PUEBLO, Colo. – Thiago Salgado thinks he may have been happier than his brother, Adriano Salgado, was two years ago when Adriano won PBR Brazil’s Iron Cowboy competition in Americana, Brazil, on June 23, 2019.

The victory was one of Adriano’s biggest to date in the PBR. It came almost two months after he had won the Cactus Jack PBR Bull Riding Touring Pro Division event in Uvalde, Texas before he returned home from the United States.

“My brother and I are really tight,” Thiago said with the help of Paulo Crimber translating. “One of my favorite moments of us together was me seeing him win Iron Cowboy.”

At the time, Thiago was only 17 years old, and his older brother began to tell him about life in the United States.

The two brothers used to play in the backyard like so many other kids with dreams of one day riding in the U.S. and pursuing the PBR World Finals.

“Make history,” they would tell each other.

There was no doubt in Thiago’s mind that, when Adriano decided to return to the United States in January 2020, he would one day join his older brother in pursuit of their American dream.

Yes, Thiago was not even 18 years old yet, and he was not allowed to purchase his PBR card, but he wanted to start getting on American bucking stock in the practice pen and be with his brother.

Adriano has been one of Thiago’s biggest coaches since Thiago got on his first calf at 5 years old. Bull riding is in their blood as both their father and mother rode bulls earlier in their lives.

“My dad told me I have an opportunity to come over to America, and I told him, ‘I am ready,’” Thiago said. “My brother was coming, and I just jumped in with him. My brother has always pushed me and helped me.”

However, COVID-19 put a damper on their aspirations last year.

Adriano competed at three events, including two Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour events, and went 0-for-3.

Once the worldwide pandemic intensified, Adriano decided to head back to Brazil to be with his family and son, Henry Gabriel.

Thiago, meanwhile, decided to remain in the United States in Whitesboro, Texas. The brothers were not reunited until Adriano returned this past March.

“I was happy to see my brother again. I missed him a lot because he was always my right-hand man,” Thiago told PBR Brazil’s Jorge Cardoso in March. “It was hard not having him by my side when riding. I missed his voice there with me, getting angry, correcting and supporting me. Our halves are complete, and we will be strong again, making history.”

Adriano added, “The feeling of being next to my brother again is amazing; there's no way to explain it. We were always very close to each other, and having been away for a year was difficult to bear. Now we are together and ready to make history in the PBR world.”

The brothers’ first attempt at making history together will occur this weekend at the Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic in Sacramento, California. Adriano will make his Unleash The Beast debut Friday night against Regulator (0-0, UTB), while Thiago will attempt to build off his second-place finish last weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma when he faces Delbert Sr. (2-3, UTB) on Saturday night.

Round 1 Friday night airs exclusively on CBS Sports Network live at 11 p.m. ET.

“To be able to ride two bulls at this level is amazing,” Thiago said after riding Fiji for 87.5 points and Honey Man for 83.25 points for his first two UTB rides last weekend. “I am really happy, but I really wish I went 3-for-3.”

Adriano, 23, is 91^st in the world standings and is 6-for-15 (40%) in eight events, including an 0-for-1 showing at last weekend’s Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event in Memphis, Tennessee.

Thiago, who is now 19 years old, became the second-youngest Brazilian bull rider to reach the PBR’s premier series when he debuted on Feb. 26 in Fort Worth, Texas. Ten-time PBR World Finals qualifier Paulo Crimber is the youngest to debut on the premier series.

Thiago could become a contender for the 2021 PBR Rookie of the Year if he were to crack the Top 30 of the world standings in the second half. He jumped from No. 54 to No. 33 with his performance in Tulsa, and he is only 25.5 points outside of the Top 30.

“I am hungry and want to do better and better every day,” Thiago concluded.

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media