PUEBLO, Colo. – Looking back into the annals of PBR history, a few rounds jump out as being the best ever.
There was, of course, the iconic night of 90s at the 1999 PBR World Finals, which featured eight 90-point rides in a single round of competition.
There was the night in June 2019 in Bismarck, North Dakota, that saw eight 90-point rides at Chad Berger’s $125,000 team challenge.
There was the championship round in St. Louis in 2001, with five 90-point rides.
There was the championship round of the 2021 PBR World Finals, with five 90-point rides, including Jose Vitor Leme’s record-breaking 98.75-point ride on Woopaa.
Saturday night at the Express Ranches PBR Tulsa, presented by the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, now joins those ranks.
The championship round in bull country saw an astounding seven 90-point rides.
First came Dawson Branton, who rode Hunting Trip for a career-high 91.25 points.
The next man out was world No. 1 Cassio Dias, who’s off to one of the hottest starts in PBR history, riding two-time reigning YETI World Champion Bull Ridin Solo for 90.75 points.
Three riders later, newcomer Clay Guiton rode Bandito Bug for 90.25 points. That was also a career-high, besting the 90-point score he’d received on Punchy Pete earlier in the evening in Round 2.
“There’s no words for it,” Guiton told Kate Harrison on CBS Sports Network after his Round 2 ride. “I saw the draw last night, and everybody told me that was a really tough bull to ride. I think it was one of the only ones that counted myself in that deal, and that’s all I needed.”
Immediately following Guiton, Dalton Kasel rode UTZ BesTex Smokestack for 91.5 points – also his second 90 of the night following his 91.75-point score on Doze You Down in Round 2.
“I needed that,” Kasel told Harrison after Round 2. “I haven’t had a 90, and I haven’t been hustling the way I hustled just now. And so I’m very thankful and blessed with this opportunity to ride this amazing bull, get a little revenge on him.”
Two outs later, Wingson Henrique da Silva rode Ricky Vaughn for 90 points.
Then came 18-year-old rookie John Crimber, looking to secure his first premier-series event win and become one of the youngest riders ever to win an event. He made the 8 on Chateau Montelena’s Montana Jacket for 91.5 points, also a career-high.
In the last out of the night, 39-year-old Joao Ricardo Vieira rode Flyin Wired for 91.75 points, tying Kasel for the round win and tying Gary Richard as the oldest rider ever to win a premier series event.
“This is because I love this now,” Vieira told Harrison following his win. “I saw in the locker room these young guys, 18 years old, and I look at him and I say, ‘Oof. I stay here? I ride bulls with these guys?’ I’m so, so proud for my career, for God giving this work for me. This is fantastic.”
The performance – both from Vieira and the championship round field – drew high praise from one of the greatest riders of all time.
“That’s how you finish out probably the championship round of the decade right here. I’m just going to say it,” said two-time World Champion Justin McBride. “Look, all the guys rode so good. Joao, though, was the best all weekend long. And just another – not a good ride, a great ride in the championship round.”
Remember this night in Tulsa. We may not see another one like it for a long, long time.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
