GREENSBORO, N.C. – The league No. 1 Austin Gamblers rode red-hot at the eighth PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series event of the season, going a perfect 3-0 in game play to win PBR Cowboy Days, their PBR Teams-leading fourth event win of the season.
As game play got underway inside Greensboro Coliseum, Austin first took on Missouri, defeating the Thunder 174.75-88.75 courtesy of a crucial 87.5-point walk-off ride in the bottom of the fifth from two-time PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme. The walk-off win was a league-best sixth for Leme. But the two-time PBR World Champion wasn’t done with his game-winning weekend dramatics.
As competition continued Saturday night, the Austin Gamblers finally cracked the code against the Arizona Ridge Riders who had defeated them in three prior meetings. The Gamblers concluded the 2023 series against the Ridge Riders with a win, 90-86, on another Leme game-clinching ride.
While Vitor Losnake gave Arizona an early 86-point lead that remained for nearly the entire game, Leme delivered a mammoth 90-point ride in the bottom of the fifth. The 90-point score was the 76th of Leme’s career, now positioning him second all-time for most 90-point rides logged by one competitor in premier PBR competition.
Austin was one of two teams to advance to Championship Sunday with a perfect 2-0 record, joined by the Kansas City Outlaws, who beat the Oklahoma Freedom and Texas Rattlers.
On Friday, the Outlaws, began PBR Cowboy Days with a showdown against the Oklahoma Freedom, clinching the game win early after jumping to a quick lead via scores from Kyler Oliver and Koltin Hevalow, ultimately defeating Oklahoma by 101 points, 261.25-160.25.
Kansas City then improved to a perfect 2-0 in North Carolina in defeating the Texas Rattlers by two ride scores, 252.75-87, in front of a raucous Saturday night crowd.
After a back-and-forth first frame, with Wingson Henrique da Silva delivering for the Outlaws and Joao Ricardo Vieira riding for Texas, Kansas City trailed by 3.75 points entering the second. Hevalow gave his team back the lead by 75.25 points in the top of the second, and the Outlaws never looked back.
With Texas shut out in the bottom of the second and neither team converting in the third or fourth, the game came down to the final round of outs. In the top of the frame, the Outlaws clinched the win early when closer Cassio Dias delivered a mammoth 90.5-point ride, his league-best fourth 90-point ride of the season, putting the Outlaws two bulls ahead with Texas having just one out left. Texas bucked off in the final out of the game, unable to prevent a two-ride score loss.
On Championship Sunday, the Austin Gamblers were the first to take to the dirt, squaring off against the Oklahoma Freedom. Even in leading the league, Gamblers have needed the middle of their lineup to deliver more consistently, and on Sunday they came through, with an 88-point ride from Rafael dos Santos and a mammoth 90-point ride from Ezekiel Mitchell, paired with the Freedom being blanked, going 0-for-5, Austin earned their third game win in North Carolina, 178-0.
On the spurs of their victory, the Gamblers awaited the result of the game between Kansas City and Arizona to determine if they would be competing in Extra Outs.
Kansas City, however, did not have enough in the tank. While Hevalow and Dias both converted, each concluding the weekend a perfect 3-for-3, it was not enough to top the scores of Eduardo Aparecido and Losnake for Arizona. The final scoreboard read 262.75-261.5, with Kansas City falling to Arizona by a slim 1.25 points.
Via the loss, the Austin Gamblers clinched the PBR Cowboy Days event title early, with two games still to play, as the only team to go a perfect 3-0.
The Gamblers are now 17-5 this season, furthering their hold on the No. 1 rank in the league, now five games ahead of the No. 2 Kansas City Outlaws, who are 12-10 this season.
The host Carolina Cowboys finished sixth at their second annual homestand, going 1-2.
As competition got underway, the Cowboys began their homestand in electric form, propelled to a thrilling walk-off win against the Arizona Ridge Riders courtesy of a crucial bottom-of-the-fifth score from 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis.
After being shut out through the first three frames of the game, Carolina trailed by 87.25 points as the fourth got underway. Arizona had jumped to an early lead in the top of the first via a qualified ride from Luciano De Castro.
Carolina, however, found their momentum when it mattered most. Seven-time PRCA champion Sage Kimzey was first to strike, delivering a mammoth 91-point ride on Mike’s Motive to give his team a slim 3.25-point lead and setting up a must-ride situation for Arizona in the top of the fifth.
While Arizona closer Keyshawn Whitehorse delivered for his team, giving Arizona back an 82.75-point lead after he rode Magic Carpet for 86 points, it would not prove enough for the might of Carolina closer Davis.
