PUEBLO, Colo. – The last year or so has been a rollercoaster ride for 2018 PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco.
He led the 2023 PBR world title race before breaking his leg right before the 2023 PBR World Finals and was forced to withdraw. He then struggled to get healthy and had just one out for the Nashville Stampede during the PBR Teams season.
Pacheco made it back for the 2024 Unleash The Beast season though still missed some time with injury, competing in 16 events and finishing the season ranked No. 9 in the world.
In addition, in April, the Stampede left Pacheco unprotected ahead of the PBR Teams Expansion Draft, where he was selected by the Oklahoma Wildcatters before being traded to the Austin Gamblers.
“That was a surprise to me,” Pacheco said. “The only team that talked to me before the draft was New York, and I think they would pick me, but I got surprised when Oklahoma picked me. And after that, the trade happened, and I get more surprised.
“It’s a good surprise. They’re a really good team.”
Pacheco joined a stacked roster on the Gamblers that includes Dalton Kasel and two-time PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme. Leme, who has often butted heads with Pacheco at the top of the UTB World Championship standings, was thrilled to see his countryman join the team.
“I feel so excited to have somebody like Kaique on the team,” Leme said. “It’s always a great help for us. It’s always good to have more help, and he’s amazing. He’s a World Champion. He proved during all these past years, all these past seasons, he’s solid. He doesn’t care about pressure. So he’s a guy that we need to help us on the team, and I think this year, we’re coming for the title.”
For his part, Pacheco was excited to don the green and black.
“It was different when we started, but I really like it,” he said of his time on the Gamblers. “They are great guys, great riders, and I’m really happy to be part of that team now. I will give my best to try to help them.”
Pacheco was the de facto leader on the Stampede, as their first-ever draft pick and strongest rider, but he’s softspoken by nature and was never a loud captain. Now, he’s here to support his new captain.
“I’m a quiet guy, but I try to help the guys the way I know,” Pacheco said. “We have our captain right now, Jose, and I’m right here to try to help him help our guys, try to make them better, try to get better.”
If there’s one thing Pacheco is focused on, it’s helping his team in any way he can. While he and the Stampede had two losing seasons together, he’s proud of what they accomplished – namely, winning the 2022 PBR Teams Championship, but also never giving up.
“When I was on Nashville, I tried to help the guys the best I can so we can get better,” Pacheco said. “We didn’t have too much luck for two seasons, but we never quit. We always did our best. We practiced every day and tried to be better. (Head coach) Justin (McBride) gave us all the support, and he pushed us. We just didn’t have luck, but the first year, we still won everything, and that made me really happy, to help them do that.”
Pacheco started slow for the Gamblers, going 0-for-2 in the season-opener in Oklahoma City. He then went 1-for-2 in Duluth, Georgia, before rounding into form this past weekend at the inaugural Freedom Days in Sunrise, Florida.
When the Gamblers faced off against the Arizona Ridge Riders, Pacheco rode Oreo for 85 points.
“Oh man, there’s just so much stuff going on in that ride,” CBS analyst and stock contractor Cord McCoy said. “I mean, you take a bucking machine that sets on one pivot and moves around. That one, he went 20 feet this way and 20 feet that way. There was a lot going on, different moves, and the grit, the power, the patience, the ice water that was in his veins, was great.
“I’m an old bull rider. I thought Kaique was way better (than 85).”
Pacheco was indeed better than 85 in his next out the following night against the Texas Rattlers when he rode Big Chili for 88.75 points.
“If you talk about all the moves that the bull has – he weighs 1,800 pounds,” McCoy said. “Tried everything he could think of. That bull could’ve done cartwheels and not bucked Kaique off today.”
After the ride, Pacheco was his usual stoic self.
“I’m really happy to ride that bull,” he told Matt West. “I know he’s a strong bull, but if I rode him, I would have a good score and help my team.”
Thanks in large part to Pacheco’s efforts, the Gamblers went 3-0 at Freedom Days for their first winning weekend of the season. Previously No. 9 in the standings, the Gamblers climbed to No. 4, tied with the Ridge Riders and Kansas City Outlaws with a 4-3 record.
It’s pretty clear that, as Pacheco goes, the Gamblers will go, even with Leme holding down the anchor spot in the lineup.
They’re a dangerous one-two punch for the rest of the league as teams look ahead to this weekend’s Maverick Days at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Aug. 9-10. The Gamblers have a bye on Aug. 9 but will take on the Missouri Thunder (No. 8, 3-5) on Aug. 10. Fans can watch all the action on Merit Street at 9 p.m. ET on Aug. 9-10 and on CBS at noon on Aug. 11.
While the Gamblers hope to win the PBR Camping World Team Series Championship in October, Pacheco’s goals are simple.
“Just try to do my job, ride my bulls, help my team,” Pacheco said, “and I hope we can win.”
Photo courtesy of Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media
