GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Kansas City Outlaws rode supreme at PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Ridge Rider Days at Desert Diamond Arena, completing their second perfect 3-0 weekend by defeating the Texas Rattlers 171.5-87.5 on Championship Sunday in the ninth event of the 10-event PBR Camping World Team Series regular season. The win represents the Outlaws’ third event win of the season.

The Outlaws, the league’s top team in average game score, are now 15-10 on the season, trailing only the Austin Gamblers who are 18-7 in the standings. The top two ranked teams following next weekend’s regular-season finale in Fort Worth, Texas, will receive a first-round bye at the 2023 PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas (October 20-22). 

By virtue of their Sunday afternoon win over the Nashville Stampede, the Gamblers clinched one of the top two spots, earning a first-round bye in Las Vegas. Four teams remain in contention for the second seed and corresponding bye.

The Outlaws’ Leonardo Castro Ferreira got the team out to an early lead before Bob Mitchell put Kansas City out of reach with just four outs remaining. It was Kansas City’s second event win of the season after they won their own homestand in Week 2.

The Outlaws’ perfect weekend not only gave them an event win but also kept their hopes for the No. 1 seed alive, though they will need the Austin Gamblers to lose all three games next weekend in Fort Worth while taking care of their own business.

The Oklahoma Freedom and Texas Rattlers also entered Championship Sunday 2-0, but both teams faltered, and the Outlaws won without the event going to extra outs.

The league-leading Gamblers managed to salvage a win in the first game Sunday afternoon, defeating the Nashville Stampede 172.25-87.25 to clinch their playoff bye. Austin rookie Cort McFadden matched Nashville veteran Chase Outlaw for 87.25 points before the Gamblers’ Ramon de Lima gave Austin a lead they would never relinquish.

In the second matchup of the day, the Thunder’s Briggs Madsen converted in the clutch to give Missouri a narrow 176-175.75-point victory, the second game decided by just .25 points this weekend. Carolina’s Trevor Kastner converted in the final out of the contest to try to steal a win but came up less than a point short.  

The hometown Ridge Riders played spoiler in the final game of the night, besting the Oklahoma Freedom 175-174. Oklahoma’s Thiago Salgado put the Freedom up 86.25 points in the first out, but Arizona came storming back behind Nick Tetz and Vitor Losnake, giving the Ridge Riders an 88.75-point lead. While the Freedom’s Alex Cerqueira converted right after Losnake, it wasn’t enough to take back the lead.

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Teams Camping World Series action from Glendale, Arizona. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.

Ridge Rider Days Team Standings:

Here are the current Team standings for the Glendale PBR Camping World Team Series event after the final day of competition for PBR Ridge Rider Days:

1 Kansas City Outlaws 3-0-0 - 692.50 2 Oklahoma Freedom 2-1-0 - 615.25 3 Arizona Ridge Riders 2-1-0 - 521.00 4 Texas Rattlers 2-1-0 - 351.75 5 Austin Gamblers 1-2-0 - 522.75 6 Missouri Thunder 1-2-0 - 176.00 7 Nashville Stampede 1-2-0 - 174.00 8 Carolina Cowboys 0-3-0 - 346.00

PBR Teams Season Standings:

Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the final day of competition for PBR Ridge Rider Days in Glendale, Arizona, the ninth event of the 2023 regular season:

1 Austin Gamblers 18-7-0 - 4,105.00 2 Kansas City Outlaws 15-10-0 - 4,506.50 3 Texas Rattlers 13-12-0 - 4,072.25 4 Oklahoma Freedom 13-12-0 - 3,094.00 5 Arizona Ridge Riders 12-13-0 - 3,302.25 6 Carolina Cowboys 10-15-0 - 3,373.25 7 Nashville Stampede 9-16-0 - 2,590.75 8 Missouri Thunder 8-17-0 - 2,173.50

SCORE BULLETINS

Gamblers Lower Magic Number to One with Victory Over Nashville

Nashville Stampede: 87.25 Austin Gamblers: 172.25

The Austin Gamblers (18-7) defeated the Nashville Stampede (9-16) in the first game of the final day of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series’ return to Glendale.

The Stampede’s Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas) in the top of the first tried to hang on to No Cigar (D&H Cattle Co/Payson Parker) but was offered a re-ride after his first effort. After four consecutive buck offs, Outlaw took advantage of his second chance aboard Taylor’s Cowtown Throwdown (Farris Cattle/Big Schott Rodeo/Triple T Livestock) to give Nashville an 87.25-point lead.

Austin’s Cort McFadden (Novice, Texas) matched Outlaw, tying the score at 87.25 by covering Cold Shot (Jeb Fredericks/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger).

