PUEBLO, Colo. – Daniel Keeping hasn’t been a household PBR name for long, but in his short time on tour so far, he’s made one thing clear.
He’s not here to ride bulls. He’s here to dominate them, most recently reminding bull riding fans and his fellow competitors alike via a 92.5-point effort aboard Flapjack last weekend in Minneapolis.
Starting his Unleash The Beast season 7-for-9 (77.8%), Keeping has been on fire. After capturing his first event title at the PBR Minneapolis Invitational via a thrilling 3-for-3 effort, he’s not showing any signs of slowing down, either.
Following an 87.25-point ride atop Pearl Jam and 88.25-point effort matched against MagicBru parlayed by his event-best outing last weekend in the championship round, Keeping enters the PBR Manchester Invitational this weekend ranked No. 1 in the race to be crowned the 2023 World Champion.
While his inspirational rise from a former test rider for stock contractors around the country to the No. 1 bull rider on the PBR’s elite tour, he’s not the only youngster who’s been hot to start the season. Yet, with how spicy the beginning to his campaign has been, some think the favorite for the 2023 Rookie of the Year title has already been proclaimed.
Sandro Batista, who’s been putting on a show of his own, is not one of them. Since winning the event title at the Challenger Series Championship in Las Vegas Nov. 3 before going 2-for-2 later that weekend at the PBR Team Series Championship with the Carolina Cowboys, the young cowboy has been producing quality rides regardless of competitive format.
Currently ranked No. 9 in the UTB standings with an 80% riding percentage (4-for-5) through two event appearances, Batista garnered the attention of the entire tour after riding Woopaa for 91.25 points last weekend in Minneapolis.
Batista combined the impressive championship-round ride with an 85.75-point effort aboard Ponotoc in Round 1 and an 81.75-point ride atop Fearful in Round 2 for a third-place finish.
Furthering the young, talented group of talented riders currently positioned inside the Top 10 is Wingson Henrique Silva, who checks in at 22 years of age and five spots higher in the standings, at No. 4.
Defending a 5-for-8 (62.5%) showcase appearing in all three events so far, Silva’s season has most recently been highlighted by a perfect 3-for-3 weekend at the PBR St. Louis Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires. Finishing third in the event, Silva entered last weekend’s showdown in Minneapolis a blazing 5-for-6 (83.3%) but was bucked off both of his opponents.
Looking to stay above a 50% riding percentage and get back to the podium, look for Silva to get back in the ride column when he rejoins the tour after being excused from this weekend’s competition in New Hampshire.
While he’s not technically a rookie, 20-year-old Thiago Salgado has enjoyed a productive start to his 2023 UTB campaign. After going 4-for-7 (57.1%) through three events this year, including a 3-for-3, second-place finish at the season-opening PBR Monster Invitational, Salgado holds the No. 5 rank in the UTB standings.
A solid contributor for the 2022 PBR Team Series champion Nashville Stampede, it’s round-winning, 91.5-point rides like his trip aboard Razzmatazz in Tucson, Arizona, that make the young rider a threat to compete on any given weekend.
FIRST CUTS OF SEASON LOOM AFTER MANCHESTER
Regardless of age, experience and familiarity with the tour, it’s quickly going to come down to who wants it more. With the PBR Manchester Invitational representing the fourth event of the UTB season, only riders within the Top 35 are guaranteed to stay on tour. While the Top 35 will move on, the bottom five will be relegated to the Velocity Tour, with the five best Velocity Tour riders invited to compete at UTB events.
In respecting the intense physical and mental requirements and corresponding time in recharging said assets, the PBR has allowed athletes transitioning from the busy schedules of PBR Team Series, Challenger Series, international competition and beyond to miss up to four regular season UTB events with an exempt status, therefore not counting against the riders and the upcoming cut. This also allows international riders to visit their families at home or return to their native countries to renew visas, etc. Break aside, riders must be ranked within the Top 35 following the PBR Manchester Invitational to stay on tour heading into Albany, New York, Dec. 29-30.
Let’s take a look at who’s drawing into the lineup this weekend in New Hampshire:
WHO IS IN FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE
Daniel Keeping Cooper Davis Thiago Salgado Keyshawn Whitehorse Luciano de Castro Rafael Jose de Brito Sandro Batista Silvano Alves Andrew Alivdrez Mason Taylor Colten Fritzlan Chase Outlaw Junior Patrik Souza Manoelito de Souza Junior Kaique Pacheco Rafael Henrique dos Santos Bob Mitchell Eduardo Aparecido Casey Roberts Marcelo Procopio Pereira Dalton Kasel Joao Henrique Lucas Wyatt Rogers Marcus Mast Cody Jesus Eli Vastbinder Dener Barbosa Jesse Petri Koltin Hevalow Austin Richardson Adriano Salgado Dawson Branton Trevor Reiste Wellington Ferreira Bruin Bradshaw Tate Pollmeier
OUT BECAUSE OF INJURY/OTHER
Daylon Swearingen Jose Vitor Leme Brady Oleson Braidy Randolph Ezekiel Mitchell Derek Kolbaba Boudreaux Campbell Ednei Caminhas Jess Lockwood Alisson de Souza Joao Ricardo Vieira Chase Dougherty Cole Melancon Dakota Louis Kyler Oliver Kaique Pacheco Fernando Henrique Vitor Losnake Briggs Madsen Lucas Divino Mauricio Moreira Wingson Henrique da Silva
RIDERS USING LAST GUARANTEED EVENT (Must be in Top 35 to stay on tour)
Eli Vastbinder Bob Mitchell Rafael Henrique dos Santos Jesse Petri Keyshawn Whitehorse Wyatt Rogers Koltin Hevalow Colten Fritzlan Joao Henrique Lucas Daniel Keeping Eduardo Aparecido Marcus Mast Mason Taylor Cooper Davis Junior Patrik Souza Manoelito de Souza Jr. Marcelo Procopio Pereira
FOLLOW ALONG
All of this weekend’s action will be available to watch beginning Saturday at 8:45 p.m. ET on RidePass on Pluto TV, with coverage resuming Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Fans can stay tuned to PBR.com and PBR social media channels throughout the weekend for the latest scores, wrecks, injury updates and beyond as the world’s best bull riders get set to duke it out at the PBR Manchester Invitational Dec. 17-18.