Texas Rattlers: 257 / Austin Gamblers: 256

OKLAHOMA CITY – In an all-Lone Star State Showdown Sunday afternoon, the Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat, narrowly beat the Austin Gamblers by one point, 257-256, as each team went 3-for-5, covering 60% of their draws during the final day of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series competition in Oklahoma City.

The game was electric from the moment the first chute gate opened as both the Rattlers and Gamblers converted in the opening frame. After the Rattlers’ leadoff rider Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) rode Monkey Blues (M Rafter E/Rockin’ L Bucking Bulls) for 81.75 points and the Gamblers’ Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas) conquered Uhertx.com’s Lil’ Scrappy (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls) for 84 points, Austin began the second with a slim 2.25-point lead.

The scoreboard then went unchanged through both the second and third before both teams regained their momentum in the fourth. Riding for the Rattlers in the top of the penultimate round of outs was 47-year-old sensation and 2002 PBR World Champion Ednei Caminhas (Indaiatuba, Brazil). Matching Game Over (Cooper/Scruggs/Bishop) jump-for-jump, Caminhas was scored 86.75 points to put the Rattlers back out front by 84.5 points. The Thunder, however, were quick to answer. In the bottom of the frame, Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) rode Malaki (Jenkins Cattle Co./CIL Cattle) for 82.5 points to lessen the Rattlers’ lead to 2 points.

The Rattlers remained electric in the top of the fifth. Matched up with Best In Show (Glover Cattle/D&H Cattle Co.), Texas’s closer Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona) reached the whistle for a crucial 88.5 points. Via the score, the Gamblers needed 90.75 points or more to clinch the win. Out last for Austin was the team’s newest member, Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Brazil), slated to attempt a familiar opponent in Razzmatazz (M Rafter E/High View Cattle). Having met once prior, Lima was bested by the bull in a hard-fought 6.81 seconds earlier this season during the premier series event in Kansas City, Missouri. While Lima reversed his fortunes, delivering a qualified ride, he was awarded just 89.5 points, 1.25 points short of earning the game win.

When the dust settled, the Texas Rattlers proved the supreme Texas bull riding team, improving to 2-1 at PBR Freedom Fest with their 257-256 defeat of the Austin Gamblers, who concluded the PBR Team Series event 0-3. Thus far in 2022, the Texas Rattlers are now 7-12, while the Gamblers backslid to 10-9.  

The PBR Team Series will next travel to Ridgedale, Missouri, for the sixth team-hosted homestand as the Missouri Thunder welcome the league for PBR Thunder Days. The event will be on Friday, September 23 at 7:45 p.m. CT, Saturday, September 24 at 6:45 p.m. CT and Sunday, September 25 at 1:45 p.m. CT.

The game matchups for the opening night of competition in Ridgedale on September 23 are:

              Austin Gamblers @ Kansas City Outlaws

              Nashville Stampede @ Oklahoma Freedom

              Texas Rattlers @ Arizona Ridge Riders

              Carolina Cowboys @ Missouri Thunder

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Team Series action from Oklahoma City. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule. For a behind-the-scenes look at the creation and launch of the new league, tune in to PBR Team Series: Getting the Job Done, presented by ZipRecruiter, Thursdays on PBR RidePass on Pluto TV at 8:30 p.m. ET. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.