Rider qualifiers announced for 2023 PBR Pendleton Whisky Tour Finals
Launching the iconic Buc Days festival, the 2023 PBR PWVT Finals will take over Corpus Christi, Texas, and American Bank Center Arena May 5-6.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Ahead of the 2023 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals, on May 5-6 in Corpus Christi, Texas, the organization today announced the 44-rider field that will compete at the expansion series’ season-culminating event, vying for the title of Velocity Tour Champion and the accompanying $50,000 bonus.
Additionally, five riders will earn a berth to the PBR World Finals, May 12-21 in Fort Worth, Texas.
With the Top 10 separated by fewer than 320 Velocity Global points, all in contention for the Velocity Tour Championship, the field is led by No. 1 Josh Frost, who leads No. 2 Claudio Montanha Jr. by 85.5 points.
Throughout the 2023 PBR Velocity Tour Finals, riders will be competing for their share of the $100,000 event purse, and the titles of Velocity Tour Champion, which includes an added $50,000 bonus, and Velocity Tour Finals event winner. A maximum of 320 Velocity Tour Global points will be available at the 2023 PBR Velocity Tour Finals, with 40 points awarded to each round winner, and 200 points to the top rider in the aggregate.
Riders will also earn points for their ride scores. Rides from 70-79.75 points will earn 7 points, 80-89.75 will earn 8 points and rides 90-99.75 will earn 9 bonus points. Should a rider register three 90-point rides, he would earn and additional 27 Velocity Global points, making one rider’s potential maximum points earned 347.
The championship event at American Bank Center Arena culminates a high-intensity season that began the first week of January and crisscrossed the country with 27 events held across five months, including nine weekends with two events held simultaneously. Welcoming more than 300,000 fans throughout the season, the Velocity Tour hosted 17 sold-out events, marking its most successful season in attendance since its inception in 2015.
Regarded as “The Championship before the Championship,” the Velocity Tour’s season-end event also represents the final opportunity for five riders to qualify to the sport’s most prestigious event, the PBR World Finals held May 12-21 in nearby Fort Worth, Texas.
Frost has been sensational all season long as he chases both the 2023 PBR Velocity Tour Championship, and his second consecutive appearance at the PBR World Finals. The talented 27-year-old has also declared his eligibility for the PBR Team Series Draft on May 17.
In addition to winning two events, he has logged an accompanying seven Top 10 finishes, while covering a torrid 63.33% (19-for-30) of his animal athlete opponents in Velocity Global competition.
The Utah native is followed closely by Montanha Jr.
Along with winning a Velocity Tour event in Hampton, Virginia, Montanha has earned 10 additional Top 10 finishes on the expansion series.
The remainder of the Top 10 includes: No. 3 Dawson Branton (-212 points), No. 5 Michael Lane (-250.5 points), No. 6 Mason Moody (-280 points), No. 7 Kyle Jones (-281 points), No. 8 Grayson Cole (-281.5 points), No. 9 Jake Morinec (-309.5 points) and No. 10 Alex Marcilio (-312.5 points).
Two riders earned berths to the Velocity Tour Finals via their World Champion status. Reigning World Champion Daylon Swearingen and 2002 gold buckle-winner Ednei Caminhas are both anticipated to compete at the two-day event in Corpus Christi.
The 2023 Velocity Tour Finals will mark Swearingen’s return to competition after being sidelined since January following groin surgery. Swearingen will need to secure one of the available World Finals berths at the Velocity Tour Finals in order to make his fourth consecutive appearance at bull riding’s crown jewel.
Caminhas is attempting to become the oldest rider to qualify for the PBR World Finals, a record he set last season when he reached the title-awarding event via the Velocity Tour Finals. Caminhas is currently 47.
Four riders earned their spot at the 2023 Velocity Tour Finals via international invites. Brazil and Canada will be represented by their 2022 national champions, Cassio Dias and Nick Tetz, while Francisco Garcia Torres will represent Mexico, and Sam Woodall will compete for Australia.
Of the four international invites, the top finisher will receive one of the available berths to the 2023 PBR World Finals. In 2017, Jose Vitor Leme earned this invite, which set forth a career which continues to reshape the PBR record books.
The complete list of qualifiers is:
Alvaro Ariel (Itumirim, Brazil)
Dawson Branton (Jefferson, Oregon)
Ednei Caminhas (Indaiatuba, Brazil)
Alex Cerqueira (Iguatemi, Brazil)
Brandon Chambers (Newport, North Carolina)
Grayson Cole (New Riggold, Pennsylvania)
Zane Cook (Fort Gibson, Oklahoma)
Wingson Henrique da Silva (Navirai, Brazil)
Rafael Jose de Brito (Potirendaba, Brazil)
Manoelito de Souza Junior (Itamira, Brazil)
Cassio Dias (Sao F. de Sales, Brazil)
Dakota Eagleburger (Fair Grove, Missouri)
Josh Frost (Randlett, Utah)
Carlos Garcia (Abingdon, Virginia)
Conner Halverson (Gordon, Nebraska)
Elizmar Jeremias (Anapu, Brazil)
Kyle Jones (Troy, Missouri)
Garrett Jones (Devers, Texas)
Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia)
Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil)
Joao Lucas Campos (Porto Feliz, Brazil)
Alex Marcilio (Macaubal, Brazil)
Dustin Martinez (Canjilon, New Mexico)
Chase Wimer (Corning, California)
Claudio Montanha Jr. (Ribeirao dos Indios, Brazil)
Mason Moody (Letcher, South Dakota)
Elijah Mora (Wiggins, Colorado)
Jake Morinec (Mokena, Illinois)
Jaxton Mortenson (Coolidge, Arizona)
Junio Quaresima (Meridiano, Brazil)
Afonso Quintino (Sao Luis dos Montes Belos, Brazil)
Austin Richardson (Dallas, Texas)
Dalton Rudman (Wellington, Utah)
Griffin Smeltzer (Claresholm, Alberta, Canada)
Dylan Smith (Ararat, Virginia)
Patterson Starcher (Tonganoxie, Kansas)
Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York)
Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Francisco Garcia Torres (Sal, Mexico)
Guilherme Valleiras (Pirassununga, Brazil)
Dakota Warnken (Wakarusa, Indiana)
Aaron Williams (Pismo Beach, California)
Sam Woodall (Heywood, Victoria, Australia)
Flavio Zivieri (Balsamo, Brazil)
The bull riding action for the 2023 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals, presented by Coastal Bend Chevy Dealers, begins at 7:30 p.m. CST on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 at American Bank Center Arena. Prior to the event on May 5, eventgoers can enjoy a pre-show concert from three-time GRAMMY Award winner David Lee Garza y los Musicales.
Each of the 44 competing riders will attempt one bull each in Round 1 on Friday, May 5, followed by Round 2 on Saturday, May 6. At the conclusion of the second round, the riders’ individual two-round scores will be totaled with the Top 10 advancing to the championship round for one more out and a chance at being crowned at the 2023 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Champion and Finals event winner.
Tickets for the 2023 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals are on sale now, and start at $15, taxes and fees not included. Tickets can be purchased online at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.com, at the American Bank Center Arena Box Office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media