Next up, Austin’s Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Brazil) topped Happy Hour (Hawkins Bucking Bulls) for 85 points to give the Gamblers their first lead. Now in a must-ride situation, Nashville closer Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) steadied himself in the chutes.

Still in search of his 500th career ride, the three-time World Champion rocketed out of the gate on Double R Hat House Pepper Shaker (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls) but was bucked off in 6.83 seconds, giving Austin their first victory of the weekend, 172.25–87.25.

Thunder Hang on to Defeat Carolina in Final Outs

Missouri Thunder: 176 Carolina Cowboys: 175.75

In the second game of Championship Sunday for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series’ Ridge Rider Days, the Missouri Thunder (8-17) bested the injury-ravaged Carolina Cowboys (10-15).

After three consecutive buck offs to kick off the contest, Carolina’s Flavio Zivieri (Balsamo, Brazil) broke through on Ah Hell (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls) for 87.5 points. The Thunder’s Paulo Eduardo Rosseto (Colorado, Brazil) put Missouri on the board, topping Try Me (D&H Cattle Company) for 86.75 points in the third frame.

After Dawson Branton (Jefferson, Oregon) failed to make the horn, Missouri snatched back the lead as Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) bested Concho (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Pronghorn Well Service) for a game-high 89.25 points in the top of the fourth frame.

After two consecutive buckoffs, the game fell on the shoulders of the Cowboys’ Trevor Kastner (Ardmore, Oklahoma). Paired with Carlos Danger (Tyler Farris Bucking Bulls), the Oklahoma cowboy steadied himself in the chutes with the Cowboys down 176-87.5.

He catapulted out of the gate in search of a walk-off victory and made the 8 but came up just short, marked 88.25 points as the Thunder won 176-175.75.

In Battle of League’s Top-2 Scoring Teams, Outlaws Complete Perfect Weekend with Victory Over Rattlers, Solidifying No. 2 Position in Standings

Texas Rattlers: 87.5 Kansas City Outlaws: 171.75

The Kansas City Outlaws (15-10) beat the Texas Rattlers (13-12) in the penultimate game of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Ridge Rider Days that matched the two top scoring teams in the PBR Camping World Team Series.

Coming into the game, the Outlaws with 50 rides averaged 180.6 points per game while the Rattlers entered the game with a 166.0 average score from 46 rides. The Outlaws’ Leonardo Castro Ferreira (Cassilandia, Brazil) got the scoring started by topping Yelawolf (M Rafter E Bucking Bulls) for 87 points.

Rattlers’ Brady Fielder (Clermont, Australia) attempted the match but was unseated by Sky Walker (Lacey Scott/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) in 3.88 seconds.

After two more consecutive buck offs, Kansas City’s Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri) topped Macho Man (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 84.75 points to extend the lead to 171.75-0, his first PBR Teams’ qualified ride since last year’s championship.

The Rattlers’ Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) shot out of the chutes on Big Twist (Ireland/D&H Cattle Co) in a must-ride situation but lost the rope after 2.03 seconds. Despite the Rattlers’ Trace Redd (Malad, Idaho) converting on Coach K (4B Bucking Bulls) for 87.5 points, his team was still one bull short, and Kansas City won 171.75–87.5, finishing the event a perfect 3-0 for the first time since Outlaw Days in August.

Ridge Riders Grab Second Win of Homestand Over Oklahoma Freedom

Oklahoma Freedom: 174 Arizona Ridge Riders: 175

The Arizona Ridge Riders (12-13) defeated the Oklahoma Freedom (13-12) in the final game of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Ridge Rider Days.

Oklahoma’s Thiago Salgado (Navirai, Brazil) got the scoring started early, topping Whatever (Ken Barnhart/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 86.25 points.

In front of a raucous Desert Diamond Arena, Arizona’s Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta) immediately responded by covering Crunch Time (Sterk/Ogden/Hart Cattle Co) for 87.75 points to seize the lead. After three consecutive buck offs, Arizona’s Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) took back the lead by scoring 87.25 points on Lights Out (Hawkins Bucking Bulls/Premier Ag).

After tying the PBR Teams 2023 season-high marked ride on Saturday night, Oklahoma’s Alex Cerqueira (Iguatemi, Brazil) once again came through, scoring 87.75 points on Safety Meeting (Hruby/Kainz/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) to bring the Freedom within one point at 175-174.

With the game and event in the balance, Oklahoma’s Roscoe Jarboe (New Plymouth, Idaho) shot out of the chutes atop Copper Point (Hart Cattle Co/Randy Wood). The powerful animal athlete barely got the upper hand after a thrilling 7.7 seconds to give the hometown Ridge Riders the win.  

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media