Paired with Black As Coal, Davis delivered his first walk-off win for Carolina, riding the powerful animal athlete for 87.25 points to earn Carolina the win by 4.5 points, 178.25-173.75.
The Cowboys’ momentum didn’t carry through the weekend, and they stumbled on Saturday night, falling to Oklahoma.
The Freedom jumped to an early lead as Alex Cerqueira topped The Undertaker for 87 points. With Carolina failing to convert through their first three outs, the Freedom grew their lead to 174 points in the top of the fourth when Elizmar Jeremias rode Left Eye Lopez for a matching 87 points. Caden Bunch then clinched the win for his team early, when he topped Cooter Brown for 88 points in the top of the fifth.
Carolina closer Davis prevented a shutout, riding Flashbang for 87.25 points, but it was not enough to prevent a loss. The final scoreboard read a 262-87.25 Oklahoma victory.
Keen to rebound, the Cowboys looked to conclude their PBR Camping World Team Series event with a win when they played the league’s reigning Champion Nashville Stampede on Championship Sunday.
After both teams converted in the first, with Chase Outlaw delivering for Nashville and Boudreaux Campbell riding for Carolina, the Cowboys trailed by 5.75 points entering the second. Nashville then jumped to an increased 92-point lead in the top of the second complements of a key 86.25-point ride from Dener Barbosa. After Carolina was unable to respond in the bottom of the frame, and neither team made the whistle through the third and fourth, a crucial fifth frame was architected.
After three-time World Champion Silvano Alves was unable to clinch the win early for Nashville, Carolina needed a massive 92.25-point ride to walk off another game. Closer Kimzey made the 8 but came up 2.25 points short, marked 89.75 points aboard the previously unridden Buckeye Nation.
The 1-2 effort led Carolina to leave Greensboro Coliseum with a 10-12 record.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Camping World Team Series action from Greensboro, North Carolina. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.
The PBR Camping World Team Series will next travel to Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, for the seventh team-hosted event of the 2023 season. The event will be on Friday, September 29 at 7:45 MDT, Saturday, September 30 at 6:45 p.m. MDT and Sunday, October 1 at 1:45 p.m. MDT.
The game matchups for the opening night of competition in Glendale on September 29 are:
Kansas City Outlaws @ Carolina Cowboys
Oklahoma Freedom @ Austin Gamblers
Missouri Thunder @ Texas Rattlers
Nashville Stampede @ Arizona Ridge Riders
Greensboro Team Standings:
Here are the final Team standings for the Greensboro PBR Camping World Team Series’ Cowboy Days:
Austin Gamblers, 3-0-0-442.75
Kansas City Outlaws, 2-1-0-775.5
Nashville Stampede, 2-1-0-523.75
Arizona Ridge Riders, 1-2-0-522.5
Texas Rattlers, 1-2-0-515.25
Carolina Cowboys, 1-2-0-437.75
Oklahoma Freedom, 1-2-0-422.25
Missouri Thunder, 1-2-0-348.5
PBR Teams Season Standings:
Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the conclusion of competition for PBR Cowboy Days in Greensboro, North Carolina:
Austin Gamblers, 17-5-0-3,582.25
Kansas City Outlaws, 12-10-0-3,814
Texas Rattlers, 11-11-0-3,720.5
Oklahoma Freedom, 11-11-0-2,478.75
Carolina Cowboys, 10-12-0-3,027.25
Arizona Ridge Riders, 10-12-0-2,781.25
Nashville Stampede, 8-14-0-2,416.75
Missouri Thunder, 7-15-0-1,997.5
SCORE BULLETINS
Austin Gamblers Complete Perfect 3-0 Effort at PBR Camping World Team Series Event in Greensboro, North Carolina, with Win Against the Oklahoma Freedom on Championship Sunday.
Austin Gamblers: 178
Oklahoma Freedom: 0.00
On the final day of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series action in Greensboro, North Carolina, the league No. 1 Austin Gamblers continued to dominate, defeating the scoreless Oklahoma Freedom by two ride scores and 178 points to conclude PBR Cowboy Days a perfect 3-0 in game play.
The first frame began with Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) in the leadoff role for Austin, and Alex Cerqueira (Iguatemi, Brazil) opening for Oklahoma. Kasel continued to struggle, logging his fourth consecutive buckoff when he was tossed by Sava (Risen Cattle Co./Blue Ridge) in 6.41 seconds.
