LAS VEGAS – Here are three things we learned from the Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour Finals this weekend at South Point Arena.
Marcilio wins Velocity Tour championship on tiebreaker
Alex Marcilio earned himself a trip to the PBR World Finals courtesy of his 2017 Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour Championship.
Marcilio went 2-for-4 at the Velocity Finals and wound up winning the Velocity Tour title via a tiebreaker.
The 29-year-old was originally named in arena as a co-champion alongside Ramon de Lima after the two riders finished the year with 367.5 points in the standings. However, according to the Velocity Tour ground rules, Marcilio ($41,550.30) wins the $50,000 champion bonus for having won more money this year at Velocity Tour events than Lima ($40,619.77).
“It is really amazing,” Marcilio said via Paulo Crimber translating after being announced as a co-champion. “Right now being a qualifier and going to the World Finals means a lot. It is my dream come true. I really thank God for all the blessings he has given me.”
RELATED: Sage Kimzey wins Velocity Tour Finals
Marcilio earned an automatic bid to the World Finals for his finish in the Velocity Tour standings after concluding the regular season 38th in the world standings.
The Macaubal, Brazil, bull rider led the Velocity Tour with 28 qualified rides and posted a 59.57 percent riding percentage in 22 events. Marcilio won the Portland, Maine, Velocity Tour event for one of his nine Top-5 finishes.
Marcilio finished the Velocity Tour Finals in ninth place following 85.5-point rides on Flab Slab and Bottom’s Up. He only earned 27.5 points toward the standings, but previous Velocity leader Skeeter Kingsolver went 0-for-3 and earned 0 points.
“It would feel good to win the $50,000, but it is very important to me to go to the World Finals,” Marcilio said with the help of Rubens Barbosa translating following Round 3.
Kingsolver will still qualify for the World Finals as a wild card berth after finishing fourth in the Velocity Tour standings. No. 2 Lima and No. 3 Jess Lockwood qualified by being ranked in the Top 35 of the world standings, therefore Kingsolver was awarded the final spot as being one of the top-two non-Top 35 riders with Marcilio.
Marcilio is set to compete at the World Finals for the first time since being an international invite in 2013.
Last year, Marcilio chose to stay home in Brazil and only compete in PBR Brazil events.
After finishing second in the PBR Brazil standings to 2016 PBR Brazil champion Dener Barbosa, Marcilio decided to return to the United States this year and compete on American soil.
“I thought I was ready to come back this year,” Marcilio said. “For sure, I am a very better bull rider this year.”
Leme and Tovis join Kimzey as wild card winners
Joining Marcilio, Kingsolver and Kimzey as wild card winners was Taylor Tovis and Jose Vitor Leme.
Tovis finished 4-for-4 and in second-place by riding Ground Control for 81.5 points in the championship round.
The 24-year-old was the only rider other than Kimzey to cover all of his bulls at the Velocity Finals.
The Stephenville, Texas, cowboy said before the event it would be a dream come true to make the World Finals after missing all but three events last year following a broken right leg.
“It is super exciting,” Tovis said prior to Round 3. “This is what I have worked for all year. I rather have been up there earlier this year, but this was the last chance.”
Leme finished the event 3-for-4 in his PBR debut on American soil and earned the international wild card berth over Zane Lambert (0-for-3) and Francisco Morales (0-for-3).
The 2017 PBR Brazil champion turned down a re-ride option in Round 3 after riding 2-14 HCR for 62 points and was then bucked off by Muscles & Shovels in 6.77 seconds in the championship round.
Leme admitted via Crimber that he turned down the re-ride because he knew a third qualified ride would clinch him a berth to the World Finals.
“That was my strategy,” Leme said. “I knew keep that score and three would put me into the Finals. I just wanted to get them down and on the board. It is a really big paycheck, but the dream to go to the Finals was bigger. To me, it is really important to win this, but it is more important to go to the Finals.”
Kolbaba takes 142.5-point lead into the World Finals
World leader Derek Kolbaba did not have the kind of Velocity Tour Finals he had hoped for and finished 1-for-3.
Kolbaba’s 87.5-point ride on Ellis 1413 in Round 1 earned him 40 world points and he will begin the World Finals on Wednesday with a 142.5-point lead on No. 2 Eduardo Aparecido. No. 3 Cooper Davis is 174.17 points behind Kolbaba.
