RENO, Nev. – On the heels of his event win just one week prior in Spokane, Washington, Austin Richardson (Dallas, Texas) was still on fire on Friday night in northern Nevada, collecting the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s (PWVT) Reno Rumble Round 1 win.
On a night that saw 15 qualified rides, Richardson had Reno fans buzzing as he fired out of the chutes aboard The Jungle (J.C. Knapp Rodeo Co) for 87.5 points.
For his round win, the Austin Gamblers’ man earned 28 Velocity Global points and heads into Saturday’s Round 2 leading the charge.
Richardson’s fellow Gamblers’ teammate Claudio Montanha Jr. (Pacaembu, Brazil) punched his ticket to Round 2 when he erupted from the chutes aboard Kramous (Blue Ridge Bucking Bulls/ M&B) to secure a second-place finish.
Not far behind Richardson, the Brazilian cowboy received an 86-point ride score, which earned him 18 Velocity Global points.
Two determined riders split third place on Friday night with matching 85.5-point ride scores.
As the night began, Santiago Castellanos (Dixon, California) was matched with Almost Sober (Team Wyatt) and delivered the first 85.5-point score.
23-year-old Chase Wilmer (Corning, California) then made the 8 aboard Soldier Boy (Rocking F Bucking Bulls).
Both riders notched 16.5 Velocity Global points for their Friday efforts.
Three confident cowboys rounded out the Top 5 on Friday night with matching 84-point ride scores.
Early in the round, Zane Cook (Fort Gibson, Oklahoma) was matched with Lemonade (Buentello Bucking Bulls/ Yount Bucking Bulls) and delivered the first of the trio of scores.
Hot on his heels and continuing the Gamblers’ night of success was Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Brazil), who made the buzzer aboard Rose Cannabis’s Cowboy Cartel (Rock Solid Bucking Bulls).
The final man in the fifth-place grouping was Utah’s Josh Frost (Randlett, Utah). After his original matchup with Nikon (Cash Money Bucking Bulls), Frost was awarded a re-ride by judges due to technical error and prepared for his trip aboard Milo’s Express (Humpz and Hornz/ Flores Cattle).
As the Reno crowd gasped in awe, again, the 27-year-old cowboy’s out was deemed worthy of a re-ride due to no fault of his own. Climbing on his third bull of the night, the frazzled Frost was notably stoic and focused on the task at hand for his matchup with Black Jack (Humpz and Hornz). Matching the powerful black and white bovine jump-for-jump, he finally netted the 84-point score.
All three riders notched 14 Velocity Global points for their Friday efforts.
TheReno Rumble willcontinue inside the Reno Events Center as the top bull riders of the PWVT return for Round 2 and the championship round on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. PDT.
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) - Reno Rumble
Reno Events Center – Reno, Nevada
Name, Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points
1. Austin Richardson, 87.5-0-0-87.50-28 Points.
2. Claudio Montanha Jr., 86-0-0-86.00-18 Points.
3. Chase Wimer, 85.5-0-0-85.50-16.5 Points.
(tie). Santiago Castellanos [2], 85.5-0-0-85.50-16.5 Points.
5. Josh Frost, 84-0-0-84.00-14 Points.
(tie). Ramon de Lima, 84-0-0-84.00-14 Points.
(tie). Zane Cook, 84-0-0-84.00-14 Points.
8. Aaron Williams [1], 83.5-0-0-83.50-11.5 Points.
(tie). Dustin Martinez, 83.5-0-0-83.50-11.5 Points.
10. Dawson Branton, 83-0-0-83.00-9.5 Points.
(tie). Francisco Garcia Torres, 83-0-0-83.00-9.5 Points.
12. Alvaro Alvarez Aguilar, 80.5-0-0-80.50-8 Points.
13. Anthony Lyons, 80-0-0-80.00-8 Points.
14. Travis Wimberley, 77.5-0-0-77.50-7 Points.
15. Guilherme Valleiras, 71-0-0-71.00
Aaron Williams [2], 0-0-0-0.00
Bill Henry, 0-0-0-0.00
Mason Moody, 0-0-0-0.00
Griffin Smeltzer, 0-0-0-0.00
Ray Mayo, 0-0-0-0.00
Kyle Eaton, 0-0-0-0.00
Colton Dougherty, 0-0-0-0.00
Francisco Morales, 0-0-0-0.00
Vinell Mariano, 0-0-0-0.00
Colt Robinson, 0-0-0-0.00
Nick Tetz, 0-0-0-0.00
Quinten Panarra, 0-0-0-0.00
Felipe Ruberti, 0-0-0-0.00
Paulo Rodriguez, 0-0-0-0.00
Wyatt Moulton, 0-0-0-0.00
Gabe Jacques, 0-0-0-0.00
Levi Gray, 0-0-0-0.00
Austin Perkins, 0-0-0-0.00
Trevin Bundy, 0-0-0-0.00
Garrett Crist, 0-0-0-0.00
Santiago Castellanos [1], 0-0-0-0.00
Billy Quillan, 0-0-0-0.00
Brett Gunderson, 0-0-0-0.00
Garrett Hoopes, 0-0-0-0.00
Will Morris, 0-0-0-0.00
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media