one season (2016) if he keeps riding at his current pace.

The Itatiba, Brazil native believes he still has room to improve this year, and he is continuing to look at ways to do so.

“We never know everything,” Pacheco said. “At each event, at each bull that I ride, I always try to do my best and improve more and more. We are getting more experienced improving ourselves more. All of us are far from perfect, but we are always getting more experienced and always trying to do better.”

WHO IS IN / OUT FOR OMAHA

Top 30 Riders Out Because of Injury or Other

No. 8 Rafael Henrique dos Santos (right arm)
No. 9 Cole Melancon (right elbow)
No. 19 Kyler Oliver (left shoulder)
No. 24 Jess Lockwood (left thigh)
No. 26 Mason Taylor (broken clavicle)
No. 27 Claudio Montanha Jr. (right thigh strain)
No. 28 Dalton Kasel (elbow surgery)

Alternates for this weekend

No. 34 Paulo Lima
No. 36 Brennon Eldred
No. 39 Eli Vastbinder
No. 40 Kyle Jones
No. 41 Rodrigo Melgar
No. 43 Andrew Alvidrez

LANE IS THIS WEEK’S VELOCITY TOUR INVITE

 
Michael Lane is set to make his UTB season debut following a 2-for-3 victory at the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Invitational last week.

Lane won Round 1 with an 87.5-point effort on Jerry Lee and then converted on Snoop Dog for 87.5 points in Round 2. Bezerk, though, bucked him off in 5.31 seconds in the championship round.

The 30-year-old is up to No. 35 in the world rankings, and No. 3 in the Velocity Tour standings, after picking up the sixth Velocity Tour victory of his career.

Lane has drawn Monkey Doo (0-0, UTB) for Round 1 on Saturday night.

Lima facing UTB cutline / Round 1 rematches

World No. 51 Ramon de Lima is in danger of being cut from the Unleash The Beast. Lima is 12.5 points behind Andrew Alvidrez, the last alternate in the Omaha draw, and 51.33 points out of the Top 30.

Lima, a four-time PBR World Finals qualifier, is 2-for-17 through seven UTB events. He is down to his final guaranteed event exemption this weekend based on his No. 23 finish in the 2020 world standings.

Lima has a rematch against Mr. Majestic in Round 1. Mr. Majestic previously bucked Lima off in 2.02 seconds in North Little Rock, Arkansas, three years ago.

Additional Round 1 rematches

Cody Nance vs. Ponotoc (82.5 points in Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
Cooper Davis vs. Zorro (6.14 seconds at the 2019 Iron Cowboy)
Derek Kolbaba vs. Lil 2 Train (4.99 seconds last year in Guthrie, Oklahoma)
Eduardo Aparecido vs. Uncle Gangster (2-for-2)
Jose Vitor Leme vs. Blue Crush (1-for-2; 87.25 points in 2019 in Chicago)
Junior Patrik Souza vs. Crossover (3.17 seconds in Memphis)

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media

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