PUEBLO, Colo. – Brennon Eldred already has punched his ticket to Las Vegas with eight of his bulls expected to compete at the 2021 ABBI Finals, but the four-time PBR World Finals qualifier is now ready to get himself qualified for the PBR World Finals.
Eldred, the No. 56-ranked bull rider in the world, is set to return to Unleash The Beast competition this weekend for the first time since undergoing reconstructive right elbow surgery during the summer break. Eldred missed almost four months as Dr. John Conway cleaned out ten different bone chips in his elbow and repaired nerve damage and some bone spurs that had worsened through the years.
“Dr. Conway is a real good elbow surgeon who works on a lot of baseball players,” Eldred said. “My elbow was getting pretty bad and has been messing with me for a couple years. They got it cleaned up, and it feels pretty good.”
Eldred returned to action last week at the Minot Y’s Men PBR Touring Pro Division event and said he felt good despite a 6.87-second buckoff against Touch ‘N Go.
The Sulphur, Oklahoma, native heads into this weekend’s PBR Union Home Mortgage Invitational, presented by Bass Pro Shops, 116.5 points behind the Top 35 and a World Finals qualification spot.
Eldred has drawn Patillo Ridge (4-3, UTB) for Round 1 Saturday night (7:45 p.m. ET on RidePass on Pluto TV).
Eldred, who is one of six riders outside of the Top 35 riding in Greensboro, says he will not overthink his situation or stress about having just a few weeks to qualify for the World Finals. He will have one more injury exemption at his disposal following Greensboro.
Greensboro is the third-to-last Unleash The Beast regular-season event before the World Finals begins on Nov. 3 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“That’s been the least of my worries,” Eldred said. “I’ve just been focusing on getting back on top of my game where I know I can be. If it’s meant to be after missing most of the year, then so be it, and if not, then we will keep after them and get ready for the new season. I’m going to enjoy the rest of this year and just be thankful I am healthy and able to continue to do the sport that has given me so much. But until the dust settles, you can bet I’ll have the hammer down and not look back.”
LOCKWOOD STILL OUT; LEME QUESTIONABLE
Two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood (core muscle repair surgery) had initially hoped to return to competition this weekend in Greensboro. However, he said his groin still does not feel quite right after some practice bulls, and he has decided to take at least another week off.
Meanwhile, reigning world No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme is questionable for Greensboro. Leme will attempt a practice bull on Wednesday and will make a decision on his status by Thursday morning.
Leme leads No. 2 Kaique Pacheco by 726.5 points in the world standings.
If Leme decides he is good to go, he will take on Bentley (7-3, UTB) in the 15/15 Bucking Battle and then Joker (12-3, UTB) in Round 1.
Pacheco has drawn Blue Crush for the 15/15 and Diamond Show for Round 1.
TOP 30 RIDERS OUT OF COMPETITION
No. 5 Dener Barbosa (broken right collarbone)
No. 18 Paulo Lima (right groin)
No. 19 Cody Jesus (groin/shoulder)
No. 21 Alex Cerqueira (in Brazil)
No. 23 Colten Fritzlan (left shoulder surgery)
No. 27 Austin Richardson (broken right collarbone)
ALTERNATES
No. 36 Thiago Salgado
No. 37 Conner Halverson
No. 40 Lucas Divino
PENDLETON WHISKY VELOCITY TOUR INVITES: GARCIA / SALGADO
There will be two PWVT invites this weekend in Greensboro.
No. 39 Adriano Salgado will continue his pursuit of a Top 35 ranking as the standings invite. Salgado, who is No. 5 in the Velocity Tour standings, is the highest-ranked VT rider healthy and not already on the UTB tour.
Salgado is 27.5 points outside the Top 35 heading into his Round 1 meeting against Millennium’s Buck (18-4, UTB).
Carlos Garcia will be appearing at his first premier series event in four years after winning the Fairfax Invitational two weeks ago. Garcia was double-entered in the event and went a combined 4-for-5. The No. 69-ranked bull rider in the world takes on T-Bone (1-0, UTB) Saturday night.
The 32-year-old last competed on the premier series at the 2017 event in Billings, Montana. Garcia is 0-for-4 in two events.
ROUND 1 REMATCHES
Cody Teel vs. Whatchamacallit (2.44 seconds in Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Eduardo Aparecido vs. Lost Highway (3.03 seconds in Deadwood, South Dakota)
Jesse Petri vs. Tiger (3.43 seconds in Tryon, North Carolina)
Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Viper (2.43 seconds two years ago in Minneapolis)
Marco Eguchi vs. Home Wrecker (0-2; 5.19 seconds in Newark, New Jersey)
Silvano Alves vs. Hammered Down (84.5 points in Ocala, Florida)
CANADIAN MIST RETIRING IN GREENSBORO
J.W. Hart and Hart Cattle Company announced Wednesday on social media that this weekend will be Canadian Mist’s final out of his career.
The last time he’ll make the jog to the barn to go to an event somewhere, @PBR Greensboro will be his farewell party before retirement!!! #CanadianMist pic.twitter.com/Cj0v3wjk5Z
— JW Hart (@hart_jw) October 6, 2021
The 8-year-old bull is a four-time PBR World Finals qualifier and is 43-7 on the premier series in his career since first debuting in 2017.
Canadian Mist is set to buck in Round 1 against Thiago Salgado.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media