Renato Nunes of Buritama, Brazil, made Professional Bull Riders history on Sunday in front of 16,261 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center, and a national television audience on NBC, when he became only the second rider ever to win both the Built Ford Tough World Championship and the World Finals event in the same year.

He earned more than $1.3 million from the Finals, which is the richest bull riding event in the world. Nunes finished the season with 13,960 points in the Built Ford Tough Series standings, earning almost $1.6 million, increasing his career earnings to more than $2.5 million.

Nunes rode five of six bulls at the Finals to finish with 444 points. Entering the Finals at No. 3 in the standings, Nunes rode his first four bulls to move into first place after Saturday. He then rode Willie Wilco (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls) for 87.75 points in Round 5 to clinch the title Sunday. Nunes bucked off Major Payne (Robinson/Katich/Pinnacle Bull Group) in the Built Ford Tough Championship Round.

Austin Meier of Kinta, Okla., finished second in the season standings with 11,054 points, and earned $263,703 this season, while J.B. Mauney of Mooresville, N.C., placed third and earned $284,311. Valdiron de Oliveira of Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil, finished fourth and earned $425,419, including $250,000 at the Dickies® Iron Cowboy, which is the largest one-day payout in history.

Mike Lee of Decatur, Texas, finished fifth in the season standings and earned $193,973. Lee was the first rider to win both the World Championship and the World Finals in 2004, and has earned almost $3 million in his career.

Robson Palermo of Rio Branco, Brazil, won the Built Ford Tough Championship Round on Sunday with 91.25 points on RMEF Gunpowder & Lead (Robinson/Braithwaite). Palermo was riding after being carried from the arena on a stretcher following his win in Round 4 on Saturday. Palermo injured his neck while dismounting, and went to a local hospital for X-rays and an MRI. When the examination showed that he did not suffer a fracture or any ligament damage, he was cleared to ride on Sunday.

2010 Final Built Ford Tough Standings

1. Renato Nunes, Buritama, Brazil, 13,960 points
2. Austin Meier, Kinta, Okla., 11,054 points
3. J.B. Mauney, Mooresville, N.C., 10,736.5 points
4. Valdiron de Oliveira, Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil, 9,966 points
5. Mike Lee, Decatur, Texas, 9,589.25 points
6. Robson Palermo, Rio Branco, Brazil, 9,367.5 points
7. Guilherme March, Leme, Brazil, 8,86.75 points
8. Silvano Alves, Pilar do Sul, Brazil, 8,616.25 points
9. Ryan McConnel, Coalgate, Okla., 8,480 points
10. Dustin Elliott, North Platte, Neb., 7,654.5 points

2010 Built Ford Tough World Finals at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas

2010 Built Ford Tough World Finals Event Standings

1. Renato Nunes, Buritama, Brazil, 444 points
2. Silvano Alves, Pilar do Sul, Brazil, 431.5 points
3. Wesley Lourenço, Santo Antonio da Barra, Brazil, 353.75 points
4. Dustin Elliott, North Platte, Neb., 352.25 points
5. Guilherme Marchi, Leme, Brazil, 347.75 points
6. Paulo Lima, Bezerros, Brazil, 346.25 points
7. Ross Coleman, Molalla, Ore., 346 points
8. Robson Palermo, Rio Branco, Brazil, 268.5 points
9. Mike Lee, Decatur, Texas, 266.75 points
10. Pete Farley, Kempsey, Australia, 266 points

Built Ford Tough Championship Round, Oct. 24
A – 16,261

1. Robson Palermo, Rio Branco, Brazil, 91.25 points on RMEF Gunpowder & Lead (Robinson/Braithwaite)
2. Mike Lee, Decatur, Texas, 91 points on Perfect Poison (Boyd/Floyd Bull Company)
3. Wesley Lourenço, Santo Antonio da Barra, Brazil, 90.5 points on Unabomber (Robinsno/Eno/Kubinchak)
4. Paulo Lima, Bezerros, Brazil, 87.5 points on MoeBandy.com (D&H Cattle Co./Moe Bandy)
5. Silvano Alves, Pilar do Sul, Brazil, 85.25 points on I’m Back (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls)

