PUEBLO, Colo. – The Kansas City Outlaws and Carolina Cowboys, two of the eight founding teams in the groundbreaking PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series, have announced a defining preseason trade.
Via the deal, the Outlaws acquired standout Brazilian Wingson Henrique da Silva, Carolina’s 2023 first-round selection (fifth overall), the Cowboys’ 2024 first-round pick and undisclosed considerations. The Cowboys locked down the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming 2023 PBR Team Series Draft, presented by ZipRecruiter. Carolina now holds the first two overall selections giving them their pick of the newly declared bull riding talent.
"We made this trade because we believe moving back in the draft allows us to get the rider we want, make our team stronger this year and beyond, while also adding a very good competitor in world No. 15 Wingson Henrique da Silva, who is currently amid his World Finals debut after a standout rookie Team Series season,” said Jim Smith, General Manager of the Kansas City Outlaws. “We are thrilled to welcome Wingson to the Outlaws, especially with our latest coaching staff edition of Brazilian legend Guilherme Marchi. This is a paring we’re all excited to watch develop as we look to make the Outlaws a preeminent recruiting force abroad."
“With this trade, the Carolina Cowboys hold the key to the 2023 draft, and we’re really excited for what it will mean for our franchise and the future,” said Austin Dillon, General Manager of the Carolina Cowboys. “We want to thank Wingson Henrique da Silva for everything he’s done for the Carolina Cowboys. He was a great ambassador for our team during the inaugural PBR Team Series season. We wish him the best of luck with the Kansas City Outlaws.”
Silva joins Koltin Hevalow, Marcus Mast, Bob Mitchell and Kyler Oliver on the Outlaws’ protected roster.
After making his PBR debut in 2021, Silva was signed as a free agent by the Carolina Cowboys in late May 2022 before ever competing stateside. He rode for the first time on U.S. soil in June 2022 while representing the Carolina Cowboys at the first PBR Team Series preseason event in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was quickly promoted to the team’s protected roster in July.
During the regular season, Silva went 3-for-20 for the Cowboys, tapped to ride in 17 games, including the crucial second Last Chance Game during the inaugural PBR Team Series Championship when Carolina and the Austin Gamblers were ultimately eliminated by the Texas Rattlers.
Silva has since been a force during his first individual touring season, qualifying for his first World Finals as a top contender for the Rookie of the Year honor. His regular season included five Top 10 finishes on the elite Unleash The Beast, led by a career-best, second-place finish in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in mid-March.
Ahead of the 2023 PBR Team Series draft, the Carolina Cowboys are in firm control, holding the first two overall picks with three roster spots open on their team, which currently includes 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis, 2022 PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen, 2020 PBR World Finals event winner Boudreaux Campbell and surging Brazilian Sandro Batista.
With more than 150 newly declared bull riders available to be drafted, top anticipated picks include seven-time PRCA world champion Sage Kimzey and 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo aggregate winner Josh Frost.
Connect with the Kansas City Outlaws on social media at @KCOutlawsPBR on Facebook, @KCOutlawsPBR on Twitter, @KCOutlawsPBR on Instagram, and @KCOutlawsPBR on TikTok.
For more information on Carolina Cowboys, and for ticketing updates on the upcoming PBR Cowboy Days, visit https://pbr.com/teams/carolina-cowboys, Carolina Cowboys on Facebook, @carolinacowboyspbr on Instagram, or @CARCowboysPBR on Twitter.
The 2023 PBR Team Series Draft, presented by ZipRecruiter, will be held at 5:00 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, May 17 at Cowboy Channel Studios in Fort Worth, Texas.
Fans can catch all the action LIVE on RidePass on Pluto TV beginning at 5:00 p.m. CDT and should be sure to stay tuned to PBR.com and PBR social media channels for the latest updates on all of this week’s PBR Team Series action.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media