GLENDALE, Ariz. – 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco was sitting inside the locker room before the start of Ridge Rider Days at Desert Diamond Arena Friday night when the topic of conversation turned to how he could become the 21^st rider in PBR history to reach 300 rides.

Pacheco humbly shrugged and accepted the kudos from Nashville Stampede teammates, three-time World Champion Silvano Alves and 2016 World Finals event winner Ryan Dirteater.

The 28-year-old then laughed when asked if he thought he could someday break 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi’s record of 635 qualified rides on the premier series.

“With God, everything is possible, but I don’t know,” Pacheco said with a grin. “I never think about that. I always try to do the same at all events – one bull at a time.”

Pacheco officially joined the elite group during Nashville’s 172-168 victory over the Kansas City Outlaws (12-14, Ridge Rider Days 0-1) with his 86.75-point ride on Money.

“I’m really happy to reach that number,” Pacheco said. “That’s really hard, to reach that number on that kind of bulls. That’s why we are here. That’s what we’re working for, to ride the bulls.

“That’s really important for me, for the team to win, and for my career, this is a good moment. I’m pretty happy.”

The seven-time PBR World Finals qualifier is the fifth-fastest in PBR history to reach the prestigious 300 club, and he made history with his father, Everaldo, in attendance.

Two men on the Stampede are in the club alongside Pacheco – Alves is fourth all-time with 464 qualified rides, and coach Justin McBride ranks eighth with 374.

Alves has always viewed Pacheco as a son and best friend, and he admits he is running out of words to describe how special Pacheco is.

“It’s hard and easy to talk about Kaique,” Alves said. “It’s hard because he’s a good person, he’s a nice guy, he’s a friend. He’s my best friend here in the United States. I take care of him here, just like my son. I love him. For his career, he’s the best rider here. You come here and want to do your best. You have to stay focused and hustle every time. He’s doing his job. Every single time, jump for jump. No matter what, he’s going to get on and do his job.”

McBride added, “Those kinds of things are cool. That’s a great feather in his cap. We are really proud for him to do that. I know that’s not his focus or his concern. He’s wanting to get another ride to help his team win the game. But that is cool.”

The Stampede have struggled mightily this regular season, but Nashville is looking to turn the page before the postseason begins in Las Vegas.

Nashville’s win Friday in Glendale ends its six-game losing streak, and the team improves to 6-19-1 with two games left in the regular season.

The Stampede will head into the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship on Nov. 4-6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as the No. 8 seed.

For Nashville to have any shot of being a Cinderella story in Vegas, it will start and end with Pacheco.

The Itatiba, Brazil, native has had his struggles earlier in the year, but he is warming up just in time for the postseason.

Pacheco has ridden three of his past four bulls after beginning the Teams season 8-for-26.

McBride doesn’t want to make excuses for his star rider’s struggles, but the coach admitted Pacheco’s broken foot at the World Finals took a little bit longer to heal than anticipated, which affected his conditioning earlier in the year.

Pacheco has also been learning how to lead the team and was putting too much pressure on his own shoulders earlier in the season – always asking to be placed on the rankest bull in the team’s bullpen.

“I feel like Kaique probably put a little too much pressure on himself at times, got a little tight at times, but then he’s made some really good rides – you know, last week he was 90 away from his hand, and made just one hell of a ride,” McBride said. “It’s been a learning experience for a guy like him, too. A guy that’s kind of an introvert, and not that he’s not a really nice guy, but he’s not a guy that, before this thing started, had confidence in himself to be able to tell another guy what he could work on or how to fix a mistake, anything like that. So this has been a learning experience for him, too.”

Alves agrees with McBride and sees Pacheco growing into a leader every day.

“Now he is learning how to become a champion in the team, too,” Alves said. “He’s more relaxed and adjusted to it. Before, he’s too much pressure on the bull. He say he don’t care, but I know him. I know him, but I feel he got pressure on him. He would think, ‘I need to win this thing because this is my team,’ something like that. But right now, all the team is working together, and he is relaxed.”

Alves and Pacheco often hold practices at their ranches in Decatur, Texas, and Alves has helped be a fellow leader for the Stampede.

The two champs know the Stampede are nowhere near out of the running for the Team Series Championship once the lights turn on inside T-Mobile Arena in a few weeks.

Yes, Nashville has had its struggles, but the newest member of the 300 club is ready to help push his team forward come the postseason, as well as on Saturday night against Oklahoma (15-11, Ridge Rider Days). 

“Yeah, it’s been different for me, but I try to help the other guys. I always try to help people,” Pacheco said. “But our guys are trying their best. (Losing) happens sometimes. That’s life. We try hard, we work hard, we try to match the bulls perfect, and we ride our bulls. We just don’t have much luck in our games. But our time is coming.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media