PUEBLO, Colo. – The PBR Team Series shifts to Bridgestone Arena this weekend for Stampede Days. Four teams have laid claim to the top tier of the standings through the first three weeks of the season with varying approaches, strategies and roster makeup.
The Missouri Thunder (6-1) are the early-season frontrunners for the PBR Team Series Championship following their 6-1 start to the season. The Thunder have demonstrated the best depth and overall approach to the early season thus far, with six riders recording at least one qualified ride in competition and five riders posting at least two. Colten Fritzlan has led the way with four rides in seven games.
Meanwhile, the Austin Gamblers (4-3, 18 Bonus Points) are sitting No. 2 in the standings with a top-heavy approach. Two-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme has carried the burden for the Gamblers with seven of Austin’s 13 rides (53.85%). No other Austin rider has more than two rides.
The Arizona Ridge Riders (4-3, 10 Bonus Points) are No. 3 in the standings and have one of the more unexpected one-two combos in the league. Alisson de Souza (five rides) and Luciano de Castro (four rides) have accounted for 64.29% of the team’s league-high 14 qualified rides.
The Carolina Cowboys (3-4) have been wildly inconsistent through three events. The Cowboys have 13 qualified rides and have won all three bonus rounds, but Carolina has also gone 0-for-5 twice. Like Arizona, the Cowboys are led by a strong one-two punch with Daylon Swearingen (five rides) and Mason Taylor (four rides).
Rounding out the bottom half of the standings is Oklahoma (3-4, 12 Bonus Points), Nashville (2-5, 12 Bonus Points), Texas (2-5, 11 Bonus Points) and Kansas City (2-5, 9 Bonus Points).
Let’s take a look at this week’s starting lineups.
Missouri Thunder (6-1) vs. Texas Rattlers (2-5)
Clayton Sellars (MT) vs. Red Solo Cup
Brady Oleson (TR) vs. Moon Taxi
Jesse Petri (MT) vs. Budakon
Cody Jesus (TR) vs. Step That Step
Andrew Alvidrez (MT) vs. Hawkeye
Rafael Jose de Brito (TR) vs. Magic Potion
Adriano Salgado (MT) vs. ZZ Top
Braidy Randolph (TR) vs. Uncle Gangster
Colten Fritzlan (MT) vs. Preachers Kid
Brady Fielder (TR) vs. Norse God
MISSOURI RIDER TO WATCH: Clayton Sellars’ ride on Legit last weekend in Anaheim was a huge emotional lift for the Thunder in their final victory over Carolina. Sellars is a locker room personality favorite and broke out of a 1-for-6 start to the season by riding a bull who entered the matchup 23-5 at all levels of competition.
“Sellars had that huge crank on an eliminator, and we talked about this before: momentum is so real,” Missouri coach Ross Coleman said.
TEXAS RIDER TO WATCH: Texas got a big lift with the return of Brady Oleson from a left knee injury that kept him out of the Rattlers’ first five games. Oleson, who is still not 100% healthy, went 2-for-2 last week and is someone coach Cody Lambert trusts to help his team climb its way back up the standings.
“Brady is a real team leader, too,” Lambert said. “I am really proud we got him. He has been there at my place ever since the draft, basically, and I have gotten to know him and really appreciate him. He is a great teammate, great bull rider, and we are going to see a lot more of him.”
Oklahoma Freedom (3-4) vs. Kansas City Outlaws (2-5)
Derek Kolbaba (OF) vs. Dr. X
Dalton Kasel (KCO) vs. Spice
Briggs Madsen (OF) vs. Draco
Marcus Mast (KCO) vs. Prisoner
Dawson Branton (OF) vs. Bottom’s Up
Bob Mitchell (KCO) vs. Hard Juice
Deklan Garland (OF) vs. Perch Trap
Tate Pollmeier (KCO) vs. Savage
Casey Roberts (OF) vs. Ivy League
Koltin Hevalow (KCO) vs. Mr. Right Now
REMATCHES
Dawson Branton vs. Bottom’s Up (Tryon preseason event – 3.26 seconds)
OKLAHOMA RIDER TO WATCH: Maybe we should call this section baby watch. Derek Kolbaba is questionable for the weekend, per Oklahoma General Manager Brandon Bates, as he and his wife, Aymie, are expecting the birth of their first child any day now. Aymie is due Aug. 23, so there is a possibility Kolbaba could have to miss this weekend’s three-game set. If so, who will step up for the Freedom? Outside of Casey Roberts, the rest of Oklahoma’s submitted roster for Nashville is 3-for-22 (13.64%) this season.
