Dominant Carolina Cowboys and Kansas City Outlaws each ride four bulls, clinch first-round byes at PBR Teams Championship
Arizona Ridge Riders celebrate dramatic walk-off win over Oklahoma Wildcatters while New York Mavericks headed to Ride-In Round after loss to Austin Gamblers.
GLENDALE, Ariz. – The top two teams in the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series, the No. 1 Carolina Cowboys and No. 2 Kansas City Outlaws, sent the rest of the league a message inside Desert Diamond Arena tonight. Each went 4-for-5 to win their respective games and clinch the two available byes on the first night of Championship Weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Oct. 18-20).
The Cowboys (18-8-1), who have held first place all season, beat the Texas Rattlers (15-12) 345.75 – 168.5, ending the surging Rattlers’ five-game winning streak.
“We were pretty disappointed in ourselves last night; we didn’t hold up to our standards,” said Carolina’s leadoff man Cooper Davis, who put his team up for good in the top of the first by riding Wasted Nights away from his hand for 87 points. “We came here with a vengeance tonight to secure that No. 1 spot. We gotta put our foot on the gas to get it done against Kansas City tomorrow. That’s going to be a big game for us.”
The Outlaws (18-9) topped the Florida Freedom (16-11) 346.25 - 266.25. The Freedom rode three or more bulls for the ninth time in the past 10 games but still lost the game and the chance to pull even with the Outlaws in the standings. 2024 PBR World Champion Cassio Dias dominated Chuck for 87.25 points in the top of the fifth, clinching the win for the Outlaws and their bye for the Championship Weekend opener.
While the game was lost to the Outlaws, in the bottom of the fifth, Florida’s closer John Crimber, up one bull on the Texas Rattlers’ Brady Fielder in the 2024 MVP race coming into Saturday night, put up a mammoth 90.25-point ride on High Ball to increase his lead over Fielder to 147.25 points heading into the league’s final regular-season games on Sunday.
The host Arizona Ridge Riders, set to compete in the Ride-In Round in Las Vegas, were intent on spoiling the Oklahoma Wildcatters’ bid to make it into the Top 6 while also winning again on home soil. Going into the fifth, Oklahoma trailed 173.75 – 169.75 when Cort McFadden came through with a huge ride to move his team into the lead by 82 points. Last up for Arizona, Keyshawn Whitehorse had the chance for a walk-off win with Yellowstone actor Gil Birmingham watching from above the bucking chutes. When the gate slammed open, Whitehorse gritted and battled on hard-bucking Ghost Face all the way to the 8. He was scored 89.75 points, his third career walk-off ride, as Arizona won 263.5 - 255.5.
“I just stayed focused on all the training I did and trusted God in my abilities and the team that has my back. And the great fans here supporting the Arizona Ridge Riders and the Navajo Nation,” a fired-up Whitehorse said from the dirt after his ride. “We love you guys. Arizona, we love you all!”
The Ridge Riders are now 2-0 during their homestand after defeating the New York Mavericks last night.
In a game featuring two teams with their playoff fates set, the No. 9 New York Mavericks, who are headed to the Ride-In Round, took on the No. 5 Austin Gamblers, already locked into the Top 6. After Ramon de Lima tamed Wingman for 87.5 points in the top of the fifth, putting the Gamblers up a bull, Maverick Smith, who had been only 1-for-11 this season, delivered the biggest ride of his Teams career in the bottom of the final frame, scoring 89 points on Hector for the first walk-off win in his team’s history, as the Mavericks (11-16) beat the Gamblers (13-15) 175.25 – 174.
In the Shootout Round, Carolina Cowboys Head Coach Jerome Davis gave Trey Benton III a spot in the rotation. The late-season roster add made the best of it, leaving Almost Sober high and dry at the 8-second whistle for 89.25 points, Benton’s first qualified ride of the season. The Kansas City Outlaws’ Koltin Hevalow also notched a score in the bonus round, riding Umm for 88.75 points. The host Arizona Ridge Riders’ Colten Fritzlan made the 8 as well for 86.5 points on T-Wrecks.
