Pacheco inches closer to second World Championship with 90-point, Round 1-winning ride in Manchester
91-point ride aboard Dirty Sancho propels 2018 PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco within 697.5 points of No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme.
MANCHESTER, N.H. – As fan-attended events resumed for the first time in 608 days inside SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, the already historic 2021 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Championship slugfest intensified. World No. 2 Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) delivered a monster 90-point walk-off ride to win Round 1 of the elite Unleash The Beast’s Monster Energy Invitational, gaining crucial ground in his quest to become just the seventh multi-time World Champion in league history.
As the last man to erupt from the chutes on Friday evening, Pacheco was poised on the back of the chutes as he readied for his showdown with Dirty Sancho (Blake Sharp/Koe Wetzel/High Voltage Cattle).
The “Ice Man,” who had bucked off his five previous bulls, proceeded to match the powerful bovine athlete jump-for-jump, remaining centered as he reached the requisite 8. As the normally reserved Brazilian celebrated dirtside, his statement 91-point score was announced, leading the crowd to erupt in raucous cheer.
The top-scored ride of Round 1 netted Pacheco a crucial 29 points, allowing him to inch closer to world No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil), who remains sidelined with a groin injury. Pacheco is now within 697.5 points of his countryman ahead of Round 2 on Sunday.
To date in 2021, Pacheco has registered six 90-point rides, the fourth most of any rider, and nine round victories, tied for second in the league.
Jesse Petri (Dublin, Texas) was second in Round 1, earning 18 world points.
The young gun clinched the silver finish after covering Dr. Campbell (Nancy Haverty/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 89 points.
A Top-5 contender for the coveted Rookie of the Year honor, Petri gained one position in the world standings, climbing from No. 19 to No. 18, as he looks to qualify for his career-first PBR World Finals Nov. 3-7 in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena.
Compliments of an 86.5-point effort aboard Skeeter Peter (Dakota Rodeo/Mark Baker/Clay Struve/Chad Berger), Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina), an expectant father, netted 17 world points, propelling from No. 22 to No. 20 in the world standings.
Delivering under pressure, Marcus Mast (Middlebury, Indiana) punched his ticket to Round 2 after registering the fourth-best score of the opening round.
Mast covered Not Today (Nancy Haverty/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 86.25 points to collect 16 world points.
The 27-year-old catapulted eight positions in the standings, surging from No. 65 to No. 57.
Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas), who rode Ol’ Boy (Ken Barnhart/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 83.75 points.
The magnetic Texan exited SNHU Arena having earned 15 world points, now ranked No. 28 after beginning the event No. 30.
PBR Unleash The Beast action from Manchester, New Hampshire, and SNHU Arena will conclude on Saturday, October 16, starting at 6:45 p.m. EDT with Round 2 and the championship round for the PBR Monster Energy Invitational.
PBR RidePass on PlutoTV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of every PBR Unleash The Beast event. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv. Tune to channel 720 for the latest programming schedule.
PBR Unleash The Beast
PBR Monster Energy Invitational
SNHU Arena – Manchester, New Hampshire
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Kaique Pacheco, 91-0-0-91.00-29 Points.
2. Jesse Petri, 89-0-0-89.00-18 Points.
3. Eli Vastbinder, 86.5-0-0-86.50-17 Points.
4. Marcus Mast, 86.25-0-0-86.25-16 Points.
5. Andrew Alvidrez, 83.75-0-0-83.75-15 Points.
6. Grayson Cole, 83.5-0-0-83.50-14 Points.
7. D.J. Parker, 80.75-0-0-80.75-13 Points.
8. Marco Eguchi, 76-0-0-76.00-4 Points.
João Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-0-0.00
Boudreaux Campbell, 0-0-0-0.00
Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-0-0-0.00
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0.00
Junior Patrik Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Chase Dougherty, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Teel, 0-0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0.00
João Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Jesus, 0-0-0-0.00
Daylon Swearingen, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-0-0-0.00
Eduardo Aparecido, 0-0-0-0.00
Mason Taylor, 0-0-0-0.00
Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-0-0-0.00
Manoelito de Souza Junior, 0-0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson, 0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Adriano Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0-0.00
Fernando Henrique Novais, 0-0-0-0.00
Ramon de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Dakota Louis, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Casper, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcos Gloria, 0-0-0-0.00
Carlos Garcia, 0-0-0-0.00
Joe Hostetler, 0-0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0-0.00
Jory Markiss, 0-0-0-0.00