From the Vault: Guilherme Marchi
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – The PBR is re-airing Round 6 of the 2008 PBR World Finals on its Facebook account at 4 p.m. ET on Friday afternoon.
Guilherme Marchi clinched his first World Championship during that round inside the Thomas & Mack Center with his 87.5-point ride on Rewind.
The world title was the culmination of years of hard work, and it allowed Marchi to finally end his heartbreak of three consecutive runner-up finishes in the world title race.
Marchi’s best friend Robson Palermo would win the 2008 World Finals by going 7-for-8, and it was the first of his record-setting three World Finals event victories.
Marchi, of course, would go on to become one of the greatest bull riders of all time.
The 2005 PBR World Finals winner amassed a PBR-record 635 qualified rides in his career, and he was the first to record both 500 and 600 rides on the premier series.
Today, PBR.com’s From the Vault series gives fans a series of Guilherme Marchi articles to read over the weekend following – or before – the airing of Round 6 of the 2008 World Finals.
Marchi: ‘In 2008, I achieved my American dream’
2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi wiped his eyes Tuesday night during the PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration at South Point Hotel Casino & Spa.
The 47th rider to be inducted into the prestigious Ring of Honor was struggling to begin his acceptance speech.
“It is an honor to receive this ring,” Marchi said. “To come from Brazil. It is hard to say some words right now because I had a dream like you guys have.”
It was 22 years ago that a 15-year-old Marchi was in Brazil when his mom tried to convince him to become a doctor.
“I went to school and my mama said, ‘You are not going to be a bull rider. You are going to be a doctor.’ I said, ‘Shit.’”
Marchi ends career with victory in Goiania, Brazil
2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi capped his career off by winning the 2018 PBR Brazil Monster Energy Tour event in Goiania, Brazil, on Saturday night with an electrifying ride on the last ride of the evening.
Marchi rode Som de Peao for 87 points in the championship round – sending Goiania Arena into a frenzy – before being lifted off the ground by a group of friends in the arena and placed on horseback for a victory lap.
Fans can re-watch Marchi’s last event exclusively on RidePass.
The 36-year-old announced earlier this year that he would be retiring following the 2018 season.
Goiania is only Marchi’s second PBR Brazil victory in the last 10 years as the 15-time PBR World Finalist primarily competed in the United States.
Marchi says goodbye at 2018 World Finals
The conclusion of the PBR World Finals was not only the end of the 2018 season, but it was also the end of the career for one of the PBR’s most beloved cowboys.
During Round 5 in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, PBR CEO Sean Gleason presented Marchi with a plaque commemorating his career and paid tribute to the veteran, who was brought to tears by the outpouring of support from the fans.
Composing himself, Marchi took the mic to a raucous ovation from the crowd and left the fans with a few parting words of wisdom.
“I just tell you, if you have a dream, just believe in yourself,” Marchi said. “Never lose your faith. Make your dream come true, like my dream, my American dream, came true.”
Marchi dancing to a family tune (Guilherme’s final premier series win)
2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi wiggled his hips to the left and right and raised his arms into the air toward the raucous crowd inside the Sprint Center on Sunday afternoon.
The Guilherme Marchi samba was in full force this past weekend as Marchi went 3-for-3 at The PBR 25th: Unleash The Beast Caterpillar Classic to earn his 25th career victory on the PBR’s premier series.
Inside the locker room, Marchi leaned back in his chair and laughed about his mini-celebratory dance that he has brought back to life this year after previously dancing earlier in his career.
“Everyone needs a dance,” Marchi roared. “Stetson, am I right?”
Stetson Lawrence celebrates in the arena with a Native American dance in recognition of his Sioux and Chippewa heritage.
For Marchi, the song he dances to is actually that of his future brother-in-law, Marquinho Guerra.
Marquinho is a singer/performer in Brazil and is the brother of Marchi’s fiancée, Maria (Guta), and uncle of Guilherme and Maria’s son, Guilherme Jr.
Emotional Marchi: ‘I feel like I won a gold buckle again’ (600 rides)
No one inside Rimrock Auto Arena had to look any further to see the love, joy and passion that 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi has for the sport of professional bull riding on Saturday night.
Marchi couldn’t hold back the tears any longer as he received a commemorative Montana Silversmiths belt buckle honoring his 600th career ride on the Built Ford Tough Series minutes after riding Shocker for 86.25 points in Round 2 of the Stanley Performance In Action Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires.
The 14-year veteran had proudly been wearing his 500th career rides belt buckle all weekend long in Billings, Montana, but becoming the first rider in PBR history to reach 600 rides was emotionally overwhelming.
Marchi’s latest accomplishment was another reward for the endless amount of hard work and dedication the 34-year-old has demonstrated in the PBR since making his BFTS debut on August 6, 2004, in Oklahoma City.
“I feel so happy to reach this number,” Marchi said outside of the rider locker room. “I feel like I won a gold buckle again. This is a lot for me. Everything I have done in my career. I know this is hard for everyone, but when we dream hard, and you work hard, anything is possible.”
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Marchi first to 500 rides
Throughout his 11-year career, Guilherme Marchi has given PBR fans plenty to cheer about.
Saturday night, the fans in Phoenix gave the 31-year-old from Leme, Brazil – he currently resides in Ferris, Texas – a standing ovation that was 277 Built Ford Tough Series events in the making over the past 111 months since he first came to the United States.
Marchi didn’t simply ride Pandora’s Pyxis for 84 points to close out the opening round of the Bass Pro Chute Out at US Airways Center, in doing so he became the first rider in the 21-year history of the PBR to reach 500 qualified rides.
“It’s hard to say something,” Marchi said.
The current No. 1 rider in the world was emotional, humble and reflective afterward.
“Every time I get on the bull I enjoy it,” he said. “Each bull I get on, each bull I ride, you guys say, I give it my blood and my determination for riding those bulls.”
He later added, “Some people say I have trouble away from my hand or whatever, but I broke the record. Nobody has done this in the United States in the PBR.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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