PUEBLO, Colo. – Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

But with the smile Caden Bunch sported throughout the rest of his afternoon after picking up his second win of the 2024 Unleash The Beast, surely this one is worth a few more!

It has to be at least 118 (the amount of UTB points he earned for his second career victory on the top tour), as one of the premier series’ most talented rookies wasn’t holding back the emotions after securing the big win.

“You’re pumped up, aren’t you?” Kate Harrison asked the trending 20-year-old at the conclusion of the PBR Milwaukee Presented by Cooper Tires.

“Oh, yes ma’am,” Bunch replied, smile apparent while still catching up via some deep breaths.

“It’s good to get hot right now because Fort Worth is coming soon. So, to get hot now, it’s the perfect time.”

RELATED: #InCaseYouMissedIt: Bunch wins in Milwaukee, Fielder impresses and more

With the tour approaching its 16th event of the 2024 season, this weekend’s PBR Little Rock will officially mark two-thirds of this year’s events already in the books.

Which also means that a mere eight events separate the pack from a shot to earn the coveted gold buckle during the 2024 World Finals: Unleash The Beast (set to invade the grater Dallas-Fort Worth arena May 9-19!!)

Directly to Bunch’s point, riders have always understood the importance momentum and confidence play in this sport. Everyone aims to be both healthy and seeing their riding results progressively improve as they not only secure their spot at the season-culminating event but position themselves to make a run.

While Bunch knew that he was more than capable of earning his spot at the big dance, he endured some mid-season struggles after starting his season in blazing fashion, courtesy of his career-first UTB win in Tucson, Arizona.

Highlighted by a 17-out buckoff streak, Bunch spiraled down the standings for nearly two months before getting back on the board in Houston, Texas, in late January. Able to kick things back into gear the next weekend in Sacramento, California, he rode both of his first two bulls for quality 87.75 and 84.25 points, thus advancing to convert in three of most recent four attempts.

But considering his early-winter slump, he was sporting just a 3-for-20 combined record.

All of that, thankfully for Bunch, is now in the past, as the talent has managed to ride at least one bull in each of his past six events, dating back to Houston.

Producing Top 10 finishes in four of the six, with an 18th place showing in Indianapolis representing his worst finish since revisiting the ride column in Toyota Center, he’s turned in ninth, fourth, 13th, sixth and 18th place efforts lately.

And of course, his first-place showing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin!

Initially teaming up with Cookies & Cream to split the opening Round win with No. 2 John Crimber, he improved to a perfect 2-for-2 in the second round, courtesy of his 86.75-point dance with Magic Trick.

There may not be a formula that he, or any rider, can turn to when a cowboy’s looking to find success once again. But anytime the boys are just enjoying themselves and their company, that’s usually a good start.

“Just got things turned and I’m staying more consistent. That always helps. It just took that one in Houston to get my confidence back up and I’ve been feeling good ever since,” Bunch shared with PBR.com

“I have to be having fun and I think I may have been overthinking it a bit too much. Then I just started having fun and quit thinking about it.”

Rising to No. 7 overall in standings is quite the feat, all things considered. Doing so as a first-year competitor certainly has its added perks for the Florida Freedom rider.

With teams around the league preparing to protect three players each from being selected during the 2024 PBR Teams Expansion Draft, there’s no doubt that head coach Paulo Crimber and company will strongly considering ensuring the talent continues riding for the red, white and blue squad.

On a weekend where just 12 different riders were able to make the whistle, only one was able to double down. That same cowboy was also one of five rookies to make the 8 inside Fiserv Forum. And when you consider he was the only rider to go 2-for-3, that means rookies accounted for 6 of the 13 total rides, just short of providing half of the tour’s conversions during what ended up being a bit of a down week.

Some can blame travel woes; others can blame odd matchups. But Bunch isn’t blaming anyone.

He’s planning to stay locked in and low key as he attempts to chase down a fellow rookie in No. 1 Cassio Dias.

“Just keep doing my job,” the accomplished youngster said plain and simply.

“One bull at a time and let the rest play itself out.”

With Unleash The Beast preparing to invade Simmons Bank Arena March 15-16 during the 16th showdown of the 2024 premier series season, we’re taking a quick look back at some of the numerical takeaways from last weekend’s PBR Milwaukee Presented by Cooper Tires during this week’s By the Numbers!

20 & Flirty & Thriving: The other 20-year-old who enjoyed a favorable finish in Milwaukee was none other than No. 6 Koltin Hevalow, who’s now rode at least one bull in each of his past six events, just like Bunch! However, Hevalow has been the definition of consistency for nearly the entire 2024 slate, compared to Bunch’s roller-coaster approach, as Hevalow has managed at least one qualified ride in 11 of the 15 events in which he’s participated (compared to just seven for Bunch). Turning in a career-best No. 36 finish during last year’s world championship race (13-for-58 overall), Hevalow has been busy paving the trail for what’s likely to end as his best effort to date, as the Smithville, Missouri, native has already bested 17 bulls (17-for-39), including what became his second-highest-scored ride in his budding premier series career.