Cerqueira was unable to capitalize for the Freedom on the no score from the Gamblers, sent airborne by Doze You Down (Dozier Cattle Co./Martinez Bucking Bulls) in 5.67 seconds.
Quick to rebound, the Gamblers delivered the first score of the game in the top of the second, jumping to an early 88-point lead when Rafael dos Santos (Quitman, Georgia) made the 8 aboard Pneu-Dart’s Chief Wahoo (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls). Oklahoma remained scoreless in the bottom of the second, when team newcomer Bill Henry (Manila, Utah) proved no match for Mercy Rule (Davis Rodeo Ranch), upended in a close 7.21 seconds. The third frame featured a rarely seen moment in professional sports, as the Salgado brothers readied to ride on opposing teams.
For Austin it was older brother Adriano Salgado (Batatais, Brazil) aboard Bayou Bad Boy (Davis Rodeo Ranch), while on the Oklahoma chutes, Thiago Salgado (Navirai, Brazil) readied for his out with Walks Far (Tex Brothers Ranch/5S Bucking Bulls). Salgado burst from the chutes aboard his bovine athlete counterpart, and while the qualified ride whistle sounded inside Greensboro Coliseum, the clock had stopped prior to the requisite 8.
Following review by PBR’s officials, Adriano Salgado was deemed to have slapped Bayou Bad Boy at 3.56 seconds, resulting in no score. The buckoff opened the door for Oklahoma’s Thiago Salgado to diminish Austin’s lead, if not overtake them on the scoreboard. The younger Salgado, however, suffered a similar fate, bested in 4.82 seconds, failing to add points to the board for Oklahoma.
In the top of the fourth, Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas) extended Austin’s lead to two ride scores and 178 points when he became the fifth rider in history to cover Preachers Kid (K-C Bucking Bulls/RD Cattle), marked a mammoth 90 points. The 90-point ride was the fourth of Mitchell’s career, and first in the PBR Teams League. Along with more than doubling Austin’s lead, the score forced a must-ride situation for Oklahoma in the bottom of the frame.
In the high-pressure situation was Caden Bunch (Tahlequah, Oklahoma). While he nodded with confidence, Bunch was throttled to the ground in 3.81 seconds by Buster (Cornwell Bucking Bulls), cementing the win for Austin.
With the victory in hand, Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) looked to add to the Gamblers’ margin of victory and his lead in the 2023 MVP race in the team’s final out as he readied to take on First Class (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls). In uncharacteristic form, Leme came down in a heart-breaking 7.2 seconds. The game concluded with Oklahoma’s closer Elizmar Jeremias (Anapu, Brazil) atop Sundance (Tex Brothers Ranch/5S Bucking Bulls). Jeremias was unable to stave off a Freedom shutout, hitting the ground in 3.99 seconds.
The Austin Gamblers concluded PBR Cowboy Days a perfect 3-0 courtesy of their 178-0 win against the Oklahoma Freedom.
Remaining No. 1 in the league, the Gamblers are now 17-5 in 2023 competition. Oklahoma leaves North Carolina having gone 1-2, now 11-11 this season.
Arizona Ridge Riders Snap Three Game Losing Streak with 1.25-Point Victory Against the Kansas City Outlaws on Final Day of PBR Camping World Team Series Action in Greensboro, North Carolina
Kansas City Outlaws: 261.5
Arizona Ridge Riders: 262.75
The Arizona Ridge Riders rebounded in valiant form Sunday afternoon in Greensboro, North Carolina, snapping their three-game PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series loss streak with a 1.25-point victory against the Kansas City Outlaws.
The Outlaws began the event with a bang. Young gun Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) remained centered aboard Pearl Snap (Blue Ridge/Risen Cattle Co.), matching him jump-for-jump en route to the whistle. The score not only improved Hevalow to a perfect 3-for-3 at PBR Cowboy Days, but also gave Kansas City an 85.25-point lead.
In the bottom of the frame, Arizona earned an early re-ride after reigning PBR Canada Champion Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) was unable to leave the chutes aboard Pelican Punch (Davis Rodeo Ranch). Kansas City’s momentum continued to roll in the top of the second. Wingson Henrique da Silva (Navirai, Brazil) rode Tchoupitoulas (Twisted T/Heavy Hitters) for 86 points to extend the Outlaws’ lead to 171.25 points.
