08.23.22 - Teams
Arizona Ridge Riders having fun and riding well in successful start to season
The Ridge Riders are currently 6-4 and in the No. 3 spot in the standings.
By Darci Miller
PUEBLO, Colo. – The Arizona Ridge Riders have perhaps been one of the biggest surprises of the early PBR Team Series season.
Currently No. 3 in the standings, the Ridge Riders (6-4) have spent time in the No. 1 position and are just one game behind the No. 1 Austin Gamblers (7-3) and No. 2 Missouri Thunder (7-3). They also lead the league with 19 qualified rides in 50 outs (38%).
They’ve also been doing so with smiles on their faces and strawberry milkshakes in their hands.
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Leadoff rider Alisson de Souza has developed quite the affinity for the sugary drink, and given the strength of his riding to start the season – he’s 8-for-14 (57%) – his coaches are more than happy to buy in.
“It’s just like Popeye, the guy with big arms who has to eat spinach to get strong,” Souza told PBR.com, laughing, with the help of technical coach Paulo Crimber translating. “It is my power drink. Every time I had a milkshake, either before or after, I did really well, so we just make sure to give me all the sugar.”
But when the Ridge Riders get to the arena to prepare for battle, all bets are off.
“You have to be fun the whole time, but when you get behind the chutes, it’s going to be serious there,” Crimber said during a recent feature on CBS Sports Network. “The fun is over. It’s just the whole team helping each other and just getting the job done.”
Get the job done they have. The Ridge Riders won their first event of the season at Outlaw Days in Kansas City to entrench themselves near the top of the standings for the first month of the season.
Most recently, the Ridge Riders placed fourth at Stampede Days in Nashville, going 2-1.
Powering the Ridge Riders has been their one-two punch of Souza and first-round draft pick Luciano de Castro, who’s 6-for-11 (54%) on the season.
“We’ve had guys that people wouldn’t think are necessarily top-name riders, and they’re stepping up and riding rank bulls,” said teammate Chase Dougherty, who’s been out with a knee injury since June. “I’m just really excited to see what these guys can do without me, and excited to get back to it, too.”
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The Ridge Riders will have their next opportunities to win this weekend at Gambler Days in Austin, Texas, where they take on the Thunder on Friday, Nashville Stampede (3-7) on Saturday and Kansas City Outlaws (4-6) on Sunday.
Day one from Austin airs live at 10 p.m. ET on RidePass on Pluto TV.
“To me, the PBR Team Series is the greatest thing that could’ve happened to the sport of bull riding,” Crimber said. “It’s just giving guys the opportunity to kind of share moments and rides together, and put their work into one purpose, one reason. And that’s win, no matter what it takes.”
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media