Overall, the bull riders were 26-for-44 on the night.
The PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days action continues at Desert Diamond Arena on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 11:45 a.m. MST. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and PBR.com or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.
Merit Street Media is broadcasting all three days of action from Glendale. Viewers can watch on the Merit+ app or go to https://www.meritstreetmedia.com/channel-finder to find the Merit Street Media cable channel in their area. On-demand replays of all the PBR Teams action will be available the following day on the Merit+ app. RidePass on Pluto TV will also air Teams replays five days later.
SCORE BULLETINS
Bang Bang! Salgado Lights It Up with 87.25 on Dang Dang!
Carolina Cowboys Clinch a Championship Weekend Bye in Victory Over Texas Rattlers at PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days Saturday Night
Texas Rattlers: 168.5
Carolina Cowboys: 345.75
In the first game on Saturday of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Ridge Rider Days, the Carolina Cowboys (18-8-1) defeated the Texas Rattlers (15-12), 345.75-168.5. With the win, the Cowboys, who have held first place the entire 2024 Teams season, clinched one of the two available byes on the first night of Championship Weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Oct. 18 -20).
After entering Glendale ranked No. 1 in the MVP race, Brady Fielder attempted to take back the No. 1 spot to begin the night, but Desperado bested him in 7.31 seconds. That gave Carolina leadoff man Cooper Davis a chance to give his team the lead on Wasted Nights. The pair rocketed out of the chutes and moved in perfect time for 87 points to give Carolina an early lead.
The Rattlers’ Daniel Keeping, who had his PBR Teams-best 10-out ride streak snapped last week, took on Stryker and got Texas on the board with an 81.5-point outing to start the second frame. Andrei Scoparo took on Bad Bad Bull in the bottom of the second and extended Carolina’s lead with an 86.75-point ride.
Now down a ride score, the action turned to veteran Claudio Montanha Jr., who secured himself aboard Off The Tracks. The pair rocketed out of the gate, and the powerful bovine competitor seized the upper hand, flinging the Brazilian to the dirt after 4.60 seconds. After a successful return to competition for Adriano Salgado on Friday night after missing all of September, the cowboy attempted to build on his momentum against Dang, Dang. Nodding with less than 10 seconds on the chute clock, Salgado converted once again, scoring 87.25 points to extend Carolina’s lead once again in the bottom of the third.
Now in a must-ride situation, Marcelo Pereira took on Playmate to try and get Texas back in the game, but he was bucked off in 6.42 seconds, securing the win for Carolina and a first-round bye at the PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas later this month. With the game already in hand, Daylong Swearingen took on Chacho in the bottom of the fourth frame. The 2022 PBR World Champion hung on, moving Carolina to a perfect 4-for-4 with an 84.75-point ride.
Texas closer Joao Ricardo Vieira battled El Dorado in their final out and he converted, covering the powerful bovine competitor for 87 points. To end the game, Sage Kimzey catapulted out of the chutes on Coco with a chance at the Cowboys’ third perfect game of the season and the sixth in PBR Teams history, but Kimzey couldn’t hang on, losing the rope after 6.48 seconds.
The Carolina Cowboys take on the Kansas City Outlaws (18-9) on Sunday to decide the regular-season champion, while Texas tries to rebound against the New York Mavericks (11-16).
Maverick Smith Delivers Stunning Walk-Off Win for the New York Mavericks!
New York Mavericks Rookie Maverick Smith Converts for the Second Time in His Career to Walk Off the Austin Gamblers
Austin Gamblers: 174
New York Mavericks: 175.25
Saturday night’s second game at the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series stop at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, ended with the New York Mavericks (11-16) walking off the Austin Gamblers (13-15), 175.25-174.
Lucas Divino began the action in the second game Saturday night, taking on Vindicated. The Brazilian sat tall atop the elite animal athlete but was called for a slap at 1.98 seconds to keep Austin off the scoreboard. New York’s Mauricio Moreira was paired with Sober Quick in the bottom of the first, but he failed to get out of the chutes and was disqualified after the chute clock ran out.