The 21-year-old did say after the event that he felt fine and came out of the Velocity Finals still 100 percent healthy.
Meanwhile, Lockwood’s 3-for-4 performance moved him to fourth in the stadings. He begins the World Finals 467.5 points behind Kolbaba.
“I am feeling good,” Lockwood said. “I feel awesome and had a good Velocity Finals. (Indian Medicine) bucked hard and you aren’t going to be able to ride them all. If they buck that hard, they will get you once in a while.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Castro wins Round 2 with 90.5-point ride; Rookie of the Year race tightens (10-29-17)
Luciano de Castro admits his rookie season has been a disappointment, but the 21-year-old Brazilian talent still has time to make a late-season push at the Rookie of the Year title and end 2017 on a high note.
Castro demonstrated on Sunday night why many Brazilian bull riding insiders in thought Castro could be the next PBR star this year by winning Round 2 with a 90.5-point ride on Big Black.
“I am really happy to ride that bull for 90 points because I knew he could be worth 90,” Castro said with the help of Paulo Crimber translating. “It just depended on me. I have not been having a great year this year. I have been having a terrible year. Just to have this under my belt – 90 points – has me rolling and ready for the World Finals next week.”
The 90.5-point score is the highest for Castro on American soil at any level of competition and earned him 80 points toward the world standings.
The round win also moved Castro up to fourth in the Velocity Tour standings. He is only 72.5 points behind Velocity No. 1 Skeeter Kingsolver, who bucked off his second bull in a row on Saturday night, but Castro will need some help on Monday with nine riders ahead of him in the event standings.
Castro is ranked 27th in the world standings and is 1,128.33 points behind Rookie of the Year leader Dener Barbosa.
Barbosa is currently in 21st place at the Velocity Tour Finals after riding Captain Obvious for 83 points in Round 2.
Castro may be over 1,000 points behind Barbosa, but a strong showing at the World Finals this coming week can easily help him erase that deficit and earn him the Rookie of the Year belt buckle.
The 2015 PBR Brazil champion is 23-for-56 (41.07 percent) in his first season on the Built Ford Tough Series.
Meanwhile, fellow rookie Claudio Montanha Jr. is in hot pursuit of an event win after picking up his ninth consecutive ride at all levels of PBR competition.
Montanha rode Second Hand Crook for 86 points in Round 2 and heads into Round 3 fourth in the event average.
The 28-year-old is only 186.67 points behind the rookie lead.
“I am really happy because after the break I didn’t ride really good and I lost my edge,” Montanha said with the help of Crimber. “Not too long ago, I started riding back good. This is my ninth bull without getting bucked off. Making those points count and going to the Finals is all about focus. I really want to win (Rookie of the Year).”
Another rookie trying to simply seal a spot in the World Finals helped his cause as well on Sunday.
Koal Livingston placed second in the round by riding Hangman for 87.5 points.
Livingston has been putting off getting season-ending shoulder surgery until after the World Finals and earned 50 world points Sunday night.
The ride pushed him from 35th in the world standings to 32nd heading into the final day of the regular season.
“I finally left my purse at the hotel and got one rode,” Livingston said. “I finally cleared my head and told myself to let it all hang out and not think about it. That is what I have been messing up. I keep on dwelling instead of letting it hang loose, clear mind and having fun. I have been trying too hard.”
Lockwood gains ground in world title race
World leader Derek Kolbaba was bucked off by Budakon in 7.6 seconds and No. 5 Jess Lockwood pounced on the opportunity in Round 2.
Lockwood capped the second night of competition at the South Point Arena with an 86.5-point ride on Blood Money to finish the round tied for fourth place for 17.5 world points.
The 19-year-old trails Kolbaba by 597.5 points in the world standings heading into Round 3.
However, Lockwood is leading the event average at the Velocity Tour Finals. If he hangs on to win the event, the Volborg, Montana, bull rider would pick up an additional 200 world points.
“Shoot, everyone is riding good and everyone showed up to ride in Vegas,” Lockwood said. “You have to cover everything you get on or else you aren’t going to be much for points.”
Lockwood is one of nine riders 2-for-2 heading into the final night of the Velocity Tour Finals.
