GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After recording his first Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) win of the season in Charleston, West Virginia, last weekend, Marco Rizzo (Quitman, Georgia) leads after the opening round of the Tractor Supply Co. PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Grand Rapids.

Entering the event ranked No. 1 in the Velocity Global standings, Rizzo topped Air Shift (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls) for a round-winning 87 points Friday night. He earned 28 Velocity Global points to extend his lead atop the standings.

Qynn Andersen (Koumala, Queensland, Australia) finished second in Round 1.

Paired with Cash Goblin (Dave Martin/Mike Miller Bucking Bulls), the Australian cowboy rocketed out of the gate in front of a roaring Van Andel Arena for 85.5 points, earning 18 points toward the Velocity Global standings.

The last spot on the podium currently belongs to Hunter Ball (Carsonville, Michigan).

With his home state fans behind him, Ball locked in aboard Down N Dirty (C Check Bucking Bulls), hanging on for the requisite 8 seconds for 85 points. The 17 Velocity Global points he earned pushed him to No. 4 in the standings.

In fourth place after the first night of action in the Wolverine state is Grayson Cole (New Ringgold, Pennsylvania).

Cole, competing for the second straight evening after riding at the weekly Stockyards Showcase in Fort Worth, Texas, sat tall atop Recall (J Bar W) for 84.5 points. He earned 16 Velocity Global points.

Rounding out the Top 5 was Rubens Barbosa (Iaciara, Brazil).

Paired with Kiss This (J Bar W), the Brazilian stormed out of the chutes for 83.5 points in Round 1, earning 15 Velocity Global points.

Three more riders made the 8, as Tyler Manor (Portland, Indiana), Jean Fernandes Pereira (Crixas, Brazil), and Cody McCandless (Derry, Pennsylvania) all covered their animal athlete opponents in the opening round but were unable to break into the Top 5.

The Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour action in Grand Rapids concludes tomorrow, Saturday, January 20, with Round 2 and the championship round beginning at 7 p.m. EST.

PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Tractor Supply Co. PBR Grand Rapids Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, Michigan Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points) 1. Marco Rizzo, 87-0-0-87.00-28 Points. 2. Qynn Andersen, 85.5-0-0-85.50-18 Points. 3. Hunter Ball, 85-0-0-85.00-17 Points. 4. Grayson Cole, 84.5-0-0-84.50-16 Points. 5. Rubens Barbosa, 83.5-0-0-83.50-15 Points. 6. Tyler Manor, 83-0-0-83.00-14 Points. 7. Jean Fernandes Pereira, 81.5-0-0-81.50-13 Points. 8. Cody McCandless, 78.5-0-0-78.50-4 Points. Dylan Smith, 0-0-0-0.00 Keith Hall, 0-0-0-0.00 Dustin Herman, 0-0-0-0.00 Dakota Warnken, 0-0-0-0.00 Dakota Eagleburger, 0-0-0-0.00 Casey Coulter, 0-0-0-0.00 Brandon McDowell, 0-0-0-0.00 Lane Lasley, 0-0-0-0.00 Justin Ethridge, 0-0-0-0.00 Matt Allgood, 0-0-0-0.00 Trace Brown, 0-0-0-0.00 Alex Jenks, 0-0-0-0.00 Bennie Shetler, 0-0-0-0.00 João Paulo Fernandes, 0-0-0-0.00 Jake Goodson, 0-0-0-0.00 Ueberson Duarte, 0-0-0-0.00 Douglas Lino de Souza, 0-0-0-0.00 Cole Trivette [1], 0-0-0-0.00 Cole Trivette [2], 0-0-0-0.00 Jared Avina, 0-0-0-0.00 Bruno Jose Barros, 0-0-0-0.00 Eder Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00 Perry Schrock, 0-0-0-0.00 Michael Phillips, 0-0-0-0.00 Alvin Detweiler, 0-0-0-0.00 Lester Yoder, 0-0-0-0.00 Drake Buell, 0-0-0-0.00

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media