Earning a rank 88.75-points for his 8 seconds of work aboard Boomerang in the second round, Hevalow went on to not only win Round 2, but secure himself a second-place overall finish during a weekend where the bovine athletes dominated. Taking home a welcomed 78 UTB points and a check flashing $19,080, the skilled rider was technically 2-for-3 on the weekend, as he also converted during the tour’s opening night Extra Round, scored 86.5 points after dancing with My Bad.

Top 3 or You’re Not 3: There are a lot of unique paths premier series riders can take to achieving their year-end goals. For No. 3 Dalton Kasel, the main goal is of course to be crowned the 2024 World Champion. And if not for his three-straight podium appearances, he may be watching on from afar. But the reality we’ve been served is one in which Kasel has looked like his old self: one who’s sporting a Caden Bunch-link smile while staring up at the leaderboard, where he typically sits closer to 1 than most riders on tour.

Completing the Top 3 trifecta over the course of his past three events, earning a runner-up effort in Jacksonville, Florida, two weekends ago before winning it all in Indianapolis, Indiana, “Mr. 90 Points” put the stamp on his podium passport inside Fiserv Forum as he turned his 88-point ride atop The Judge into a third-place finish. Advancing to 17-for-36 (47.22%) on the season, Kasel is already two spots ahead of his No. 5 finish from 2023 (which could’ve been much higher if not for an uncharacteristic 1-for-7 performance at last year’s 2023 World Finals: Unleash The Beast).

I’m Third, 2!: Earning a matching 46 UTB points by tying Kasel for third-place honors, Australian Brady Fielder became one stop closer to completing a Top 3 BINGO card of his own, now claiming first and third-place efforts in 2024 as he continues to rely on good vibes and a laid-back approach.

RELATED: Brady Fielder’s positive attitude, consistent finishes paving way to World Finals

Fielder technically would’ve won the entire event had his Extra Round conversion dancing with Mike’s Motive on Saturday night been worth any points. But as a way to deal with the tour missing 10 guys during the opening night of action, his 90-pointer was merely a momentum builder.

Scored an identical 88 points during Sunday afternoon’s second round, he cemented his place alongside Kasel by going the distance atop Whiplash. Advancing to 15-for-37 on the season, which also included an early exit in Sunday’s short round, dispatched by Hell Right, Fielder may not have many weekends left competing with a new friend and fellow countryman Callum Miller, as the PBR Canada regular is currently right on the bubble, ranked No. 34.

No. 17 Suffers Night 1 Exit: By now, fans should be quite familiar with one of this season’s rookie class competitors in No. 17 Clay Guiton, who’s stormed onto the UTB scene en route to making himself one of this spring’s top PBR Camping World Team Series prospects. Advancing his year one record to 11-for-26 Saturday during his 84.75-point journey aboard Creek, the rookie successful kept his event ride streak alive and moving forward, now converting in each of his last eight appearances, and within eight of the nine overall!

The craziest part about the youngster’s Top 10 streak coming to an end is the fact that he was just two spots, and less than a full aggregate score point (.75), from extending it one week further, as Guiton ended the weekend at the event’s No. 12 spot, despite attempting just one bull.

Getting some points on the board and feeling good while doing it, the youngster ended up opting into the weekend’s Extra Round, with a shot at winning some cash prizes while staying hot. Now set to miss some time on tour after being involved with a nasty wreck in said go, all we can do is hope that the 18-year-old will be able to rest up and be set for World Finals.

31.9 Rides Per Event: Ahead of last weekend’s action in Milwaukee, pack riders at UTB events were producing an average of 33.2 qualified rides per premier series showdown, with previous low totals of 24 total rides coming in Houston and just 22 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Balancing some of those less productive events out, the pack has gone north of the 40-ride mark twice this season (42 during the season-opener in Tucson, Arizona, and 41 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania) while also hitting 39 twice (Chicago and Sacramento, California).

But after seeing just 13 total rides a few days ago in Milwaukee, the fewest in any event this season and still nine short of the tour’s previous low (22), the average qualified ride count on the season is down to 31.9 average rides per event. Unfortunately, a closer look will identify a few more season-lows, as the event produced zero short round conversions for the second time all season (first in Salt Lake City) en route to setting new lows for Round 1 (five qualified rides, previous low: 10 x2) and Round 2 (eight qualified rides, previous low: 9 x3). Credit the bulls, blame the winter travel and guys not getting into their typical routines or call it an oddity overall. Either way, fans can expect the pack to rebound from the weird weekend when the tour resumes in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 15-16.

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media