The 20-year-old had his ribs wrapped on Sunday after being stomped on following his 91-point ride on Night Sweats in Round 1 Saturday in the same region where he broke four ribs last month.
“They were a little sore this morning and sore throughout the day,” Lockwood said. “Then we went bowling and we got back and I took an hour-and-a-half nap before we came here. Shoot, it was like that nap healed me and they felt really good.
“Sports med will wrap me each time and it will be good. I may just be a tad bit sore.”
Wild Card Update: Kimzey, Jesus and Leme on path to Finals
Right behind Lockwood in the event standings is three-time PRCA champion Sage Kimzey.
Kimzey rode Sitting Bull for 86.5 points to finish the round tied with Lockwood and is second overall.
“That was another nice bull,” Kimzey said. “This one went right instead of left, but one you should ride for sure. Talking to a few guys before, I knew I would have a chance at a decent score and put me back in a good spot for (Monday).”
The second overall ranking is key for Kimzey.
Kimzey needs to finish in the top-two to guarantee himself a trip to the World Finals on Wednesday as a wild card invite.
A Top-5 finish in the event could potentially grant him a Finals berth depending on if any Top 35 riders finish ahead of him.
Cody Jesus is also in contention for a wild card position after riding his re-ride bull, Grave Digger, for 87 points in Round 2.
The 2016 Indian National Finals Rodeo champion bull rider is third in the event average.
“Oh shoot, I don’t know. I was a little dizzy after my first bull (CO 29B) slammed in the chute and hit me in the head,” Jesus said. “I wasn’t sure. I just nodded my head and see what happened. When they come around into my hand I try to spur them hard.”
Meanwhile, 2017 PBR Brazil champion Jose Vitor Leme is closing in on winning the international wild card bid.
Leme rode The Original for 81.5 points and is the only international invite 2-for-2 in Las Vegas.
“It is hard to say now because I still have two more bulls to go,” Leme said via Crimber. “I don’t want to think that yet. I want to go out and ride them two and then think about it once I get those done.”
Injury Updates
According to PBR Sports Medicine Program Director Rich Blyn, Emilio Resende is out for the remainder of the Velocity Tour Finals after sustaining a back contusion attempting to ride Mind Freak (2.41 seconds) in Round 2.
J.W. Harris (left abdominal strain), Troy Wilkinson (concussion), Ezekiel Mitchell (concussion) and Nathan Jestes (possible left hand fracture/concussion) are all listed as questionable for Round 3 on Monday night.
Kolbaba and Kimzey express mutual respect; both ride in Round 1 (10-28-17)
PBR world leader Derek Kolbaba and PRCA no. 1 bull rider Sage Kimzey both laughed off all the talk about the two top bull riders squaring off against each other at South Point Arena.
Kolbaba and Kimzey are far from rivals, and instead are peers with mutual respect for the other’s accomplishments.
“I don’t see how you couldn’t have respect for the kid, it is not like he is that old,” Kolbaba said. “Every time he has went to the NFR he won the world. That guy is damn good. You can’t take anything away from him. I personally think if he devoted his time to the PBR he would be there. He would be a Top-10 guy all day long. It is fun to have him come out here and get the opportunity.
“People like to talk it up and try to sell tickets, but at the end of the day, it is just a good bull riding. I like Sage and he is a good guy to me. It is fun.”
Kimzey said, “I have mad respect. (Derek and Jess Lockwood) are great bull riders and are really good guys too. My thing is it is not about how good you ride really, but it is about the legacy you are going to leave. Both of those guys are going to be absolute legends in and out of the arena.”
The reality is both Kolbaba and Kimzey have much bigger things to focus on this weekend than a PBR vs. PRCA showdown.
Kolbaba is riding a hot streak toward the 2017 World Championship and saw good buddy and world No. 5 Jess Lockwood win Round 1 with a 91-point ride on Night Sweats.
Meanwhile, Kimzey is trying to finish in the top-two of the event standings to earn a trip to the World Finals on Wednesday.
Kimzey finished tied for fifth in Round 1 with an 86.5-point ride on ‘Merica.
“That was a really nice bull,” Kimzey said. “He blew up and had a lot of timing right out of the chute.”
