Texas Rattlers: 177.25

Carolina Cowboys: 171.5

FORT WORTH, Texas – The white-hot Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat, continued their second-half surge during the second night of competition in their debut PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series homestand, upsetting the league No. 1 Carolina Cowboys courtesy of a walk-off score from Lone Star State cowboy Daniel Keeping (Gorman, Texas).

The Texas Rattlers have now won six consecutive games. Riding at the top of the first frame, 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) gave the Cowboys an early lead, covering Born To Sin (Logan Clancey/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 88.25 points.

With the crowd eagerly cheering for their home team, the Rattlers stumbled in the bottom of the first as first-round draft pick Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona) bucked off Casper (Crescent City Bucking Bulls/Lari Crane/Gene Owen) in 4.81 seconds.

In the second, when the Cowboys failed to grow their lead, as 2020 PBR Rookie of the Year Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) bucked off 7-Up (Ogden Ranch) in 3.34 seconds, the Rattlers quickly rebounded with their first points.

Veteran rider Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) brought the electric crowd inside Dickies Arena to a roar when he outlasted Napoleon (Sho-Me Rodeo/Austin) for 87.5 points, and the Rattlers pulled within 0.75 points as the third began.

Following a scoreless third, the game intensity reached new heights in the fourth. In just his second out for the Cowboys, newly inked Sandro Batista (Pedra Preta, Brazil) rode Dagger (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 83.25 points to pad Carolina’s lead to 84 points.

Setting up a dramatic fifth, 2002 PBR World Champion and 47-year-old Ednei Caminhas (Indaiatuba, Brazil) bucked off Prime Tested (Blake Sharp/Travis Austin/Koe Wetzel), architecting a high-pressure, must-ride fifth.

With the chance to clinch the win early for his team, Mason Taylor (Maypearl, Texas) failed to rise to the occasion, thrusted to the dirt in 2.88 seconds by Alakazam (D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle/Tommy Julian).

The fate of the Rattlers came down to Texas’ own Keeping as the last rider to leave the chutes. z

Amid a three-out ride streak in Team Series competition, Keeping was matched with Theodore (Lari Crane/Gene Owen) by Head Coach Cody Lambert. Needing a score of 84.25 points or more to win the game, Keeping erupted from the chutes remaining centered atop the powerful animal athlete en route to the whistle. As celebration ensued, Keeping was marked a game-best 89.75 points to clinch the Rattlers’ victory against the league No. 1 Carolina Cowboys, 177.25-171.5.

Compliments of the win, the Texas Rattlers are now 12-12 throughout the 2022 season, with a perfect 2-0 record at their inaugural PBR Rattler Days homestand.

The Carolina Cowboys slipped to 14-10 this season and 0-2 in Fort Worth. The Rattlers will look to complete their sweep inside Dickies Arena when they play the rival Austin Gamblers (13-11) on Championship Sunday, who will also enter the game with a 2-0 record in Fort Worth.

The Cowboys will attempt to prevent being shut out in Texas when they go head-to-head with the No. 2 Oklahoma Freedom (14-10 | 1-1) in a showdown of titans which will determine who will conclude the event atop the league standings.

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media