Arizona, however, answered in the bottom of the frame. Courtesy of Eduardo Aparecido’s (Gouvelandia, Brazil) 88.75-point effort atop Dirty Sancho (Blake Sharp/Koe Wetzel/High Voltage Cattle), the Ridge Riders pulled within 82.5 points of the lead. In the top of the third, Wyatt Rogers (Hulbert, Oklahoma) registered the first Kansas City buckoff when he was tossed by Centerfold (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd) in 2.24 seconds. Arizona then had the chance to overtake the game lead in the bottom of the third as Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) climbed aboard Mr. Excavator (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/PCP Bucking Bulls).
After difficulties in the chute, and being put on the clock, Losnake nodded, bursting into the arena inside Greensboro Coliseum. Delivering a gritty effort, clinging to the side of his animal athlete counterpart en route to the 8, Losnake was awarded a qualified ride in arena.
Kansas City Outlaws Head Coach J.W. Hart quickly threw his challenge flag to question if Losnake slapped the bull or came down short of the 8. Following review by PBR’s officials, the initial call of a qualified ride remained, with Losnake awarded 86.25 points. The points allowed Arizona to take their first lead of the game by 3.75 points, with the scoreboard reading 175-171.25 entering the fourth. Before the penultimate round of outs began, Tetz attempted the Arizona re-ride Sugar Smack (Blake Sharp / Chris Utz/Carey Brothers) earned in the bottom of the first.
The Canuck kept Arizona’s bid for a perfect game alive, delivering the team’s third straight qualified ride, and extending their lead to 91.5 points, when he topped Sugar Smack for 91.5 points. In the top of the fourth, Mauricio Moreira (Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil) was bucked off by Bottom’s Up (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch) in a quick 2.58 seconds, giving Leandro Machado (Nova Esperanca, Brazil) the chance to clinch the game win early for Arizona in the top of the fourth. While Machado didn’t deliver the victory, he was awarded a re-ride after Black Squirrel (Dave Martin/Mike Miller Bucking Bulls) made contact with the chutes and caused the subsequent buckoff. Cassio Dias (Sao F. de Sales, Brazil) was then in a must-ride situation for Kansas City in the top of the fifth. Dias entered his showdown with Oreo (Dustin Denning) as one of the league’s top producers, having gone 13-for-18 to date this season, and a perfect 2-for-2 thus far at PBR Cowboy Days.
Dias remained in perfect time with the bull, reaching the whistle, but the 90.25-point score was not enough to overtake Arizona, with Kansas City continuing to trail by 1.25 points. While the effort did not propel his team to victory, it did earn Dias the event MVP title, edging his teammate by 18.75 points as the lone two competitors to cover all three of their draws.
With the win in hand, Arizona had two outs remaining. First out was closer Keyshawn Whitehorse (McCracken Spring, Utah) atop YETI World Champion Bull contender UTZ BesTex Legend (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers). Whitehorse thwarted Arizona’s bid for a perfect game, brought down in 2.74 seconds.
The game then concluded with Dai Henrique de Lima (Candido Mota, Brazil) aboard Arizona’s second re-ride opponent, Buffalo Chip (Blake Sharp/Robbie Ray/Doug Wilson). Lima failed to extend the Ridge Riders’ margin of victory, hitting the ground in 4.36 seconds. When the dust settled, Arizona defeated the Kansas City Outlaws by 1.25 points, 262.75-261.5.
Arizona concluded PBR Cowboy Days 1-2 and are now 10-12 this season, while Kansas City leaves North Carolina having gone 2-1, now with a 12-10 season record.
Missouri Thunder Edge Texas Rattlers by 2.5 Points to Salvage a Win at PBR Camping World Team Series Event in Greensboro, North Carolina
Texas Rattlers: 85.75
Missouri Thunder: 88.25
The Missouri Thunder rebounded on Championship Sunday for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series event in Greensboro, North Carolina, outriding the Texas Rattlers by 2.5 points to leave Greensboro Coliseum with a victory against the Rattlers.
Texas began the showdown in commanding form. Veteran contender and the Rattlers’ opener Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) gave this team an early 85.75-point lead compliments of his 8-second effort aboard Skinny Kenny (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls).
In the bottom of the first, while Joao Lucas Campos (Porto Feliz, Brazil) rode Out of Control (Blake Sharp) for 72.75 points, he was awarded a re-ride, which Missouri Thunder Coaches Ross Coleman and Luke Snyder elected to keep. Keen to continue their momentum in the second, Texas tapped Brady Oleson (Blackfoot, Idaho) to attempt Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage/Wetzel/Knott). The Rattlers’ lead went unchanged as Oleson was hurtled to the dirt in 3.05 seconds.