KANSAS CITY RIDER TO WATCH: The Outlaws should get a huge lift with the return of Dalton Kasel to the lineup. Kasel has missed the last five games recovering from a broken jaw, multiple broken ribs and a bruised kidney that he sustained at a PBR Challenger Series event on July 30. Kasel has proven time and time again he can be a top-tier bull rider when healthy, and the 2019 Rookie of the Year is just what the doctor ordered to help the Outlaws climb out of the basement of the PBR Team Series standings.
Austin Gamblers (4-3) vs. Arizona Ridge Riders (4-3)
Griffin Smeltzer (AG) vs. Satan’s Seed
Eduardo Aparecido (ARR) vs. White Dust
Ezekiel Mitchell (AG) vs. Just Denim
Alisson de Souza (ARR) vs. Wicked Dreams
Lucas Divino (AG) vs. Twisted Feather
Sandro Batista (ARR) vs. Tiger
Austin Richardson (AG) vs. Gangster Time
Keyshawn Whitehorse (ARR) vs. War Daddy
Jose Vitor Leme (AG) vs. JoJo
Luciano de Castro (ARR) vs. Big Bank
REMATCHES
Austin Richardson vs. Gangster Time (2022 Duluth, Georgia – 7.13 seconds)
AUSTIN RIDER TO WATCH: Griffin Smeltzer gets his second opportunity to try and earn a full-time spot in the starting lineup. The Gamblers are tied with the Oklahoma Freedom for the most riders used during the season so far with 10. However, the difference is that Oklahoma has been dealing with multiple injuries, whereas Austin has been adjusting because of coaching decisions. The team is clearly searching for the middle of its lineup to partner with Leme. Maybe Smeltzer can be the next rider to help Leme to victory.
ARIZONA RIDER TO WATCH: Can Eduardo Aparecido have the same kind of impact at the leadoff spot as Alisson de Souza? Arizona coaches Colby Yates and Paulo Crimber are betting on that, making a lineup switch of moving Souza to the No. 2 hole instead of his usual leadoff position. According to Yates, Souza’s matchup against Wicked Dreams is the toughest draw of their bull pen on Friday night. Still, Arizona believes Souza will rise to the challenge and have confidence after watching Aparecido convert on White Dust earlier in the game.
Carolina Cowboys (3-4) vs. Nashville Stampede (2-5)
Boudreaux Campbell (CC) vs. Light’s Out
Kaique Pacheco (NS) vs. Midnight Flyer
Ramon de Lima (CC) vs. Bobkat
Thiago Salgado (NS) vs. Theodore
Lane Nobles (CC) vs. Chief Wahoo
Joao Henrique Lucas (NS) vs. Mike’s Motive
Mason Taylor (CC) vs. Experiment 626
Manoelito de Souza Junior (NS) vs. Red Scorpion
Daylon Swearingen (CC) vs. Mr. Nasty
Silvano Alves (NS) vs. Sammy
REMATCHES
Daylon Swearingen vs. Mr. Nasty (2022 Duluth, Georgia – 88.5 points)
Kaique Pacheco vs. Midnight Flyer (2022 Albuquerque 15/15 Bucking Battle – 88.25 points)
CAROLINA RIDER TO WATCH: Coach Jerome Davis is giving a new rider an opportunity to help Carolina get back on track following its 1-for-10 showing in Anaheim. Lane Nobles draws into the lineup for the Cowboys, but he is 0-for-10 at all levels of competition since the 2022 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals. We will see if Nobles can turn around his summer struggles and help the Cowboys end their two-game losing streak in the process.
NASHVILLE RIDER TO WATCH: The Stampede signed arguably the best free agent still available on the open market last week in three-time World Champion Silvano Alves. Nashville has lost four in a row, and coach Justin McBride has opted to sign the longtime PBR veteran to his squad. How valuable is Alves’s knowledge alone? Well, his 12 trips to the PBR World Finals is more than the combined total of three members of Nashville’s starting lineup: Manoelito de Souza, Joao Lucas and Thiago Salgado. In another tidbit, can Alves help break 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco’s recent funk? Pacheco has cooled off lately for the Stampede. The second overall draft pick of the 2022 PBR Team Series Draft is only 3-for-10 in seven games and three bonus rounds.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
