SUNRISE, Fla. – At the conclusion of the 2024 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Teams Expansion Draft Wednesday evening in Oklahoma City, the league held the lottery for the New Rider Draft to be held on May 29 in Nashville. With a 27% chance of earning the top pick, the Florida Freedom secured the No. 1 pick in upcoming New Rider Draft.

The talent-packed pool of available riders in the forthcoming New Rider Draft is led by John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) the teenage bull riding phenom, who is currently No. 2 in the 2024 PBR World Championship race and also the son of Florida Freedom Head Coach Paulo Crimber. Other available young guns also includes the likes of Clay Guiton (Cherryville, North Carolina) and Marco Rizzo (Quitman, Georgia).

“Today’s been a very special day,” said Florida Freedom Head Coach Paulo Crimber. “I am blessed to be nominated to the Ring of Honor recognizing my work as being instrumental to the present and future of the sport of professional bull riding. And then to have our team, the Florida Freedom, get the first pick in 2024 PBR Teams Draft, I couldn’t be more excited.”

“I am looking forward to the upcoming season with the Florida Freedom and delivering to our great fans of the Florida Freedom a tremendous product. We have worked hard this off season to build a team with talent that can win each and every day. It certainly could be interesting if we pick my son, John Crimber, at the No. 1, quite the family story! The League (PBR Teams) has been incredible for our sport and it’s so clear that PBR Teams is the future of the PBR. I can’t wait to see where we go from here on this rocket ship.”

The New Rider Draft Lottery was held following the first-ever PBR Teams Expansion draft when the league’s two new teams, the Oklahoma Wildcatters and New York Mavericks, began to assemble their rosters, each holding six picks. Following the 12 selections, the Floridia Freedom’s complete roster remained intact.

Their current line-up of protected riders includes: Caden Bunch (Tahlequah, Oklahoma), Joao Lucas Campos (Porto Feliz, Brazil), Alex Cerqueira (Iguatemi, Brazil), Conner Halverson (Gordon, Nebraska), Elizmar Jeremias (Anapu, Brazil), Casey Roberts (Munford, Alabama) and Thiago Salgado (Naviraí, Brazil).

PBR Teams launched in 2022 with eight teams and announced an expansion to 10 teams following the 2023 season.

After the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series gets underway on July 12-14 in Oklahoma, the Freedom will host the third event of the season on August 2-4. The bull riding action for the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series’ Freedom Days at Amerant Bank Arena begins at 7:45 p.m. ET on Friday, August 2, 6:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 3, and 1:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 4.

Three-day ticket packages are available, offering fans a 20% discount on select price levels.

For more information about the Florida Freedom visit https://pbr.com/teams/florida-freedom,Florida Freedom on Facebook, @flfreedompbr on Instagram, or @FLFreedomPBR on Twitter.

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media