PUEBLO, Colo. – Jose Vitor Leme sat on the back of the bucking chutes with his arms crossed and glanced up at the big screen hanging high above the dirt of Paycom Center.
Austin Richardson was getting ready to climb aboard 2021 YETI World Champion Bull Woopaa in the championship round of the PBR Express Ranches Invitational, presented by Union Home Mortgage, in Oklahoma City.
It has become commonplace, it seems, to expect Leme to be the one teaming up with his “buddy” Woopaa.
Instead, Leme could not compete in the championship round as he was outside the Top 12 of the event standings following a 4.71-second buckoff against Falcon Eddie.
“He had a different trip with Cody (Teel), but I think he will be strong today,” Leme said in anticipation of Woopaa’s out.
Sure enough, Woopaa erupted for a season-best 46.75-point bull score when he bucked off Richardson in 4.14 seconds.
With Monday being Valentine’s Day, let’s take a look at three matchups we would love to see at the 2022 PBR World Finals come May 13-22 when the PBR hosts its season-culminating event at Dickies Arena for the first time in league history.
JOSE VITOR LEME VS. WOOPAA
It may be old news to some, but Jose Vitor Leme teaming up with Woopaa seems to always result in love in the air between the top two athletes in the PBR.
Leme and Woopaa have matched up four times with every single outing resulting in a score of 94.75 points or higher.
Of course, it was only a few months ago when Leme and Woopaa combined for the greatest bull ride in PBR history (98.75 points) at the last PBR World Finals to be held at T-Mobile Arena. That ride came 100 days after Leme and Woopaa first broke the PBR record for the highest-scored bull ride when they teamed up for 97.75 points.
Could Leme and Woopaa potentially hit the 99-point threshold on Championship Sunday on May 22 at Dickies Arena?
ELI VASTBINDER VS. MOONLIGHT PARTY
Eli Vastbinder may not have won the 2021 PBR World Finals, but he certainly was a constant highlight reel inside T-Mobile Arena, with all four of his qualified rides going for 90 points or higher.
The 30-year-old has proven his 4-for-6 showing at the World Finals was no fluke. Vastbinder has surged to No. 5 in the PBR world standings and is tied with world No. 1 Joao Ricardo Vieira for the most qualified rides (13) on the Unleash The Beast this season.
Meanwhile, Moonlight Party has jumped into the early lead in the 2022 YETI World Champion Bull race with a 3-0 record and 46.08 average bull score. The stout Canadian bull was especially impressive against Kaique Pacheco (2.46 seconds) and Dalton Kasel (1.67) seconds this season.
Moonlight Party is 4-1 on the Unleash The Beast since making his debut last season with a 2.97-second buckoff of three-time World Champion Silvano Alves in Deadwood, South Dakota. However, Alves would then get redemption by riding Moonlight Party for 91.5 points at the World Finals in November.
Vastbinder is only an inch taller than Alves and is also a right-handed rider like Alves. He may be able to use his height to his advantage and counter Moonlight Party’s powerful first jump out of the right delivery. If Vastbinder could get past that initial jump to the right, he may be able to similarly put up a 90-plus score inside Dickies Arena.
KAIQUE PACHECO VS. NIGHT HAWK
Night Hawk made his season debut in Oklahoma City with a 2.47-second buckoff of world No. 2 Kyler Oliver in 2.47 seconds. Night Hawk was scored 45.25 points, and the soon-to-be 7-year-old bull improved to 17-0 in his career on the premier series and 25-0 overall.
2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco is expected to return to competition very soon, and it would be interesting to see him match up against Night Hawk for the third time. Pacheco is 0-2 against Night Hawk, but the last matchup came outdoors in the bitter cold and snow last year at the 15/15 Bucking Battle in Del Rio, Texas. In a more even setting for the two athletes, Night Hawk bounced Pacheco in 4.13 seconds in October 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Pacheco went a career-best 5-for-6 last year at the World Finals as he pushed Jose Vitor Leme to the limit in the world title race. If Pacheco rides like that again with the shift to Dickies Arena, he may be ready to slay Night Hawk.
HONORABLE MENTION: JOAO RICARDO VIEIRA VS. MEZCAL
It is only fair to draw up a potential matchup for current world No. 1 Joao Ricardo Vieira and another bull inside the Top 10 of the YETI World Champion Bull race with a double-digit buckoff streak: Mezcal.
We won’t wish another matchup upon Dalton Kasel, but don’t be surprised if the 2019 Rookie of the Year one day exacts revenge against Mezcal following a third consecutive buckoff this past weekend in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.
Mezcal bucked Vieira off in 3.15 seconds in the championship round at last year’s World Finals, but the bovine was called for a foul and Vieira received a re-ride. A month earlier, Vieira lasted only 2.28 seconds against Mezcal.
The Paradigm Bull Company bovine athlete has proven to be a handful for every rider who has attempted him so far. Mezcal is 14-0 on the premier series and 18-0 overall. He is currently ranked tenth in the YETI World Champion Bull race.
Could the third time be the charm for Vieira?
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
