PUEBLO, Colo. – Joao Ricardo Vieira’s bid to become the 2019 PBR World Champion, as well as the first bull rider to win $2 million in one season, continues this weekend when he returns from Brazil for the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo at the Utah State Park.
The last time Vieira was in the United States, he had left the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with another $92,000 headed to his bank account following a victory at the WCRA Title Town Stampede and a third-place finish at the Green Bay Invitational.
Vieira has now won over $826,000 this season in the PBR and rodeo competitions in the United States. If he were to win the $50,000 bull riding title at Days of ’47 and then Last Cowboy Standing at Cheyenne Frontier Days, he would surpass the $1 million mark in season earnings with four months remaining in the season.
“My summer has been great,” Vieira said via Whatsapp on his way to the airport in Brazil on Tuesday. “I am riding a lot. I am ready for Days of ’47 and Last Cowboy Standing.”
Vieira did not earn any points toward the world standings this summer as he opted to compete at non-PBR Brazil events.
However, Vieira was still highly successful at various rodeo events in Brazil, according to Brazilian rodeo journalist Eugenio Jose Santos. The 34-year-old went 15-for-18 at four different rodeos and was victorious at the CRP rodeo in Iacri.
A victory at Last Cowboy Standing would most likely push Vieira, who won Last Cowboy Standing in 2015, into the world No. 1 ranking for the first time since September 3, 2015.
“I like this format,” Vieira said. “It is a test of courage and resistance. God first, I have faith and am dedicated.”
Vieira has won three of the 17 PBR Majors, which is the second most all-time behind reigning World champion Kaique Pacheco (four).
The 34-year-old heads into the Days of ’47 496.66 points behind world leader Jose Vitor Leme.
Lockwood is one of 32 talented bull riders who will be descending upon Salt Lake City beginning on Friday night.
Also set to compete on either Friday or Saturday night (see below) include No. 2 Jess Lockwood, No. 3 Chase Outlaw, No. 5 Cody Teel, No. 6 Cooper Davis, No. 8 Derek Kolbaba, No. 16 Daylon Swearingen, No. 20 Marco Eguchi, No. 25 Brennon Eldred and No. 30 Cody Nance.
No. 10 Claudio Montanha Jr. replaced world leader Jose Vitor Leme, who decided to not compete in Salt Lake City, and No. 16 Stetson Lawrence was added Friday to replace J.T. Stevens (broken leg) on Saturday night.
Bull riders from various organizations, associations and backgrounds will be competing in a unique format at the $1,125,000 WCRA Rodeo.
Each winner of the nine rodeo disciplines will take home $50,000.
The Days of ‘47 features four Semi-Final performances (July 19-20, July 22-23) and one Gold Medal Round (July 24).
Ten riders will compete in the Gold Medal Round. The top two finishers from each Semi-Final performance advance to the Gold Medal Round. The final two spots will go to the two highest finishers from any of the four semifinal bull ridings that had failed to qualify.
Vieira has won $50,000 or more 10 times in his career:
2019 The American ($433,333.33)
2015 Iron Cowboy ($194,833.33)
2015 Last Cowboy Standing ($188,400)
2019 Iron Cowboy ($146,600)
2013 Hollywood, Florida ($128,810)
2016 The American ($100,000)
2013 PBR World Finals ($78,250)
2019 Title Town Stampede ($74,777.75)
2014 PBR World Finals ($73,250)
2014 Iron Cowboy ($50,000)
In comparison, two-time World Champion J.B. Mauney – the richest bull rider in Western sports history – has won $50,000 or more 13 times in his career.
Fans can watch the Days of ’47, which is a WCRA Rodeo, on RidePass beginning at 10 p.m. ET. CBS Sports Network will also air highlights from the Days of ’47 on July 20 (2:30 p.m. ET), July 21 (11 a.m. ET), July 23 (11:30 a.m. ET), July 24 (12:30 p.m. ET) and July 25 (12:30 p.m. ET).
CBS national television will air “B&W Trailer Hitches Days of ’47” on July 28 at 1 p.m. ET.
The winner of the bull riding gold medal will also earn 170 world points. The top 3 riders from the four Semi-Final performances combined will take home 50, 25, and 10 world points, respectively.
Below is a list of the bull riding competitors for the Days of ’47.
Chase Outlaw
Cooper Davis
Derek Kolbaba
Claudio Montanha Jr.
Marco Eguchi
Brennon Eldred
Braden Richardson
Jesse Petri
Jess Lockwood
Joao Ricardo Vieira
Cody Teel
Daylon Swearingen
Stetson Lawrence
Keyshawn Whitehorse
Cody Nance
Chandler Bownds
Cole Fischer
Rylan Wright
Garrett Tribble
Cody Casper
Juliano da Silva
Cody Hudson
Garrett Smith
Jamel Perry
Trevor Kastner
Maycon Moura
Shawn Best II
Marcos Gloria
Boudreaux Campbell
Tyler Hessman
Shay Marks
Coleman Entze