TRYON, N.C. – At the final PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Preseason event of the year in Tryon, North Carolina, no team was more dominant than the Arizona Ridge Riders. Rebounding from a dismal 0-2 showing at the first preseason event in Bismarck, North Dakota, the Ridge Riders were a picture of perfection at the PBR Tryon Chute Out, winning both of their games and posting the lone qualified ride of the Bonus Round.

“Well, we just wrapped up the big win here in Tryon at the last preseason,” said Arizona Ridge Riders Technical Coach Paulo Crimber. “Alisson de Souza was one of our heavy hitters. He’s going to be on the team going to Cheyenne for sure, and he pulled the weight. He led the way for the younger guys and showed them it’s possible to win, no matter what you’ve got. If you do what you’re supposed to do, it still works. I’m very proud. We’re going back to TR9 to get our camp going and get them guys more ready for Cheyenne.”

As action got underway at the Tryon International Equestrian Center Friday evening, the Arizona Ridge Riders earned the team’s first victory when they beat the Nashville Stampede, 170-86. Continuing their momentum Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd, the Ridge Riders won their second consecutive game, defeating the Oklahoma Freedom 255.5-86.

The Ridge Riders clinched the event win as the only team to be flawless in gameplay in Tryon.

With the Bonus Round remaining, the Ridge Riders used their first pick in the draft to have Alisson de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) take on Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage Cattle/American Spirits/Koe Wetzel). As the only team to reach the requisite 8, Souza punctuated the Ridge Riders’ dominant showing with an 89.5-point ride. 

In the overall preseason standings, the Arizona Ridge Riders finished third, going 2-2 in gameplay and amassing 509.25 aggregate and 11 Bonus Round points.

The regular season for the 2022 PBR Team Series will begin July 25-26 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, held during the iconic Cheyenne Frontier Days. Action will begin nightly at 6:45 p.m. MT. CBS Sports Network will carry the action LIVE at 10 p.m. ET.

The game matchups for the first day of the regular season on July 25 are:

• Texas Rattlers vs. Missouri Thunder
• Carolina Cowboys vs. Nashville Stampede
• Oklahoma Freedom vs. Kansas City Outlaws
• Austin Gamblers vs. Arizona Ridge Riders

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of all the PBR Team Series action. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv. Tune to channel 720 for the latest programming schedule.

Kansas City Outlaws: 172.00
Missouri Thunder: 0.00

As the second day of competition at the final preseason event of the year for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series, fans were treated to the first-ever showdown between the Kansas City Outlaws and Missouri Thunder in a battle for the Show-Me State. In commanding fashion, the Kansas City Outlaws rode supreme, shutting out the Missouri Thunder 172-0. After both teams registered buckoffs in their opening outs, with neither Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) nor Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri) converting, the Kansas City Outlaws began to reclaim their winning form from the first preseason event of the year in Bismarck, North Dakota. Cole Melancon (Sour Lake, Texas), tasked with Jingle and Go (JQH Bucking Bulls – Skip & Elaine Jones), reached the requisite 8 for a crucial 85.5 points. With the next two sets of outs all ending short of the whistle, the Missouri Thunder were in a must-ride situation in their fifth and final out: Jesse Petri’s (Dublin, Texas) showdown with Contusion (Team Wyatt). While Petri proved key in the Missouri Thunder’s win the night prior, he was bested by Contusion in 5.49 seconds. With the victory clinched, Marcus Mast (Middlebury, Indiana) punctuated the Outlaws’ golden effort with the high-marked ride of the game, essential for the Outlaws’ bull pick in the Bonus Round. In perfect time with Big Kiwi (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers Bucking Bulls), Mast scored 86.5 points as the Tryon International Equestrian Center crowd erupted in raucous cheer. With the win, the Kansas City Outlaws improved to 1-1 in the Tryon Chute Out, while the Thunder slipped to 1-1.