With the game still scoreless, Austin’s Guilherme Valleiras roared out of the gate on The Maverick and posted the first ride of the game for 86.5 points to start the second frame. The Mavericks turned to Ederson Santos on Shew Bubby to respond, and the 36-year-old Brazilian converted, making the 8 for 86.25 points.
With New York right on the Gamblers’ spurs, Ezekiel Mitchell rocketed out of the chutes on Cadek to try and restore Austin’s lead, but he was bested after 5.03 seconds. Mason Taylor then had a chance to give New York the lead aboard No Man’s Land but he was flung to the ground after 3.79 seconds.
After a scoreless third frame, Austin’s Paulo Henrique da Silva battled Homeboy in his second out of the season, but he hit the dirt after 4.51 seconds to extend the game’s buckoff streak to three. Black Gold and the Mavericks’ Leonardo Castro were next to leap out of the chutes, and the powerful bovine competitor seized the upper hand and unseated the Brazilian after 4.96 seconds.
The final rider for the Austin Gamblers was veteran Ramon de Lima, who took on Wingman and extended his team’s lead with an 87.5-point ride. Now in need of a solid score to steal the victory for New York, rookie Maverick Smith catapulted out of the gate on Hector and converted for the second time in his career to walk off the Austin Gamblers with an 89-point ride.
While the Gamblers have a bye on Sunday, the New York Mavericks try to keep it rolling against the Texas Rattlers (15-12).
Dias Delivers! Kansas City Secures the Win Thanks to Cassio’s 87.25 on Chuck
Kansas City Outlaws Cover Four to Down the Florida Freedom at PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days Saturday Night and Clinch a Bye at Championship Weekend in Las Vegas
Kansas City Outlaws: 346.25
Florida Freedom: 266.25
The Kansas City Outlaws (18-9) bested the Florida Freedom (16-11), 346.25-266.25, in the third game of the third annual PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Teams: Ridge Rider Days on Saturday night. With the win, the Outlaws clinched one of the two available byes on the first night of Championship Weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Oct. 18-20).
Kansas City leadoff man Koltin Hevalow took on Spotted Demon in the top of the first and converted for 84 points. Florida’s Alex Cerqueira immediately responded on The Don in the bottom of the frame, giving the Freedom the lead with an 87.75-point performance.
In the second frame, the Outlaws’ usual leadoff man, Sandro Batista, took the lead right back for Kansas City on Caps Back with 87 points of his own before Florida’s Yan Victor Cunha was bested by Sin City in 2.55 seconds.
Looking to build on their momentum, rookie Heitor Santos Ferreira rocketed out of the chutes on Sullivan, and he extended Kansas City’s lead with an 88-point ride. Now down two ride scores, Thiago Salgado thundered out of the chutes on OK Boys and got Florida right back in the game by posting an 88.25-point ride.
Despite the conversion, Maikon Calixton Rocha had a chance to put Florida in a must-ride situation in the top of the fourth frame, but he was bucked off by Rip in 4.45 seconds to give the Freedom some breathing room. Elizmar Jeremias took on Margin of Error to close out the frame and was similarly dispatched after 2.22 seconds to send the game to the final frame with Kansas City leading 259-176.
2024 PBR World Champion Cassio Dias rocketed out of the gate on Chuck to try and clinch a victory for the Outlaws, and he came through, covering the powerful bovine competitor for 87.25 points. Despite the game being out of reach, Florida’s John Crimber leaped out of the gate on High Ball and converted for a monstrous 90.25 points to extend his lead in the MVP standings to two ride scores.
On Sunday, the Outlaws take on the Carolina Cowboys (18-8-1) to decide the No. 1 seed in the standings entering the PBR Teams Championship, while the Florida Freedom take on the Nashville Stampede (11-16).