The door was the open for Missouri Thunder’s Felipe Furlan (Sales Oliveira, Brazil) to give his team the lead. Bursting from the chutes atop Yellowstone (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch), Furlan appeared centered, and on his way to logging his third ride in as many attempts at PBR Cowboy Days, he was unseated at the 5.99 second mark, resulting in no score.
The scoreboard then went unchanged through the third, including Missouri’s re-ride opportunity, as Campos was brought down in 4.09 seconds by Whiplash (Blake Sharp/Floyd Lowry/CB & Traci Lee). The fourth began with Texas earning a re-ride following Braidy Randolph’s out with Crazy Party (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd). Still trailing, Missouri looked to Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) in the bottom of the fourth to put their first points on the board.
Delivering for his team, Alvidrez dominated Mr. Nasty (Blake Sharp/Koe Wetzel/Cody O'Neil) for 88.25 points, to give Missouri a 2.5-point lead entering the final round of outs. As the fifth began, Texas would attempt back-to-back outs, with closer Daniel Keeping (Montague, Texas) aboard Knucklehead (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch), followed by young gun Trace Redd (Malad, Idaho) aboard the team’s re-ride draw Tijuana Two-Step (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd).
Keeping was brought down in 4.28 seconds, putting Redd in a must-ride situation. Nodding with confidence, Redd fell short of the requisite 8, tossed in a quick 3.2 seconds to deliver the win to the Thunder.
With the chance to add to their margin of victory, Kade Madsen (Honeyville, Utah) proved no match for Wicked Ways (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls), bucked off in 2.61 seconds. The final scoreboard read an 88.25-85.75 Missouri win against Texas.
The Thunder and Rattlers both concluded PBR Cowboy Days 1-2. Missouri is now 7-15 this season, while Texas slipped to 11-11.
Riding Chase Outlaw’s 200th Career Ride, Nashville Stampede Upset Host Carolina Cowboys on Final Day of PBR Camping World Team Series Action in Greensboro, North Carolina
Nashville Stampede: 174.5
Carolina Cowboys: 172.25
The league’s reigning Champion Nashville Stampede capped their effort at the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series event in Greensboro, North Carolina, with an upset victory against the host Cowboys, defeating Carolina by 2.25 points.
The showdown between Carolina and Nashville began in electric form. Team newcomer Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas), who opened the Stampede’s Friday night game with a qualified ride, led off for Nashville, paired with Twisted Feather (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd/Cain Kobert).
Outlaw again injected immediate energy and marks on the scoreboard, giving his team a quick 88.25-point lead. The ride score also marked the 200th of Outlaw’s career in premier level competition. He is now just the 35th rider in PBR history to cross the threshold.
The home team then looked to opener Boudreaux Campbell (Crockette, Texas) to convert in their first out of the game. Delivering for his team, Campbell gave it his all atop Cactus Jack (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls), clinging to the side of the powerful animal athlete as he reached the whistle and the electric crowd erupted into cheer.
Marked 82.5 points, Carolina pulled within 5.75 points of the lead. Nashville’s momentum continued to roll in the top of the second, as Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil) rode Sly (K-C Bucking Bulls/RD Cattle) for 86.25 points. The score increased Nashville’s lead to 92 points.
In the bottom of the second, Carolina was unable to keep pace, remaining 92 points behind after Sandro Batista (Pedra Preta, Brazil) was bucked off in 4.04 seconds by Hunting Trip (Dozier Cattle Co./Martinez Bucking Bulls). On the spurs of the fast start to the game, the scoreboard went unchanged throughout the third and fourth, setting up a crucial fifth frame as PBR Cowboy Days wound to a close.
In the top of the final round out outs, Alves was not only on the hunt for his 499th career out, but also a score to clinch the upset win against the home Carolina Cowboys.
Matched up against Hunter (Dozier Cattle Co./Martinez Bucking Bulls), after struggling in the chutes, Alves was put on the clock, nodding with two seconds remaining. Just a few jumps into the out, Alves was pulled forward, resulting in a buckoff at 3.63 seconds.
The no score opened the door for Carolina to win the game in walk-off form, needing a massive 92.25-point score. In the high-pressure situation was seven-time PRCA champion Sage Kimzey (Strong City, Oklahoma) atop Buckeye Nation (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch).
While Kimzey became the first rider to cover the powerful animal athlete, he was marked just 89.75 points, with Carolina ultimately defeated by 2.25 points, 172.25-174.5.
The upset win allowed Nashville to conclude PBR Cowboy Days with a 2-1 record, improving to 8-14 this season. The host Carolina Cowboys ended their homestand 1-2 and are now 10-12 this season.
Photo courtesty of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
