Vieira falls short of $1 million, but still helps his case for $1 million PBR World Championship
Joao Ricardo Vieira won the bull riding at The American, as well as finished third overall in Little Rock.
PUEBLO, Colo. – Joao Ricardo Vieira’s pursuit of $1 million this past weekend at The American may have come up just short, but the 2020 American co-bull riding winner alongside Sage Kimzey still wound up helping his pursuit of the $1 million PBR World Championship regardless.
Vieira’s Round 1-winning ride at the Bad Boy Mowdown on Friday night not only earned him 20 world points, but it also propelled him to a third-place finish overall and an additional 36 world points in Little Rock, Arkansas, despite the fact that Vieira did not compete Saturday so that he could ride at The American.
“I see this,” Vieira said late Sunday night via Whatsapp. “It is good. It is a blessed week.”
Vieira will now head into the Gwinnett Invitational in Duluth, Georgia, on Saturday and Sunday only 93.75 points behind world No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme. Vieira could take another chunk out of Leme’s lead if the No. 1 bull rider misses another week because of three broken ribs.
Round 1 from Duluth airs exclusively on RidePass beginning at 6:45 p.m. ET.
Vieira’s third-place finish in Little Rock was his best since placing runner-up at Iron Cowboy, presented by Ariat, on Feb. 7. In fact, the 56 world points he earned is the fourth-most for him at an event this season.
Meanwhile, the 35-year-old was nearly $333,333.33 richer this weekend when he climbed aboard Grey Wolf during the Shoot-Out Round at The American. Vieira was the last bull rider to go in the winner-take-all round, and he had just seen his previous three opponents – Trey Benton, Boudreaux Campbell and Kimzey – all get sent to the ground quickly.
Therefore, the door was wide open for Vieira to ride Grey Wolf to win The American as a qualifier and split the $1 million qualifier bonus with Wyatt Casper (saddle bronc winner) and Shad Mayfield (tie-down roping). Grey Wolf got the best of him, though, resulting in Vieira and Kimzey tying for the victory based on their 84-point rides in the long round Saturday night.
Vieira had to win The American bull riding outright to receive a piece of the $1 million bonus. He still left Arlington with $65,500, according to the Fort-Worth Star Telegram. Vieira won $77,522.31 this weekend when you combine his winnings from Arlington and Little Rock.
The 2013 PBR Rookie of the Year has now won just under $900,000 inside AT&T Stadium in the last seven years.
Vieira’s domination inside AT&T Stadium began before The American with back-to-back Iron Cowboy titles in 2014 and 2015. He has won The American in 2016, 2019 and 2020.
“I was happy to win The American for the third time,” Vieira said. “Today, the bulls were strong and fast, and the bulls were lucky. I will work harder to be better.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko