LAS VEGAS - Silvano Alves became the firstrider in Professional Bull Riders history to win back-to-back BuiltFord Tough Series World Championships on Sunday in front of 15,361fans at the Thomas & Mack Center. Alves earned $1 million forwinning the World Championship to bring his season earnings to$1,464,475.
In 2011, Alves became the first rider to win the WorldChampionship the year after winning the Rookie of the Year title.Alves has career earnings of $3,248,019, and reached anothermilestone when he surpassed $3 million faster than any bull riderin history, achieving it in 76 events and 28 months. He alsoreached $2 million (23 months and 58 events), and $1 million (18months and 47 events) faster than any rider ever.
"The first title was great, but the second one is even better,"said Alves. "Every bull rider dreams of winning the WorldChampionship, and to do it twice is very special."
For the second year in a row, the World Finals drew almost70,000 fans through five days. The PBR Built Ford Tough WorldFinals are the richest bull riding event on the planet with a totalpurse of $2.2 million, including the $1 million bonus to the WorldChampion.
Robson Palermo also entered the record books,becoming the first rider to win the World Finals event title threetimes, and also the first to win it in back-to-back seasons.Palermo finished with 439.25 points and earned $304,333, including$250,000 for the World Finals Event title. He also won the EventFinals title in 2008 and 2011, and has earned $2,339,783 in hiscareer.
Emilio Resende was named the PBR Rookie of theYear with $271,470, including $181,833 after a second-place finishat the World Finals. Resende earned $25,000 when he won thechampionship round with 89.75 points on David's Dream (Circle T/3BBucking Bulls).
Asteroid (Circle T Ranch & Rodeo) won theWorld Champion Bull title with 93.25 points, beating defendingchampion Bushwacker (Julio Moreno/RichardOliveira) by 1/4 of a point. Asteroid was 46.50 points in the BuiltFord Tough Championship Round on Sunday while Bushwacker was 46.25points. Smackdown (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/ClayStruve/Julie Rosen) finished third with 92.25 points followed byBuckey (Wentz Bucking Bulls) with 91.50 points,Rock & Roll (K-C Bucking Bulls/Spark-linAcres/_Bad_Company/Ohl) with 90 points, and David'sDream (Circle T Ranch & Rodeo) with 89.50 points.
2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi finishedsecond in the BFTS season standings after a fourth-place finish inthe World Finals. It is the fourth time that Marchi has finishedsecond, and the eighth straight year that he has finished in theTop 7. L.J. Jenkins finished third for the seasonwhile Valdiron de Oliveira was fourth, andAustin Meier was fifth.
Meier and two-time World Champion ChrisShivers, who made his final out on Sunday, shared the LaneFrost/Brent Thurman Award, which is presented to the bull riderwith the highest-marked ride at the World Finals. Shivers won Round3 with 90.75 points on Shepherd Hills Sod Buster (D&HCattle/Luthy/Shepherd Hills Cutlery), and Meier won Round 5 with90.75 points on Shepherd Hills Trapper (Circle T Ranch &Rodeo).
Chad Besplug won $161.718 to capture the GlenKeeley Award, presented to the Canadian bull rider who earns themost money during the season.
2012 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough SeriesSeason Standings
1. Silvano Alves, $1,464,475.61, 12,201.25
2. Guilherme Marchi, $331,421.66, 11,542
3. L.J. Jenkins, $239,935.66, 10,621.25
4. Valdiron de Oliveira, $208,724.52, 10,608.25
5. Austin Meier, $311,728.81, 10,249.75
6. Renato Nunes, $254,709.57, 9,859.75
7. Robson Palermo, $466,599.60, 9,681.25
8. J.B. Mauney, $313,340.27, 9,273.25
9. Marco Eguchi, $226,255.50, 7,699.25
10. Fabiano Vieira, $191,399.08, 7,677.25
11. Luke Snyder, $208,540.07, 7,585
12. Emilio Resende, $271,470.62, 6,910.75
13. Mike Lee, $147,952.34, 6,088
14. Ryan Dirteater, $112,208.12, 5,749.50
15. Harve Stewart, $150,975.16, 5,523
16. Cody Nance, $131,580.54, 5,068.25
17. Stormy Wing, $93,296.23, 5,062.50
18. Ben Jones, $115,844.10, 4,840.75
19. Kody Lostroh, $158,470.75, 4,700
20. Ty Pozzobon, $106,451.16, 4,683.25
21. Chase Outlaw, $170,203.48, 4,186.50
22. Chris Shivers, $131,270, 4,060.50
23. Douglas Duncan, $90,687, 3,842.50
24. Justin Koon, $72,854.25, 3,737.50
25. Caleb Sanderson, $75,156.05, 3,627
Follow Jack Carnefix on Twitter @JackCarnefix.