Arizona Hero! Keyshawn Whitehorse’s 89.75 on Ghost Face Secures the Walk-Off Win
Arizona Ridge Riders’ Keyshawn Whitehorse Walks Off the Oklahoma Wildcatters in the Final Game Saturday Night at PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days
Oklahoma Wildcatters: 255.5
Arizona Ridge Riders: 263.5
In the final game of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Teams: Ridge Rider Days Saturday night, the Arizona Ridge Riders (10-17) walked off the Oklahoma Wildcatters (11-16-1), 263.5-255.5.
Eduardo Matos converted once again for the Oklahoma Wildcatters in the first out, riding That Thang for 83.25 points. Nick Tetz looked to respond for the Ridge Riders in the bottom of the first, surging out of the chutes on Body Roc, but he couldn’t hang on after 3.73 seconds.
Now with a chance to apply early pressure, Tate Pollmeier attempted to ride Stairway To Heaven, but the powerful bovine competitor immediately seized the upper hand, bucking off his cowboy counterpart at 1.05 seconds. Veteran Eduardo Aparecido had no such issue on Smores, giving Arizona the lead with an 88.25-point outing in the bottom of the second.
The Wildcatters then turned to Bob Mitchell to try and take back the lead on Alakazoo. The Missouri cowboy stormed out of the chutes and initially sat tall, but he was flung off after 6.06 seconds as the elite animal athlete continued to spin. Arizona’s Dener Barbosa was paired with Neon Street in the bottom of the third and extended the Ridge Riders' lead with an 85.5-point ride.
Now down 90.5 points, Oklahoma’s Clay Guiton shot out of the chutes on Step That Step and closed the gap, riding his elite animal athlete opponent for 86.5 points. Bruno Carvalho attempted to match Guiton in the bottom of the fourth, but he was bested by Heartache in 5.47 seconds to hold the score at 173.75-169.75.
With the game on the line, Oklahoma closer Cort McFadden stormed out of the gate on Red Mosquito and came through in the clutch, scoring 85.75 points to give the Wildcatters the lead in the final frame. However, Keyshawn Whitehorse still loomed in the chutes with Ghost Face, and the Pride of Navajo Nation walked off the Wildcatters with an 89.25-point performance to bring the Desert Diamond Arena crowd to its feet.
The Oklahoma Wildcatters have a bye on Sunday, while Arizona attempts to remain perfect during their homestand against the Missouri Thunder (12-15).
GLENDALE TEAM STANDINGS – OCT. 5:
Here are the Team standings for the second night of competition for PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days:
1. Kansas City Outlaws, 1-0-0, 346.25
1. Carolina Cowboys, 1-0-0-345.75
1. Arizona Ridge Riders, 1-0-0-263.5
1. New York Mavericks, 1-0-0- 175.25
5. Florida Freedom, 0-1-0-266.25
6. Oklahoma Wildcatters, 0-1-0-255.5
7. Austin Gamblers, 0-1-0-174
8. Texas Rattlers, 0-1-0-168.5
PBR TEAMS SEASON STANDINGS:
Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the second night of competition at the PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days:
1. Carolina Cowboys, 18-8-1-5,733.75
2. Kansas City Outlaws, 18-9-0-6,064.75
3. Florida Freedom, 16-11-0-5,574.25
4. Texas Rattlers, 15-12-0-5,376
5. Austin Gamblers, 13-15-0-4,616.25
6. Missouri Thunder, 12-15-0-4,176.75
7. Oklahoma Wildcatters, 11-16-1-4,177.5
8. Nashville Stampede, 11-16-0-3,697
9. New York Mavericks, 11-16-0-2,848
10. Arizona Ridge Riders, 10-17-0-4,887.75
OCT. 6 GAME SCHEDULE:
Here are the game matchups for the final day of the PBR Camping World Team Series in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, Oct. 6:
New York Mavericks @ Texas Rattlers
Florida Freedom @ Nashville Stampede
Carolina Cowboys @ Kansas City Outlaws
Missouri Thunder @ Arizona Ridge Riders
Note: The Austin Gamblers and Oklahoma Wildcatters will have byes on Oct. 6.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media