Charleston, W. Va. – At the second of three PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour events this week, Marco Rizzo (Quitman, Georgia) rode supreme to win his first event buckle at PBR Charleston.

Rizzo got off to a strong start Friday evening in Round 1, roaring out of the chutes on Blue Suede Shoes (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls) for 85.5 points, tying for second in the opening round.

Now in a groove, he sat tall atop Bossed Up (Blake Sharp) for 86 points in front of a raucous Charleston Civic Center in Round 2 Saturday night.

While he was bucked off First Class (Dave Martin/Mike Miller Bucking Bulls) in 6.7 seconds during the final round, he had already done enough to win his first PBR belt buckle.

Netting a critical 113.5 Velocity Global points, Rizzo rose to the No. 1 spot in the early Velocity Tour standings.

Brandon Chambers (Newport, North Carolina) finished second, going 2-for-3.

The veteran rode Atomic Thunder Chicken (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls) for 80.5 points in Round 1 before covering Black Heart (J Bar W) for 83 points in Round 2.

Looking to seize his first career PBR event win, the Carolinian thundered out of the gate on Spotted Rust (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers) in the championship round but was unseated in 2.7 seconds.

Chambers, who also finished Top 20 at the Denver PBR Chute Out earlier this week, garnered 77 Velocity Global points to break into the Top 10 in the Velocity Tour standings.

The final spot on the podium was shared by Dylan Smith (Ararat, Virginia) and Weston Davidson (Strongfield, Saskatchewan, Canada), who both finished 1-for-3.

The pair were both bucked off in Round 1 before rallying and splitting a Round 2 win, as Smith rode Centerfold (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd) and Davidson covered Grande Patron (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls) for an event-high 87 points.

In the championship round, Smith was bested by The Judge (Blake Sharp/UB Buckin’ Company) in 1.31 seconds while Pearl Snap (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers) ousted Davidson in 1.56 seconds to leave the two cowboys deadlocked in third place.

Both left the Charleston Civic Center with 51.5 Velocity Global points.

After winning Round 1 on Friday, Marco Eguchi (Poa, Brazil) finished in fifth.

The veteran rocketed out of the gate aboard Prime Tested (Blake Sharp/Koe Wetzel/Travis Austin/Henry Wilson) for 86.5 points to win Round 1 but was unable to make the 8 in his final two outs.

Eguchi gained 45 points, moving into a tie for the No. 9 spot in the standings with Chambers.

Also of note was veteran Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) and Jean Fernandes Pereira (Crixas, Brazil), who finished tied for sixth.

Both rallied back in Round 2 after being bucked off in the opening round, as Lane topped Matthew (C-B Bucking Bulls) for 86 points while Pereira rode Flashbang (GN Livestock & Bucking Bulls/Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls) for 86 points of his own.

In the bull pen, five bulls, Blue Suede Shoes, Rustic Pearl (Blake Sharp), Centerfold, Boomerang (Blake Sharp/Stacy Utz/Rachel Farris/Tristen Jones/Stacey) and First Class were all marked 43 points to split the Bull of the Event title.

While the PBR’s elite Unleash The Beast bucks in Chicago, the Velocity Tour action continues in Spokane, Washington, for the final day of PBR Spokane.

Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media