Round 5, Oct. 24

1. McKennon Wimberly, Cool, Texas, 89.25 points on Hawaiian Ivory (Flying U/Cindy Rosser Bucking Bulls)
2. (tie) Dustin Elliott, North Platte, Neb., 88.75 points on Zip Code (Sis & Stan’s Bucking Bulls)
   (tie) Pete Farley, Kempsey, Australia, 88.75 points on Deja Blu (Jeff Robinson/Cappello/Teague)
   (tie) Mike Lee, Decatur, Texas, 88.75 points on Yellow Jacket Jr. (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve)
5. Renato Nunes, Buritama, Brazil, 87.75 points on Willie Wilco (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls)

Round 4, Oct. 23
A – 16,878 (sellout)

1. Robson Palermo, Rio Branco, Brazil, 90.5 points on Hustlin (D&H Cattle Company)
2. Guilherme Marchi, Leme, Brazil, 90 points on Priceless (D&H Cattle Company/L&E Bulls)
3. (tie) Pete Farley, Kempsey, Australia, 89 points on Back Bender (Ackerman/Cox)
   (tie) Renato Nunes, Buritama, Brazil, 89 points on SoulJa Boy (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve)
   (tie) Chris Shivers, Jonesville, La., 89 points on Another Husker (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve)
   (tie) Sean Willingham, Summerville, Ga., 89 points on Hee Bee Gee Bee (Boyd/Floyd Bull Company)

Round 3, Oct. 22
A – 15,684

1. Renato Nunes, Buritama, Brazil, 89.25 points on Closet Gangster (Mesa Bucking Bulls/Bierema Rodeo)
2. Wesley Lourenço, Santo Antônio da Barra, Brazil, 88.25 points on Foolish Pride (4L & Diamond S Rodeo Company)
3. Cody Campbell, Summerville, Ore., 87.75 points on Depths of Despair (Box K Cattle Company)
4. (tie) Wiley Petersen, Fort Hall, Idaho, 87.25 points on Pandemic (Mark Ward)
   (tie) Ross Coleman, Molalla, Ore., 87.25 points on RFD-TV (Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC/RFD-TV, LLC)
   (tie) Jason O’Hearn, Rothbury, Australia, 87.25 points on Over the Edge (Lufkin Ranch & Rodeo)

Round 2, Oct. 21
A – 13,477

1. Valdiron de Oliveira, Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil, 91.5 points on Spit Fire (Boyd/Floyd Bull Company)
2. Ned Cross, Midland, Ore., 91 points on Black Pearl (Ravenscroft / Boyd-Floyd Bull Co.)
3. Wesley Lourenço, Itajobi, Brazil, 89.5 points on Red Hot (Big Country)
4. Renato Nunes, Buritama, Brazil, 89 points on Chicken on a Chain (Robinson/Tedesco/Larry the Cable Guy)
5. Chris Shivers, Jonesville, La., 88.25 points on Mission Accomplished (4L & Diamond S Rodeo Company)

Round 1, Oct. 20
A – 9,127

1. Dustin Elliott, North Platte, Neb., 89.25 points on Hee Bee Gee Bee (Boyd/Floyd Bull Company)
2. Renato Nunes, Buritama, Brazil, 89 points on Pit Boss (Ace of Spades Ranch)
3. Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., 88.75 points on Flirting with Disaster (Hart Cattle Co/Switchouse Ranch/Plummer)
4. Douglas Duncan, Alvin, Texas, 88.5 points on Copp Hou (Lightning C Cattle Company)
5. Pete Farley, 88.25 points on Wish This (Don Kish Bucking Bulls)

2010 World Standings

1. Renato Nunes, Buritama, Brazil, 11,172.25 points
2. Austin Meier, Kinta, Okla., 11,054 points
3. J.B. Mauney, Mooresville, N.C., 10,650.5 points
4. Valdiron de Oliveira, Aparecida de Goiania, 9,966 points
5. Ryan McConnel, Coalgate, Okla., 8,480 points

About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
The PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 100 million viewers annually watch over 400 hours of primetime PBR programming on VERSUS, NBC, CBS and networks around the world. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money, and 20 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBride with $5.5 million – the most of any western-sports athlete in history. The PBR was nominated as 2010 Sports League of the Year at the Sports Business Journal Sports Business Awards, alongside the National Football League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Nearly 2 million fans attend Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events each year. For more information on the PBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamPBR and http://twitter.com/TEAMPBR.