PUEBLO, Colo. – Following the second season of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Teams, the league today announced that the Texas Rattlers’ Cody Lambert and Chad Blankenship were voted Coach and Executive of the Year, respectively.

The Rattlers swept the year-end awards after delivering a red-hot 2023 season, capped with a perfect 4-0 performance at the 2023 PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas, crowned the second PBR Teams World Champions.

Before the fifth event of the new season, Lambert and first-year General Manager Blankenship made what would prove to be a fruitful free agent signing, inking young gun Trace Redd to the team. Redd went 3-for-7 (42.85%) for Texas. Among his highlights, Redd delivered a statement 91-point ride in his second out for the team, helping to lead the Rattlers past the then reigning Champion Nashville Stampede in Nashville while also adding an 89.5-point score to propel Texas to victory against the then Oklahoma Freedom during the team’s homestand.

Lambert and Blankenship also architected a key late-season trade, bringing 2021 PBR Rookie of the Year Eli Vastbinder to the team’s roster from Oklahoma. Veteran Vastbinder quickly made an impact for Texas. In his second event with his new team, Vastbinder delivered a crucial 89-point score to help cement victory against the Missouri Thunder, and during the PBR Teams Championship, he answered the call for his team in the second round, helping to eliminate his former Freedom when reached the requisite 8 for 86.25 points.

“This job for me, at this point in my life, is a dream job,” said Coach Lambert. “To be able to pass along what I’ve learned from the years and the miles and the mistakes that I’ve made. And be able to try to pass that to the next guys so they don’t have to make the same mistakes. Winning is something that doesn’t always happen overnight, but it’s always the goal.”

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this recognition by my peers,” said General Manager Blankenship. “A group of outstanding executives in this successful new sports league with so much growth potential. This honor is a reflection of the strength of our entire team program, including our Rattlers coaching staff, riders and ownership.”

The Coach and Executive of the Year were determined by a vote of their peers from PBR Teams’ eight founding teams.

Each Coach selected their Top 3 coaches from the 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series season, excluding themselves, and each Executive did the same amongst those holding the role. The individual selected first received three points, second two points, and third one point. The Coach and Executive of the Year were the individuals who received the most total points.

“The second season of PBR Teams, culminating with one of the best events we’ve ever put on for fans throughout an intense championship, continued to demonstrate why our riders, partners and fans love bull riding games,” said PBR Commissioner and CEO Sean Gleason. “Led by Coach Cody Lambert and GM Chad Blankenship, the Texas Rattlers were the architects of many of the past season’s dramatic moments, reaching a pinnacle in going 4-for-5 when it mattered most in the Championship game to beat the Austin Gamblers, their in-state rivals who went to Las Vegas with their second straight regular season title. Congratulations to the Rattlers and all of our teams as we head toward our third season in July.”

In the Coach of the Year voting, the Austin Gamblers’ Michael Gaffney finished second, while the Kansas City Outlaws’ J.W. Hart was third.

In the Executive of the Year voting, the Kansas City Outlaws’ Jim Smith received the second most votes, followed by the Austin Gamblers’ JJ Gottsch in third.

As a team, after a third-place finish during the 2022 season, the Rattlers were a consistent presence atop the standings throughout the entire 2023 campaign, winning two events.

After topping the field in mid-September in Ridgedale, Missouri, where they went 2-1 and won Extra Outs, the Rattlers ended the regular season in commanding form, riding to a red-hot 3-0 record inside Dickies Arena, winning their PBR Rattler Days homestand for the second consecutive season. The Rattlers are now the only team in the league to be perfect in their home venue and to have won both iterations of their annual homestand.

Concluding the regular season red-hot, the Rattlers began the 2023 PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas No. 3 in the league. On the opening night of gameplay, Texas squared off against the No. 8 Missouri Thunder in Round 1. Riding to the game lead in the bottom of the first, Texas never looked back, clinching the game win early and ultimately defeating Missouri by one ride score, 174-84.5.

The Rattlers advanced directly to the second round, next taking on the No. 4 Oklahoma Freedom in bull riding’s version of the Red River Showdown. The Rattlers jumped to an early lead in the first via a crucial early score from Vieira and would log what would be the game-winning score in the bottom of the fourth when Vastbinderwas marked 86.25 points aboard Lone Star, putting the Rattlers up by 83.75 points for an eventual 170.75-87 victory, advancing them to the PBR Teams Championship Semifinals for the second consecutive season.

On Championship Sunday, the No. 5 Arizona Ridge Riders stood between Texas and their first berth to the PBR Teams Championship Game. Qualified rides from Brady Fielder in the bottom of the second, followed by Vieira covering his re-ride draw immediately after, would prove too much for Arizona, and Texas earned their first berth to the Championship Game.

With their instate rival and regular-season No. 1 Austin Gamblers awaiting Texas in the season’s final game, the Rattlers would record big, qualified rides on four of their five bulls to win their first championship.

Texas set the tone early for the five-on-five showdown as opener Vieira easily dominated Outlaw for an 88.75-point lead, then grew their lead to two scores and 176 points as Aussie Brady Fielder dominated Ah Hell for 87.25 points.

An additional ride from Cody Jesus on Tijuana Two-Step for 88.75 points increased the Rattlers’ lead to 89.25 points and set the stage in the top of the fifth for closer Daniel Keeping to clinch the Championship atop Red River. Nodding with confidence, Keeping remained in perfect time with the bull, reaching the requisite 8 and erupting into immediate celebration following his dismount. Marked a monstrous and game-best 90.5 points, the score made the Texas Rattlers the second-ever PBR Teams Champions in a final game they’d win 355.25 – 265.25.

The PBR Camping World Team Series will resume in Summer 2024. The Texas Rattlers’ quest to repeat as PBR Teams Champions will take over Fort Worth on Sept. 26-28 for the third annual Rattler Days. The event will begin on Sept. 26 at Cowtown Coliseum before concluding on Sept. 27-28 inside Dickies Arena.

For more information about the Texas Rattlers, visit https://pbr.com/teams/rattlers/, Texas Rattlers on Facebook, or @TexasRattlers_ on Instagram and Twitter.

Stay tuned to PBR.com for the latest information, event schedules, personnel moves, and more.

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media