PUEBLO, Colo. – It wasn’t so long ago that the world’s top-ranked rider in No. 1 Cassio Dias was participating in the very event that’s set to invade Corpus Christi May 3-4.

While the annual Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) Finals very much celebrate the accomplishments and triumphs that the expansion tour’s pack have endured while giving riders one last season-ending opportunity to earn Velocity Global points, which of course impact the circuit’s annual champion …

… it also serves as a welcoming ground for riders looking to punch their ticket to the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast.

Accepting one of the event’s four international invites (with the tour welcoming top-performing riders from Australia, Canada, Mexico and Brazil each season), Dias earned his right to represent PBR Brazil riders by going 24-for-36 within South American competition.

However, his premier series resume was almost blank at that point, with just two Unleash The Beast appearances and a lone PWVT event under his belt just some 365 days ago.

That wouldn’t stop Dias from storming into American Bank Center Arena with one goal:

Earning a spot at the 2023 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast.

While he did everything he could to make that dream come true, his 1-for-3 showcase (which earned him an eighth-place finish) at last year’s PWVT Finals wasn’t enough to pave his way into Dickies Arena.

It WAS, however, enough to attract the attention of the Kansas City Outlaws, hailing from the PBR Teams league, as J.W. Hart and company eventually selected the 2022 PBR Brazil Champion fifth overall during the 2023 PBR Teams New Rider Draft.

Fast forward six months and the standout Brazilian finished just one ride score short of Jose Vitor Leme in attempting to be crowned the 2023 PBR Teams MVP!

And another six months?

He's set to bring a 560.5-point lead over No. 2 John Crimber into Cowtown Coliseum as he attempts to secure his career-first gold buckle inside AT&T Stadium May 18-19.

Not to get stuck in the past, but this is the very same path that the two-time World Champion took in working his way up to elite status, just some seven years ago.

And we all know how that’s played out!

With Mexico’s top-ranked riders unavailable this season, this weekend’s PWVT Finals will welcome three international invites, including Nick Tetz (Canada), Qynn Andersen (Australia) and Jean Fernandes Pereira (Brazil). The top-placing individual of the three will earn one of the final remaining spots at the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Eliminations.

With three of the remaining four spots inside Cowtown Coliseum reserved for the three highest-ranked riders in the Velocity Global standings following the season-ending showdown, and the fourth, and final, berth dedicated to the best-performing cowboy at the PWVT Finals event itself (who’s not already qualified for World Finals), this isn’t just a chance for international and up-and-coming folks to get their stuff straight.

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

This is where World Champion-level talents are discovered.

The most recent example points to 2023 PWVT Champion Josh Frost, who won the tour last season. Not that he hadn’t already made a bit of a name for himself in the rodeo world, but there’s no denying his big win last season also contributed to him being selected No. 2 overall by the Carolina Cowboys during the 2023 PBR Teams New Rider Draft in Fort Worth, Texas.

The entire roster of rider qualifiers is below: Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) Qynn Andersen (Koumala, Queensland, Australia) Alvaro Ariel (Itumirim, Brazil) Hunter Ball (Carsonville, Michigan) Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil) Andy Bohl (St. Cloud, Florida) Dawson Branton (Jefferson, Oregon) Ednei Caminhas (Indaiatuba, Brazil) Leonardo Castro (Cassilandia, Brazil) Alex Cerqueira (Iguatemi, Brazil) Grayson Cole (New Ringgold, Pennsylvania) Lucas Martins Costa (Frutal, Brazil) John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Brazil) Alan de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) Eric Henrique Domingos (Perola, Brazil) Marco Eguchi (Poa, Brazil) Jean Fernandes Pereira (Crixas, Brazil) Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland, Australia) Bill Henry (Manila, Utah) Dustin Herman (Dudley Shoals, North Carolina) Elizmar Jeremias (Anapu, Brazil) Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona) Daniel Keeping (Montague, Texas) Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) Kaiden Loud (Kaufman, Texas) Joao Henrique Lucas (Bastos, Brazil) Tyler Manor (Portland, Indiana) Callum Miller (Warwick, Queensland, Australia) Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas) Claudio Montanha Jr. (Ribeirao dos Indios, Brazil) Jake Morinec (Mokena, Illinois) Kyler Oliver (Roy, Utah) Joao Paulo Fernandes (Hidrolina, Brazil) Marcelo Procopio Pereira (Rinopolis, Brazil) Paulo Eduardo Rossetto (Colorado, Brazil) Dalton Rudman (Wellington, Utah) Thiago Salgado (Navirai, Brazil) Ederson Santos (Ilha Solteira, Brazil) Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) Keyshawn Whitehorse (McCracken Spring, Utah) Leandro Zampollo (Pirassunuga, Brazil) All of that to say … this weekend’s showcase in Corpus Christi can, and will, have major implications on not only this year’s World Finals pack, but potentially the future of PBR!

And with the action set to be broadcast via RidePass on Pluto TV Friday, May 3 at 7:15 p.m. CT, we know you’ll be tuned in and watching on as we find out which riders will be competing inside Cowtown Coliseum May 9-12 during the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast!

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media