WICHITA, Kan. – In front of a raucous, socially distanced crowd at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas, three-time PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals qualifier Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) was dominant Friday evening, winning Round 1 of the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Invitational.
Lane delivered the top score of the evening when he made the requisite 8 aboard Jerry Lee (Shuler Bucking Bulls) for 87.5 points.
Earning 7 world points, Lane climbed five positions in the world standings, rising from No. 51 to No. 46. He now trails the Top 30 and a position on the elite Unleash The Beast by a slim 43 points.
Seeking his first Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event win since 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa, Lane will look to retain his position atop the event leaderboard in Round 2 when he climbs aboard Snoop Dog (Danley Bucking Bulls LLC).
Wyatt Rogers (Coweta, Oklahoma) and Eli Byler (Nashville, Ohio) tied for second in Round 1, delivering matching 86-point scores to collect 3.5 world points apiece. They covered Liberal Tears (Championship Pro Rodeo) and Freddy Fender (XTB Cattle Co.), respectively.
Compliments of the silver finish, both riders gained ground in the world standings. Rogers climbed four spots from No. 73 to No. 69, and Byler surged nine positions from No. 81 to No. 72.
As Championship Saturday gets underway, Rogers has drawn Heartbreaker (Frenzel Bucking Bulls) in Round 2, and Byler will attempt Turbo Blast (Tom Baker Bucking Bulls).
In another tie, Cole Skender (Hamburg, Arkansas) and Alecio Ferreira Costa (Bon Conselho, Brazil) split fourth place in Round 1 of the PBR Wichita Invitational.
Both marked 85.5 points, Skender rode The Muley (T&G Bucking Bulls), while Costa went the distance aboard Fu Man Chu (Sho-Me Rodeo/Titan Cattle Co.) to each earn 1.5 world points.
Awaiting Skender and Costa in Round 2 are Dos Equis (GT Bucking Bulls) and Slamma Jamma (Clark View Farms), respectively.
With the evening’s round dominated by the league’s bovine athletes, just one additional cowboy of the collective 45 contenders recorded a qualified ride.
Paulo Ferreira Lima (Bezerros, Brazil) was sixth. He earned one world point compliments of his 85-point effort atop Red Baron (Her Lightning).
The 33-year-old will attempt to ascend the leaderboard and earn his second Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event of the year when he goes head-to-head against Louisville Slugger (Pick-It Hammers) in Round 2.
The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Invitational is also a stop on the 2021 Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge.
Halpain Bucking Bulls #2 won the performance with 278.73 points courtesy of the trips notched by Sin City, Black Cadillac and Midnight Mystery.
Second place was JQH Bucking Bulls #1 with 276.86 points, while Topline Steel Buildings was third with 271.36 points. JQH Bucking Bulls #1’s team included Hey Bartender, Jingle and Go and Speck, while the bronze effort from Topline Steel Buildings was earned courtesy of outs recorded by Ugly Buck, Big Shot and Snake Eyes.
Fans can relive all the action from Round 1 of the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Invitational Saturday, April 24 at 8:00 a.m. EDT on RidePass, at RidePass.com or via the RidePass app available on iOS, Android and Roku.
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour action from Wichita, Kansas, and INTRUST Bank Arena continues on Saturday, April 24, with Round 2 and the championship round. Action gets underway at 7:00 p.m. CDT.
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour – Wichita Invitational
INTRUST Bank Arena – Wichita, Kansas
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Michael Lane, 87.5-0-0-87.50-7 Points.
2. Wyatt Rogers, 86-0-0-86.00-3.5 Points.
(tie). Eli Byler, 86-0-0-86.00-3.5 Points.
4. Cole Skender, 85.5-0-0-85.50-1.5 Points.
(tie). Alecio Ferreira da Costa, 85.5-0-0-85.50-1.5 Points.
6. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 85-0-0-85.00-1 Points.
Marcus Mast, 0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Logan Biever, 0-0-0-0.00
Luis Blanco, 0-0-0-0.00
Leonardo Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0.00
Clayton Sellars, 0-0-0-0.00
Hunter Ball, 0-0-0-0.00
Grayson Cole, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Fideles Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0-0.00
Manoelito de Souza Junior, 0-0-0-0.00
Justin Houston, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0.00
Keith Hall, 0-0-0-0.00
Rubens Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00
Jake Lockwood, 0-0-0-0.00
Laramie Craigen, 0-0-0-0.00
Dirlei Bonani, 0-0-0-0.00
Jake Gardner, 0-0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson, 0-0-0-0.00
Caic Cassio Carvalho, 0-0-0-0.00
Ednei Caminhas, 0-0-0-0.00
Devon Weaver, 0-0-0-0.00
Triston Dean, 0-0-0-0.00
Gage Gay, 0-0-0-0.00
Romildo Rodrigues, 0-0-0-0.00
Junio Quaresima, 0-0-0-0.00
Rosendo Ramirez, 0-0-0-0.00
Ricky Aguiar, 0-0-0-0.00
Dylan Madsen, 0-0-0-0.00
Riley Gagnon, 0-0-0-0.00
Fernando Henrique Novais, 0-0-0-0.00
Kyle Gardner, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Hazelton, 0-0-0-0.00
Matt Hennelly, 0-0-0-0.00
Devin Hutchinson, 0-0-0-0.00
Anthony Lyons, 0-0-0-0.00
Mason Ward, 0-0-0-0.00