Kolbaba answered Lockwood’s ride by tying for second-place in Round 1 with an 87.5-point ride on Ellis 1413.
1413 took a big leap out of the bucking chute before the 21-year-old regained control and made the 8-second mark into his hand.
“He kind of had some things that aren’t really the most fun and rider-friendly, but you have that grit and fight for that next jump,” Kolbaba said.
Kolbaba’s ride helped him tie with Trey Holston (87.5 points on Coal Face) for second-place to earn 40 world points.
The 40 points helped diminish the 80 points Lockwood earned for the round win.
Kolbaba heads into Round 2 of the Velocity Tour Finals 615 points ahead of Lockwood in the world title race.
“Seeing (Lockwood) ride dang sure fires me up,” Kolbaba said. “It more excites me than, ‘Shit, he got one rode, I better ride.’
“Seeing your buddies ride good like that fires you up to step up to the plate.”
Kolbaba is also now 45 points behind Velocity Tour leader Skeeter Kingsolver and will face 16B Budakon in Round 2.
RELATED: Round 2 daysheet
Kingsolver was bucked off by Little Texas in 2.91 seconds, while Velocity No. 2 Alex Marcilio rode Flab Slab for 85.5 points.
Marcilio tied for ninth in the round and earned no world points, but the 29-year-old is also in contention for a Top 35 ranking.
The No. 37 rider in the world standings picked up a qualified ride in Round 1, while No. 36 J.W. Harris was bucked off by How Bout It in 5.72 seconds.
Marcilio trails Harris by 60.41 points for the last World Finals qualification spot.
Lockwood takes shot on his broken ribs; says he will be fine
Things got a little dicey for Lockwood in the seconds following his 91-point ride.
Lockwood had a rough get off before Night Sweats stomped on his left side, making contact with the same area where he broke four ribs last month in Uniondale, New York.
“I went to get up and hit me right in those broken ribs,” Lockwood said. “I will take that with being 91 though.”
Lockwood had bucked off four bulls in a row since returning from the broken ribs two weeks ago.
“Coming back from injury it always takes a little bit,” Lockwood said. “When you finally break the ice like that and you are 91 points, I would like to keep it rolling like that and usually I can.”
Lockwood will try to continue to gain ground in the world title race when he faces Blood Money in Round 2.
Jose Vitor Leme takes the lead in international wild card race
Jose Vitor Leme was the only international invite to post a qualified ride in Round 1 and the 2017 PBR Brazil champion is now in the driver’s seat at earning a wild card bid to the World Finals.
Leme made a beautiful 85.5-point ride on Wileywood Blue for the first ride of his PBR career on American soil and finished tied for ninth in the round.
He has ridden 11 straight bulls in PBR competition.
“I was real nervous before the ride, but as soon as I got on that bull I got focused, concentrated, relaxed and tried to do what I came here to do – ride bulls,” Leme said with the help of Paulo Crimber translating. “It really is a movie when I started walking through the arena for introductions. I can’t describe how happy I was. My family is probably real proud.”
2017 PBR Canada champion Zane Lambert was the next closest at hitting the 8-second mark and was bucked off in 7.86 by Bullets & Boots.
2017 PBR Australia champion Troy Wilkinson (3.25 seconds on Hot Time) and PBR Mexico invite Francisco Morales (4.24 seconds on Whiskey) also bucked off.
Leme takes on The Original in Round 2 on Sunday night.
The international invite that finishes the highest at the Velocity Finals will receive an invitation to compete at the World Finals.
In the event that all international invites are bucked off at the Velocity Finals, the international invite who is ranked highest in the PBR world standings, and not already qualified for the PBR World Finals as a Top 35 bull rider, will receive the wild card spot.
If any of the international invites finish ranked inside the Top 35 of the world standings, then the international wild card spot at the World Finals will be filled by the next highest-finishing international invite at the Velocity Finals.
“If I qualify for the World Finals I think I am really going to be dreaming because I have no words about how great that will be,” Leme said. “It already is a dream come true just being here. Being able to walk into the World Finals is going to be something amazing and phenomenal.”
Injury Updates
According to PBR Sports Medicine Program Director Rich Blyn, Michael Lane is questionable for Sunday after straining his left groin in Round 1.