FRESNO, Calif. – After a 2-for-3 weekend at Save Mart Center, Elijah Monnett (Glendale, Utah) emerged victorious, winning the Walmart Health & Wellness PBR Fresno Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) event.

Monnett took his first step toward the top of the leaderboard in Friday’s Round 1, splitting a third-place tie with Andy Bohl (St. Cloud, Florida) after making the 8 aboard Candy Cane (Clay Struve/ Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger) for 83 points.

The Beehive State cowboy then continued the momentum into Round 2 on Saturday as he bested his bovine opponent Blood Money (Cooper/ Scruggs Bucking Bulls) to record a 73-point ride and a fourth-place finish.

In the championship round, he was paired with Country Boy (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger) but was unsuccessful, bucked to the dirt in just 4.74 seconds. Despite his best efforts to be the only man to go 3-for-3, he was still able to clinch the event win.

Monnett netted 104.5 Velocity Global points for his weekend in Fresno and sits at No. 37 in the Velocity standings.

Velocity Global points contribute to the Velocity Global Standings and determine which new riders are added to the elite Unleash The Beast throughout the season. The Top 3 Velocity Global riders who have not already qualified are also invited to the PBR World Finals in May.

Jaxton Mortensen (Coolidge, Arizona) collected 78 Velocity Global points, courtesy of his second-place finish.

Mortensen set his pace early in the weekend with an 87-point ride on Badlands (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger) and a first-place finish in Round 1.

Determined to finish the weekend in Fresno with an event title, the Arizona cowboy, who was paired with Midnight Train (Humpz and Hornz/ Frances Dandy) in Round 2, focused all of his energy on night two. However, the bovine athlete showcased his athletic ability, dominating Mortensen after just 4.1 seconds.

While Mortensen did not ride in the Championship Round, he maintained his hold as the No. 2 man for the weekend and the No. 34 ranked cowboy in the Velocity standings.

California’s own Kyle Eaton (Chico, California) also went 1-for-3 over the weekend in Fresno. Paired with Clyde (Evan Matthews) in the opening round, to the excited crowd’s dismay, the bovine won this matchup, bucking Eaton off at a mere 2.08 seconds.

Coming into Round 2, the home state cowboy sought redemption when matched with Dirty Dave (Diamond Bar Cattle). After bursting from the chutes, he successfully stayed aboard for 86.5-points and a first-place finish in the round.

Hopeful & determined as he entered the Championship Round, Eaton was paired with Sweatlodge Testified (Silver Bridge Bucking Bulls/ Culp Bucking Bulls/ Green). Once again, the animal athletes of the PBR prevailed, dismounting Eaton after 5.25 seconds.

Despite his less-than-ideal Saturday night in Fresno, the cowboy collected 64 Velocity Global points and now sits at No. 22 in the Velocity standings.

In fourth place at Save Mart Center was Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah).

In Round 1, Madsen erupted from the chutes aboard Bison (JD Nix Rodeo Co.). Despite his best efforts, the bull won the matchup, bucking him off after 2.65 seconds.

Looking forward to Round 2, the Utah man conquered Whack Attack (Holdener/ Leffew Bucking Bulls) for 85.5 points.

After his second-place finish in Round 2, the Missouri Thunder athlete was hopeful for the Championship Round when he was matched up against Hoof Stock Genetics Mud Train (Canyon Oaks/ JD Nix). However, his formidable bovine opponent conquered this matchup, dismounting Madsen after 5.36 seconds.

The weekend earned Madsen 39 Velocity Global points. He now sits at No. 47 in the standings.

Rounding out the Top 5 was another Utah man, Dalton Rudman (Wellington, Utah).

After a buck off in Round 1 against Iron Banana (Humpz and Hornz/ Frances Dandy/ Baer/ Baxter) at 6.03 seconds, Rudman was hopeful for Round 2 when he was paired with War Train (Humpz and Hornz/ Frances Dandy/ Flores Cattle). Unfortunately, the animal athlete won this matchup as well, throwing the 29-year-old to the dirt after only 2.68 seconds.

Despite being dispatched in Round 1 & 2, he entered the Championship Round where he was paired with Smoke Down (Humpz & Hornz/ Frances Dandy). Making the 8 while scoring 84.5 points, he secured first place in the final round in Fresno as the only man to ride.

For his efforts in Fresno, he earned 45 Velocity Global Points as he attempts to climb the Velocity leaderboard. Leaving California Rudman is the No. 48 ranked man in the Velocity standings.

The talented bull riders of the PWVT will next head to Eugene, Oregon, for PBR Eugene at Matthew Knight Arena April 12-13. In a double-up weekend, the PWVT will also be in Lincoln, Nebraska, for the PBR Lincoln at Pinnacle Bank Arena on April 13.

Professional Bull Riders -Health & Wellness PBR Fresno Save Mart Center - Fresno, California Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points) 1. Elijah Monnett, 83-73-0-156.00-104.5 Points. 2. Jaxton Mortensen, 87-0-0-87.00-78 Points. 3. Kyle Eaton [1], 0-86.5-0-86.50-64 Points. 4. Briggs Madsen, 0-85.5-0-85.50-39 Points. 5. Dalton Rudman, 0-0-84.5-84.50-45 Points. 6. Aaron Williams, 83.5-0-0-83.50-30 Points. 7. Andy Bohl, 83-0-0-83.00-22.5 Points. 8. Grayson Cole, 81-0-0-81.00-19.5 Points. (tie). Wyatt Nez, 0-81-0-81.00-21.5 Points. Dawson Branton, 0-0-0-0.00 Ramon de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00 Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0.00 Dustin Martinez, 0-0-0-0.00 Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-0-0-0.00 Kyle Eaton [2], 0-0-0-0.00 Quincey McDonald, 0-0-0-0.00 Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0-0.00 Justin Ethridge, 0-0-0-0.00 Zane Cook, 0-0-0-0.00 Edgardo Figueroa, 0-0-0-0.00 Dakota Louis, 0-0-0-0.00 Ruger Piva, 0-0-0-0.00 Andy Valdez, 0-0-0-0.00 Eli Necochea, 0-0-0-0.00 William Wright, 0-0-0-0.00 Luis Tinoco, 0-0-0-0.00 Quinten Panarra, 0-0-0-0.00 Marco Lopez, 0-0-0-0.00 Mateus Fabricio, 0-0-0-0.00 Gender Sical Ramos, 0-0-0-0.00 Dakota Johnson, 0-0-0-0.00 Pokey Houghton, 0-0-0-0.00 Francisco Villalpando, 0-0-0-0.00

Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media