PUEBLO, Colo. – Sure, the BIG show starts next weekend, as the world’s top-ranked bull riders prepare to travel to Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas, with the hopes of exiting the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast with the prestigious gold buckle.

But if there’s a “Robin” to the industry’s “Batman” … the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals would be it! And if we remember the comics and shows the same way … Robin not only came in clutch occasionally but was pretty instrumental in his “waiting in the wings” role.

Yet, it takes some extra guts and additional grind to fill the shoes of the red, yellow and green hero.

After all, bats are only active at night, typically only stirring amongst the daylight in the direst of situations.

Whereas robins come out to play every day.

They spread their wings, build nests and look to the future each spring, with the hopes of passing on their namesake and creating a better situation for themselves throughout the summer stretch (dare we compare it to … the PBR Camping World Team Series).

Bird turned hero metaphors aside … this weekend’s competitive pack of riders set to leave it all on the line inside American Bank Center Arena May 3-4 for the two-day, season-ending showdown is chock-full of talented cowboys.

RELATED: Riders vying for final World Finals berths during Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals

Set to represent the fifth iteration of the PWVT’s end-all be-all, this year’s field features a healthy mix of expansion tour riders, international invites, Unleash The Beast regulars and beyond.

Knowing the final five spots inside Cowtown Coliseum are up for grabs beginning Friday night (with the eventual overall PWVT Finals winner, top-performing international invite and Top 3-ranked riders in the Velocity Global standings clinching spots at the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Eliminations May 9-12), the men making the trip down to Corpus Christi, Texas, mean business.

So, if there’s a few less smiles atop the chutes and a little extra bull rope-flinging, season-ending shouting and overall disdain following any given out …

… Know that it’s not a show.

It’s because they want to MAKE IT to the show!

When you consider nearly one-third of this weekend’s contestants in the draw are UTB regulars looking to stay loose (many of which have already clinched their spots in Fort Worth) as things stand Thursday afternoon, the odds aren’t looking too bad for some of the industry’s proven riders who enter the weekend without those honors, like Dener Barbosa, Ramon de Lima, Lucas Divino and beyond.

World Finals qualifiers who are set to participate in the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals include: No. 2 John Crimber, No. 5 Alan de Souza, No. 8 Joao Ricardo Vieira, No. 9 Brady Fielder, No. 12 Leonardo Castro, No. 13 Thiago Salgado, No. 15 Cody Jesus, No. 17 Alex Cerqueira, No. 18 Keyshawn Whitehorse, No. 20 Kaiden Loud, No. 36 Ezekiel Mitchell, No. 37 Kyler Oliver, No. 38 Andrew Alvidrez, No. 40 Callum Miller and No. 47 Ederson Santos.

RELATED: Rider qualifiers announced for 2024 PBR Pendleton Whisky Tour Finals

While we might not see a “Robin Signal” light up the skies of Corpus Christi, fans who make the journey south to American Bank Center Arena or tune in via the RidePass on Pluto TV broadcast will 100% be treated to an endgame-like environment.

Because, well, for more than half of the cowboys preparing to give their all this weekend, this will be their final appearance of the spring.

Continuing our week-long coverage across @PBR social media channels, PBR.com and beyond, we’re taking a closer look at five riders who are worth keeping an eye on during the 2024 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals!

1. Ederson Santos: (No. 1 in Velocity Global standings) As the 40th and final rider qualified for next weekend’s 2024 PBR World Finals: Eliminations via UTB competition, as the historic Cowtown Coliseum venue prepares to host the top-ranked riders and most dedicated fans in the business, Ederson Santos will bring his successful, albeit limited, 4-for-8 record into Fort Worth with a shot to make some noise during the first of three postseason segments.

However, as the talent continues to sit atop the Velocity Global standings, courtesy of his combined 23-for-41 (56.1%) record (which includes a 13-for-24 slate in PWVT competition and a 10-for-17 effort throughout nearly 20 Touring Pro Division outs), he isn’t looking to take it easy this weekend. With the 2024 PWVT Championship honors potentially just three successful rides away, the 36-year-old veteran can earn what would be his first tour-topping finish while collecting a nice check for $50,000 should he find pay dirt in Corpus Christi. Yet, at 36, he’s somehow not even close to being the oldest rider competing this weekend.

2. Ednei Caminhas: (No. 53 in Velocity Global standings) That title belongs to 48-year-old Ednei Caminhas, who hasn’t given up on attempting to qualify for what would be his 11th trip to World Finals, as the veteran has put his name in the hat for this weekend’s showdown. While he may have stepped away from his role as a regular premier series competitor, he’s continued to grind it out within respective TPD and PWVT events, albeit just 10-for-29, thus his No. 53 rank in the Velocity Global standings. That said, the 2002 PBR World Champion still has what it takes to get the job done!

