PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – In the final moments of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event in Palm Springs on Saturday night, 19-year-old Mason Moody (Letcher, South Dakota) clinched the very first event win of his rocketing career.

Moody first landed on the leaderboard in Round 1 on Friday, finishing fourth after making the whistle aboard Wild Eyes (Leffew Bucking Bulls/Meza) for 85 points.

The 2022 Nashville Stampede athlete continued the momentum into Round 2 on Saturday, but fell just short when Boss Hog (Hawkins Bucking Bulls/ Carol/B Bar Ranch) tossed him to the ground in five seconds flat.

Knowing what was on the line in the championship round, Moody prepared for his matchup with Ghost of Oscar (Leffew Bucking Bulls/ Meza).

As the revered bovine competitors of the PBR dominated the round with their talent and innate athleticism, the South Dakota cowboy was the only rider to emerge victorious, recording an impressive 86-point score.

Moody’s energetic efforts netted him 124 Velocity Global Points.

Second in Palm Springs was Bill Henry (Manila, Utah), collecting 78 Velocity Global Points.

Henry set the pace early in the weekend after securing a Round 1 win for his 87.5-point matchup against Scarface (Evan Matthews).

Determined to finish the sold-out stop in Palm Springs as the No.1 man, the 2022 Kansas City Outlaws athlete punched his ticket into the championship round despite being bucked off of Trigger Finger (Humpz and Hornz) in Round 2.

A less than ideal matchup with Wired Kitty (Flying U/ Cindy Rosser) in the final round ended after just 5.79 seconds for Henry.

After a second-place finish in Round 1 courtesy of an 86.5-point score aboard Muscles (Leffew Bucking Bulls), Griffin Smeltzer (Claresholm, Alberta, Canada) did not continue his luck in Round 2 or the championship round.

Despite being bucked off of Bang Bang (4B Bucking Bulls) and Long Haul (Even Matthews) in Saturday’s two rounds, the Austin Gamblers man still secured a third-place finish, along with 54 Velocity Global Points.

Aaron Williams (Rio Branco, Brazil) kept the 1-for-3 weekend going as he registered an 86-point ride in the opening round of action, riding Ho-Pac (Leffew Bucking Bulls). In Round 2 the California cowboy left the chutes aboard West Coast Rain (West Coast Bucking Bulls) but was dispatched after a mere 1.77 seconds.

Williams was then no match for Dirty Dave (Diamond Bar Cattle), hitting the ground after just 5.11 seconds in the championship round.

For his efforts in Palm Springs, Williams collected a fourth-place finish and returns home with 38 Velocity Global Points.

Rounding out the Top 5 was New Mexico man Vinell Mariano (Church Rock, New Mexico).

Despite a setback in Round 1 after he was no match for Little Deer (Lance Baker), Mariano redeemed himself in Round 2 aboard Coach K (4B Bucking Bulls) turning in an 84.5-point ride to secure his spot in the championship round.

After being dispatched by his bovine opponent Scarface (Evan Matthews) in the final round, Mariano still earned 45 Velocity Global Points.

The talented bull riders of the PWVT will next head to Cedar Park, Texas, for the Cedar Park Chute Out at the

H-E-B Center Feb. 17-18. Additionally, in a double-up weekend, the PWVT will also be back in action again in Memphis, Tennessee, for the PBR Bluff City Classic Feb. 18 at FedEx Forum.

PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) - Palm Springs Duel in the Desert  Acrisure Arena – Palm Springs, California  Name, Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points 1. Mason Moody, 85-0-86-171.00-124 Points. 2. Bill Henry, 87.5-0-0-87.50-78 Points. 3. Griffin Smeltzer, 86.5-0-0-86.50-54 Points. 4. Aaron Williams, 86-0-0-86.00-38 Points. 5. Vinell Mariano, 0-84.5-0-84.50-45 Points. 6. Travis Wimberley, 84-0-0-84.00-27 Points. 7. Chase Wimer, 82.5-0-0-82.50-20 Points. 8. Nick Tetz, 81-0-0-81.00-18 Points. 9. Ray Mayo, 0-73.5-0-73.50-14 Points. 10. Dawson Branton, 0-71.5-0-71.50-11 Points. 11. Weston Davidson, 71-0-0-71.00-5 Points. Conner Halverson, 0-0-0-0.00 Elijah Mora, 0-0-0-0.00 Dalton Rudman, 0-0-0-0.00 Anthony Lyons, 0-0-0-0.00 Carlos Gomes Junior, 0-0-0-0.00 Kyle Eaton, 0-0-0-0.00 Stefan Tonita, 0-0-0-0.00 Levi Gray, 0-0-0-0.00 Santiago Castellanos, 0-0-0-0.00 Dustin Martinez, 0-0-0-0.00 Garrett Jones, 0-0-0-0.00 Bryan Titman, 0-0-0-0.00 Trace Brown, 0-0-0-0.00 Colt Robinson, 0-0-0-0.00 River Stephenson, 0-0-0-0.00 Wyatt Covington, 0-0-0-0.00 Edgardo Figueroa, 0-0-0-0.00 Wyatt Austin, 0-0-0-0.00 Isaiah Ortiz, 0-0-0-0.00 Chad Hartman, 0-0-0-0.00 Collin Williams, 0-0-0-0.00 Justin Granger, 0-0-0-0.00 Merrell Cly, 0-0-0-0.00 Daniel Rogan, 0-0-0-0.00

Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media