PUEBLO, Colo. – 2020 World Champion Jose Vitor Leme was faced with two options at the end of the 2019 PBR World Finals. He could either sit and wallow in his understandable disappointment about losing out on the 2019 World Championship, or he could use his emotions to fuel his determination for the upcoming season.
By now, everyone is well aware of the choice Leme made when he walked out of T-Mobile Arena last year. Leme’s heartbreaking loss to two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood was not going to define his career. The difference of one bull ride – a 1.9-second slap of Danny Boy in Round 2 – opened the door for Lockwood, the 2019 PBR World Finals event winner, to overcome a 749.66-point deficit and snatch the world title out of Leme’s grasp.
Leme was not going to let anyone take away what he felt would rightfully be his in 2020. The 24-year-old vowed to come back stronger in 2020 and win the PBR World Championship, its $1 million bonus, a prestigious gold buckle and a brand new Ford truck.
The Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil, native responded to his second consecutive runner-up finish in the world standings last year by putting forth one of the greatest seasons in PBR history.
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“Chasing History With Jose Vitor Leme” was released Tuesday on the PBR’s social media channels, and it can be watched below in its entirety.
The feature begins with Leme’s crushing defeat at the 2019 World Finals.
“When I lose the world title last year, it was a sad moment for me because I work all the year for that gold buckle, and I go to the World Finals in the first position, a lot of points ahead, and I lost everything in just one event,” Leme says in the interview. “It is not easy. When you go to the World Finals in first position, like 700 points ahead, you think you will be World Champion, and when you lost, it is not easy for your mind, your family, your friends, for everyone around you.
“I just try to keep my head up and keep doing my job for the next season, and I am I here today to fight again for this gold buckle. I hope this year I can do better and win this world title.”
The piece then flashes back to Leme’s sensational debut at the 2017 World Finals, including his Finals-winning 94.5 points on Magic Train, and ends with a recap of his gold buckle-clinching performance inside AT&T Stadium last month.
“I started riding bulls in 2015, and in 2017 I win the PBR Brazil (Finals and championship) and Rookie of the Year, and I come here and win the World Finals and Rookie of the Year, too,” Leme said. “That was amazing. I don’t know how to explain what I feel In that moment because it was incredible for me and for everybody to see that. I never expect to ride all my bulls and be 90s. Make 94 points in the short round to win my first event in the USA is crazy. But I think God give all of that for me.”
Leme clinched his World Championship with the best ride of his career last month at the World Finals – 95.75 points on 2020 ABBI Classic Champion Woopaa.
The ride is tied for the fourth-best in PBR World Finals history. Rubens Barbosa rode Chiseled for 95.75 points during the 2019 PBR World Finals.
Leme will begin his World Championship title defense on Jan. 8-9 in Duluth, Georgia, when the 2021 Unleash The Beast gets underway.
2021 will be his fourth full season in the PBR. His 2017 Rookie of the Year campaign consisted of only the 2017 World Finals.
Leme is riding at a 58.12% clip since 2018, and he is averaging 45.33 rides, 8.66 90-point rides and four wins per year.
Below is a look at Leme’s three full seasons in the PBR.
2018 UTB Stats
Rides: 76
Attempts: 41
Riding Percentage: 53.95%
Events: 24
Top Ride: 93.5 points on SweetPro’s Bruiser (World Finals)
Average Ride Score: 87.21
Wins: 1
15/15 Bucking Battle victories: 1
Round Wins: 13
90-point Rides: 5
2019 UTB Stats
Rides: 51
Attempts: 93
Riding Percentage: 54.84%
Events: 27
Top Ride: 92.75 points on Cochise (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Average Ride Score: 85.55
Wins: 4
15/15 Bucking Battle victories: 2
Round Wins: 18
90-point Rides: 12
2020 UTB Stats
Rides: 44
Attempts: 65
Riding Percentage: 67.69%
Events: 20
Top Ride: 95.75 points on Woopaa (World Finals)
Average Ride Score: 88.15
Wins: 7
15/15 Bucking Battle victories: 1
Round Wins: 16
90-point Rides: 9
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Christopher Thompson/Bull Stock Media