Especially when you consider the all-timer’s showcase at the very same event last May. Turning in a runner-up effort at the season-ending showdown’s 2023 iteration, courtesy of his 2-for-3 performance, the Brazilian will undoubtedly go down as one of the sport’s most resilient and dedicated athletes. And with his new role as Assistant Coach with the New York Mavericks of the PBR Camping World Team Series, you never know who he could be mixing it up with, or even SCOUTING, during this weekend’s clash!

RELATED: First Look: Oklahoma Wildcatters, New York Mavericks one step closer to opening day

3. Nick Tetz: (No. 33 in Velocity Global standings) One of three riders accepting international invites, thus representing their home countries Friday and Saturday night in Corpus Christi (joining Jean Fernandes Pereira: Brazil and Qynn Andersen: Australia), Arizona Ridge Riders’ standout Nick Tetz will have his home country of Canada top of mind, no doubt. But having spent the better part of the last season and a half stateside, competing in a mix of UTB, PWVT and TPD events (while continuing to juggle PBR Canada duties on the side), he understands it’s a pair of Texas-based opportunities at the top of his checklist, beginning with his Friday night showdown inside American Bank Center Arena.

An impressive 10-for-19 throughout his limited Velocity Global-eligible outs, we’ve seen the young 24-year-old pop-off at various levels of competition, including the very event he returns to this weekend. Matching Caminhas’ 2-for-3 effort last season, Tetz rounded out the podium of Top 3 finishers in 2023 en route to securing a spot at his career-first World Finals. As one of three riders to be protected by his Arizona squad earlier this season as the league welcomed its ninth and tenth teams (New York Mavericks and Oklahoma Wildcatters), there’s plenty of belief that the Calgary, Alberta, rider will provide some flashes for a long time to come. However, if he wants to find himself back in Texas the following weekend, he’ll need to repeat, if not improve upon, his results from last season.

4. Daniel Keeping: (No. 11 in Velocity Global standings) With Unleash The Beast set to welcome the PWVT Finals’ event winner, alongside the top three top-ranked individuals within the Velocity Global standings who haven’t already qualified, Texas Rattlers rider Daniel Keeping technically has four opportunities to qualify for what would be his second-straight trip to World Finals. And after securing the squad its 2023 PBR Teams Championship inside T-Mobile Arena with a rank, title-clinching ride, we already know he’s capable of coming in clutch!

The real question is: Which version of the 24-year-old cowboy will show up in Corpus Christi?

Thankfully for the Montague, Texas, native, he’ll be attempting to improve upon his 11-for-20 Velocity Global record within the comforts of his home state. And usually when his daughter is in the building, the man rides! While he’ll need a quality two, if not three, qualified rides inside American Bank Center Arena this weekend, the Cody Lambert-coached cowboy has as good a chance as any of the 45 riders in the draw to exit the showcase with a big check and an invite to Cowtown Coliseum.

5. Grayson Cole: (No. 2 in Velocity Global standings) Just 17.5 Velocity Global points behind Santos, the Missouri Thunder’s Grayson Cole has been one of the hottest riders around lately. Racking up a combined 192.5 Velocity Global points during the final week of the regular season, Cole managed a pair of podium finishes at the PBR Grand Forks via a productive double-entry effort. Winning the entire thing, courtesy of his flawless 2-for-2 slate, he collected a welcomed 121 Velocity Global points for the win before netting an additional 51.5 Velocity Global points for his third-place finish. Throw in an extra 20 Velocity Global points for a third-place finish at the final PBR Stockyards Showcase of the TPD season and he’s suddenly nipping at Santos’ heels!

6. (BONUS) John Crimber: (No. 33 in Velocity Global standings) Yes, he’s already got a spot clinched inside Cowtown Coliseum next weekend. But ANY time the world’s No. 2-ranked bull rider is riding bulls, he’s going to command some attention.

And YES, if No. 1 Cassio Dias was going to give it a go (instead, opting into some much-deserved rest this weekend), he would’ve been included as well, because these two rookies haven’t just paced the pack during their respective, insane, rookie seasons.

They’ve been putting on a show.

Bringing a healthy 7-for-12 record into the weekend, as he’s spent a majority of his season competing on the premier series circuit, where he’s 25-for-58, the future Florida Freedom pillar will look to stay lose while building some momentum down south. Plus, at 18 years old, he wouldn’t mind adding a few zeroes to the more than $300,000 he’s already earned during year one!